The social media era has been something truly special for the adoptee community. The reason these social platforms are so vital—especially for Black adoptees—is that they provide more than just visibility; they provide a network. For the first time, we truly understand that we are not alone.
In the past, finding one another felt nearly impossible. Take me, a Black kinship adoptee who just started sharing my story in 2021 without even knowing there was a huge community.
Over the last ten years, we have used the internet to build social hubs that are local, digital, and international. We are seeing a massive shift: building community is not only attainable but sustainable.
Redefining Community
Before we dive deeper, we have to understand what a community actually is. It’s more than just a group; it’s a collective of people with shared beliefs and a common drive. Many people find it intimidating to build or engage with a community because they don’t know where to start. We, however, are uniquely gifted at building these spaces.
Why? Because we know what it’s like to search for “home” our entire lives. We know what the hard work of belonging looks like, but we haven’t always known what collective joy looks like. We create these communities so like-minded individuals can finally feel seen, heard, and empowered.
For too long, the Black adoptee story has been sidelined or left out of the conversation entirely, especially as Black women. We are usually an afterthought in discussions about adoption and foster care. But we are changing that by taking the internet by storm. Let me tell you how:
• Advocacy & Education: There are more adoptee educators online speaking out. We have folks speaking out on Capitol Hill and others working directly within foster care systems. We are using our platforms to dispel the “fairytale” myths of adoption and speak the truth about what it means for a family to stay together.
• Global Unity: We are seeing a new level of unity across the board. It doesn’t matter if you are a domestic or international adoptee; the internet has allowed us to bridge those gaps and stand together as one voice.
While social media has been a catalyst for connection, it hasn’t always been an easy road. The “digital stage” can be a discouraging place; the noise, the criticism, and the pushback can often make us want to stop speaking out entirely. But the true power of social media lies in its ability to amplify. Even when it’s tough, it provides a platform that amplifies our position and gives us the leverage to push for more.
Forward Thinking For Us:
We are seeing a new era where adoptee creators and educators are carving out a unique space within the foster care and adoption systems—a space that most agencies haven’t even begun to capitalize on or utilize. We aren’t just “sharing stories”; we are a community of experts. Within our digital hubs, we have:
• Published authors reframing the narrative.
• Professional trainers educating the next generation of parents.
• Licensed experts with degrees in social work and mental health who carry the lived experience to match their credentials.
Adoption agencies and systems often overlook this wealth of knowledge, but we are no longer waiting for a seat at their table. We are building our own.
At the end of the day, being an adoptee isn’t just a label or a “story”—it is a core identity. While it is an identity that people can “see” through our advocacy, it’s the internal reality that matters most.
It isn’t just something that happened to us; it is a fundamental part of who we are. By showing up authentically online, we are proving that our identity isn’t a burden to be managed, but a perspective that is essential to the conversation.
I wrote this piece to encourage you to keep showing up online and in community. We truly need each other.
From a small coffee shop with love,
Teisha
Adopted Black Girl 