Should white parents adopt children of color? Today more than 40% of adoptions are transracial, so it’s a conversation we need to have.

November is National Adoption Month, so we’re talking about adoption, ethnicity, adoptee and birth mom voices, and more on this episode with Dr. Brittany Salmon. As an adoptive mom herself, she offers a ton of wisdom and encouragement to adoptive parents. Adoption and cross-cultural adoption can be both hard and beautiful. There are opportunities here, though, for the adoptive family who is ready to commit more than love.

Thanks to our Episode Sponsors!

Crossway: https://www.crossway.org/

Dwell Differently: https://dwelldifferently.com/

Keep up with Brittany Salmon: http://brittanynsalmon.com/

It Takes More than Love: A Christian Guide to Navigating the Complexities of Cross-Cultural Adoption - https://amzn.to/3MvYDY7

Resources to get involved with Vulnerable Families and Children:

CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocate® (CASA) and guardian ad litem (GAL) volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for children’s best interests.

https://nationalcasagal.org/

SAFE Families - Safe Families for Children seeks to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children is rooted in faith, fueled by radical hospitality, disruptive generosity, and intentional compassion, to build a network of caring and compassionate volunteers to support families facing social isolation.

https://safe-families.org/

Embrace Grace - Embrace Grace exists to help inspire and equip the church to love and encourage single and pregnant young women and their families. Women experiencing unexpected pregnancies receive practical, spiritual, and emotional support through our global support groups.

https://embracegrace.com/our-story

Brave Love - A pro-adoption movement dedicated to changing the perception of adoption by acknowledging birth moms for their brave decision.

https://www.bravelove.org/

Project 127 - Helping churches and families in Colorado serve children through faith-based family preservation, kinship care, foster care & adoption since 2004.

https://www.project127.org/

Resources for Foster and Adoptive Parents:

Fostered: One Woman’s Powerful Story of Finding Faith and Family through Foster Care, by Tori Hope Petersen - https://amzn.to/3MvlUcB

Foster the Family: Encouragement, Hope, and Practical Help for the Christian Foster Parent, by Jamie Finn - https://amzn.to/47j0HdQ

The Connected Parent: Real-Life Strategies for Building Trust and Attachment, by Karyn Purvis and Lisa Qualls - https://amzn.to/47jyfIF

The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family, by by Karyn Purvis, David Cross, and Wendy Lyons Sunshine - https://amzn.to/3QMpmBX

Cam Lee Small - https://therapyredeemed.wordpress.com/

Books from the adopted perspective. Not Christian, but helpful:

Adopting Hope: Stories and Real Life Advice from Birthparents, Adoptive Parents, and Adoptees, by Lorri Antosz Benson - https://amzn.to/3QMUnWA

Surviving the White Gaze: A Memoir, by Rebecca Carroll - https://amzn.to/3QtWY6f

All You Can Ever Know: A Memoir, by Nicole Chung - https://amzn.to/3QqGMmr

Research mentioned on the episode:

https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/private/pdf/264526/MEPA-Graphical-Factsheet.pdf

https://time.com/the-realities-of-raising-a-kid-of-a-different-race/

https://ifstudies.org/blog/the-changing-face-of-adoption-in-the-united-states

https://adoptionnetwork.com/adoption-myths-facts/domestic-us-statistics/