My wife and I were nervous the first Sunday we attended an African-American church. Would they welcome us? Would they stare? We should have had faith.
“Cornrows Fit for a Ballerina!”
A simple hairstyle was not so simple for a dance class full of little girls with beautiful heads of black hair.
“Teaching My Children That Black Is Beautiful”
I tell my African-American children that they are smart and beautiful because I know that the world may tell them otherwise.
How We Decided
No one adoption route is right for every family. AF readers describe the thinking that went behind the route they chose.
“My Hot Rollers, My Daughter, Myself”
I’ve always had my own issues with hair. But when my daughter came along, my perceptions had to change.
Raising a Child of Color in America — While White
Our country is far from a “post-racial” society, as this last year has demonstrated. How can you ensure that your child will grow up feeling safe, secure in his identity, and close to your family? Commit to calling out racism and fighting injustice wherever you see it.
Identifying Eczema
My son’s skin is red, dry, and itchy. What’s going on?
The Elephant in the Room: Handling Racism
We want to start teaching our daughter about racism early on, but we have no idea where to start.
“Yes, Black Women Do Adopt”
Talking with Black women about adoption became a routine part of motherhood for me, alongside diapers, homework, and the warmth I feel every time I look at my son.
“Intimate Strangers”: Birth Parent Contact in Foster Adoption
The 894 pages of my daughter’s foster care case history described her birth mother’s hard life, scarred by poverty, drug addiction, and homelessness. I never expected to meet her—much less like her.