Saturday, November 3, 2007

Adoption Conference - November 18, 2007

27th Annual Adoption Conference (Adoptive Parents Committee Inc.)
New Jersey, USA

The Three Trimesters of Adoption

This is a wonderful page of information from storksearch.org

Kids Waiting in California

The Kinship Center has a wonderful database of kids waiting to be adopted. You can search by gender, and indicate lowest to highest ages you'll consider. You'll find pictures and descriptions as well. The kids on this site are adorable!

Doing What's Best for Adopted Kids

From the Seattle Times, (June 2007, Editorials/Opinion)

Adoption Agencies in New York

Directory of Licensed California Adoption Agencies

This document is in pdf format. Print it or save it to your computer.

Hillary Clinton Praises Adoption

Read the transcript from Larry King ( March 16, 2000)

Friday, November 2, 2007

Worker Charged at South African School

USA Today

Leadership Academy Employee Arrested

CNN - Read and Watch the Video

Arrest at Oprah's School

Arrest in Abuse Case at Oprah's School (AP)

Transracial Adoption - The Parent's Perspective

From the Harvard BlackLetter Journal v. 20, 2004, Transracial Adoption: The Pros and Cons and the Parent's Perspective
By: Andrew Morrison

Blacks Adopting Black Children

Same Race Adoption Among African Americans: A Ten Year Empirical Review
Dr. Leslie Doty Hollingsworth, U. of Michigan

Thursday, November 1, 2007

November is National Adoption Awareness Month!

Please comment if you've adopted or will adopt in the month of November!

The Black Experience in Children's Books - Brought to you by the New York Public Library

This wonderful pdf document is made available by the New York Public Library. You can print it or download it to your computer.

Research in the Field

"Beyond and Behind Celebrity Adoptions: Colonialism and the Politics of Care"
Ms. Indigo Williams Willing, University of Queensland

Ms. Willing, a doctoral student in sociology, at The University of Queensland, is researching transnational adoptions. In April 2007, she made a presentation at a conference called Celebrity Colonialism: Fame, Representation and Power in Colonial and Post Colonial Cultures.

At the conference, she presented a "working paper" detailing an outline of the history of transnational adoption and emerging relevant literature on the issue. The findings of her research thus far, reveal how the public's critical attention to the issue of celebrity adoptions may lead "regular people" interested in similar practices to consider their choice and related pursuits, ethically.

I will provide details about the availability of a final paper, thesis or publication, in the coming weeks. I will also contact her to see if I can make her working paper available as a pdf document on this blog.

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Raising Ella: Surprised by Parenthood

Angela Johnson, Professor of Educational Studies at St. Mary's College of Maryland, shares the experience of adopting an African American girl from 29 days old. The author shares her feelings about how life will be for her daughter in later life, including how she imagines the world will perceive her daughter. She describes how other black women respond to her when they see her with her daughter as well.

As a black (adopted) woman, I was brought to tears (in public) while reading this article. I was touched by her recognition of, and respect for, blacks in the past who suffered or died for her daughter's freedom. Please read this article.

Me Chocolate Daddy Biscuit: Adoption and Racial Stereotypes: The Families' Experience By Beatriz Sobrino

The Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons

This is a factsheet for Familes (pdf format) produced by the Child Welfare Information Gateway, September 2004

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Foreign Whites Adopt American Black Children

The Tavis Smiley Show - Listen at NPR.org

Growing Up Black and White

Seattle Weekly, July 22, 1998

International Adoption Clinic - Oakland, CA

Children's Hospital and Research Center, Oakland, CA

Thanksgiving Day Activities

A list of ideas of fun things to do on Thanksgiving
Planning fewer games that last a longer period of time may build stronger connections.

American Renaissance News - Adopting from Africa

"...even if an open-minded family insists their eyes do not distinguish between different skin colors, the eyes of children at school will."

What Should You Do if You Find Your Child Has Been Sexually Abused

News About The Oprah Leadership Academy for Girls Will Have Most of Asking Questions

Nottingham City Adoption Service - Families for Black Children Needed

Most welcome are those who will consider adopting children of dual heritage - mostly African Caribbean/White and groups of brothers and sisters where the eldest sibling is over 5 years.

Finicky Eaters - Ages 2-4, Encouraging Good Eating Habits

This helpful document from the University of Pittsburg, highlights points which include

  • setting a good example
  • how to introduce new foods
  • the issue of force feeding

Foster Children Need Libraries

"While 61 percent of young people in foster care are children of color, children of color represent only 39 percent of children in the general population. Studies indicate that child abuse and neglect occur at about the same rate among all racial and ethnic groups, yet children of color are more likely to be removed from their homes and to stay in foster care longer. " - From the Article, "Foster Children Need Libraries"

Association for Library Service to Children, March 2006

Help the Girls at Oprah's Leadership Academy - Gift Ideas

Donate Your Resources - See How You Can Help

Should You Perm Your Daughter's Hair?

Get Advice Here.

Learn Styling and Care Techniques for Your Child's African American Hair

Adopting Older Children

An Authoritative Child Welfare site.

Single Parent Adoptions

Pam Connell says a single parent can adopt a newborn without going through the foster care system.

What's Happening to Oprah's Adopted Kids?

Is Oprah's School too Strict? Here's a place to post your comments about the recent news and developments.

Monday, October 29, 2007

American Homes for African Children, NPR Oct. 7, 2007

This article talks about the founder, and her group, Americans for African Adoption.

Black Children, White Parents

A New York Times article from 1993 uncovers issues in the debate over who should adopt black children. The argument has been going on for over 30 years.

Estimated Costs for Adoption and Foster Care

This information, from the University of Michigan's website may be useful for financial planning.

Overcoming Racial Barriers to Adoption

The New York Times
Overcoming Adoption’s Racial Barriers