Kinship Care Diaries

I’m a writer at heart. Like… I mean a true writer. I find peace in pages. I always have. There’s something about being still and letting the thoughts in the veins of my heart spill out. I grew up in a corner writing down my emotions because I was afraid to feel them out loud.…

I’ve learned this about myself recently: I’m either all in, or I’m not in at all. And sometimes, that trait keeps me from growing. I grew up without my dad, but I had my grandfather — a chess player, a quiet man, a man of logic. His love language wasn’t words, it was silence and…

I just made a cup of tea and whew, it is delicious. But hi. Oh my goodness. Welcome back to the blog — and if you’re new here — heyy! These last two weeks have been a whirlwind. I’ve been gearing up for the event we just hosted at Ripple Café in Dorchester, Massachusetts (aka…

You follow process? But I have to ask again — who is caring for the Black girl in foster care?The one who smiles in public but hides her wrists in private.The one who shows up, does what’s expected, but is breaking inside. You follow process? Who is caring for the Black girl in foster care…

We are, but first – we need to get out of our own way? Every day, we see adoptees courageously sharing their stories online — stories meant to educate, heal, and connect. Yet, too often, these posts turn into comment-section battles. Instead of fostering understanding, they drive wedges within our own community. Advocates who once…

Lately, I’ve been feeling stuck. Have you? It’s like the change of seasons; there’s an unmistakable shift happening all around us. That feeling can be disconcerting, so I decided to sit with it. I’ve come to realize that I’m not emotionally and spiritually stuck—I need to stretch. Stretch into new spaces, explore new ideas, and…

Before You Read This post is a little different. It begins as a letter I wrote myself a while ago to the version of myself who had lost her faith; lonely, anxious, and unsure if God still saw her. It’s raw and unfiltered because that’s where the healing started. The second half of this post…

I was in the And More community by Mattie James, and either she or a member of the Overflow said something that stopped me in my tracks: “Indecisiveness is a waste of time. A decision must be made. Whew. That hit me. Because honestly, why am I delaying? Am I scared? Yikes. For someone who…

What does traditional family look like? I searched for answers on TV screens, in books, and even in my own neighborhood. Everyone seemed to have two parents in the house. One did pick-up, the other did drop-off. They went on grocery store runs together and looked like they loved each other. They sat on the…

You know what? I get it. Life wasn’t fair. You look around and see your sister returned to foster care. Another sister gets to live with the “cool” aunt. You’re stuck going to private school in the county while cousins treat you like an outsider. It’s frustrating. It’s unfair. But here’s the truth: this is…

You’re not forgotten about. I know that’s hard to believe sometimes, but you’re not. For years, many of us have carried this message — spoken or unspoken — that our parents didn’t want us, couldn’t deal with us, or didn’t have space for us in their lives. That somehow made us “unhealthy” or unworthy of…

I still write for the 4th-grade girl who ran home after school to hide in her room and pour her day into her journal. Maybe the kids had been mean. Maybe she wasn’t liked that day. But her teacher had rewarded her for getting straight A’s — and that was enough to keep the pen…

Listen, I know matcha is the new crave. Honestly, my girl Jas doesn’t drink coffee, so to include her in my drink-making adventures, I decided to perfect a matcha recipe. To my surprise, I found so much joy in it. And then it hit me — making matcha is actually a great activity to share…

Lately, when I look in the mirror, I can’t help but think about Bri Babineaux’s song “Make Me Over.” The lyrics pour through my speakers, bringing tears to my eyes as I realize the journey I’ve been on. I don’t recognize myself anymore — and that’s a good thing. I am living in my answered…

I am taking a break and I mean like a true break. I am logging off the socials, off work, and taking a step back to answer some long-awaited questions. Y’all know that Zora Neale Hurston quote that says “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” While last year was my question…

When do you take your mask off? 4th grade- let me take you to a specific moment: I remember coming home that afternoon and going straight to my room. I had just been humiliated in front of my entire class. Everyone knew I was going to Japan for a while, so when my teacher asked…