*giggles* – I know it feels like forever since we have talked. Because it has been. Lots of thoughts and growth have happened since I been away for a few months.

When I first started this blog, I knew I wanted more spaces for Black adoptees who identified as young or adult women to breathe, feel heard, and validated. At the time, I wanted that for myself and thought it would be easier to go through the process if I wasn’t alone or outcasted. As time went on, I realized that I wanted to speak more on kinship care as I am a Black kinship adoptee and there was a need for it in the adoptee community.

SO WHERE DID THIS FEELING STEM FROM?

The pandemic really brought on the feeling of absence in my life. An absence that I couldn’t quite place. I was coming up from a breakup, isolated, and started a new career yet I was sad. Through those months, I was trying to figure out why my emotions seemed unbalanced, why I was searching for love in the wrong places, and where my barriers stemmed from. In fact- I just wanted to feel wanted. 

The feeling of being wanted wasn’t a feeling that was new, but something about the time and placement of this feeling prompted me to ask questions. So I did and the answers kept bringing me back to my childhood. 

*A child first feels wanted by their biological parents. It’s innate and based on simple nature- when that bond is not connected, voids appear. 

Asking the right questions to the right people lead to real answers for me. This blog has been existing for a little over two years now but my kinship adoption experience has always been part of me. I just haven’t ever realized how much it affected me.  *Pause* – saying that is such a privilege in itself when we think about it, right? 

Since then, I have grown, and I am still healing and ready to move forward with my blog and life experiences. 

SO WHAT’S CHANGING?

I want to do something different moving forward and I want you all to stay with me. Support me and grow with me. We have come far together. 

In fact, let’s look at where some of our community members are based: 

South Africa

Canada

California 

Maryland

Virginia 

New York

Sweden 

Ghana 

Nigeria 

Georgia 

Delaware 

…WOW! 

We have grown through my socials by 1,035 followers (Instagram & Tiktok) and website views have had more traffic this year than when I first started out. 

I wanted to share these stats with you because I want to build community intentionally. . In order to be consistent and truly enjoy this journey, you can expect the following things from my page and in the blog:

-Discussing action-based techniques kinship adoptee households can practice. 

-Digesting articles around adoption practices in kinship together. 

-Latest personal finds and takes in my daily life.

-Motivational messages for the Black adoptee community.  

Thank you all for going along with me as I learn and pivot in this journey. I want to be sure my blog and socials are welcoming to other Black adoptees who can see me and I can see them. My platform is unique and there will be things you may not agree with me on- just be respectful. 

Day by day, right? 

See you on the next blog, 

-Teish.