Kinship Care Diaries
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Hey, y’all! As I’ve gotten older (p.s. my birthday is coming up) life has felt more routine and nuanced. Or maybe my nervous system finally decided to chill out—who knows? Anyway, how has the start of your year been? My students come back this week, and while I’m geared up and ready for the classroom,…
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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…
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Who Do You Want to Be in 2025? The way he asks me these questions makes me feel… seen. My younger self feels seen, too, and I’m not sure if I welcome it or if it scares me. I put down the magazine I was flipping through, took a sip of my tea, and looked…
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11:16 p.m., and still no text. I waited all day, hoping for a simple “Merry Christmas” or even a call from the contact saved in my phone as “Mommy.” But it never came. Maybe it was a glitch in the service from her latest vacation spot. Maybe she just forgot. Either way, here I sit—feeling…
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What do you want to do in this life? Well—that’s a loaded question, isn’t it? “That depends. Do you know what you truly want? I know you think about it.” I stared at my friend as he sipped his coffee shake, his gaze intense. We were sitting in this cozy diner in Brooklyn, and Kanyon…
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Hey, y’all! Welcome back to Adopted Black Girl! It’s been a minute, but I’m so glad to be here with you again. Life has been busy, but I’ve missed connecting with this amazing community of Black adoptees—especially those of us navigating the complexities of kinship adoption. Today, we’re talking about something real: the holidays. They…
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As adoptees, we’re often told how grateful we should be. From a young age, we hear things like, “You’re lucky someone took you in,” or “It could’ve been worse.” Those words can feel heavy—especially when you’re still trying to figure out who you are, where you belong, and what parts of yourself to embrace. I’ve…
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Hey y’all – I’m back with another video. Mother’s Day as an adoptee can cause many feelings to brew- join me as I discuss how I have reframed Mother’s Day through a lens of understanding and grace despite it all. Let me know if you resonate with anything said in the video. I love you…
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Growing up, I found myself navigating a household where verbal expressions of love were sparse. At the time I didn’t realize how it would affect me in the long run, but now I am finding out. While my adoptive mother showed her affection through actions, I longed to hear the words “I love you.” This…
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February always brings about a sense of reflection for me – it’s my birthday month, marking another year of growth, questions, and curiosity. This year, as I transition into a new decade, that introspection feels particularly poignant. Approaching the big 3-0, I realized I no longer want to speculate about my family dynamics; I want…
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Three years ago, the notion of exchanging motivational quotes with my birth father would have prompted a chuckle and a swift change of subject. What changed? Time Three years. It went fast. If you’ve just stumbled upon my blog, welcome! This post holds a special significance as it marks three years since the inception of…
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In the echoes of silence surrounding Black women adoptees’ experiences, I’ve noticed a pattern – a pattern of gaslighting and demands for proof of trauma. When Black women adoptees speak out, we often encounter skepticism. If we remain silent, the risk is the erasure of our experiences and the constriction of our narrative. This blog…
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Hey y’all, I wanted to do something different this week and get more personable. The message is in the vlog. Oh snap – we have a vlog…on the blog?!! *chuckles* Anyway, let me know what you think of this format in the comments. HERE IS MY TWITTER THREAD REFERENCED IN THE VIDEO. From my place…
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I am sending deep love to my Palestinian and Israeli communities. The loss of loved ones, attacks on innocent lives, and the seizure of basic needs (water, food, healthcare supplies etc) is a humanitarian crisis. To have a heart is to know that this cannot be ignored especially for my fellow adoptees who are feeling…
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I can completely understand why you chose to not advocate for yourself when the adults in your life shut you down every time you tried. I completely understand why you hesitate to ask for what you need and fear retaliation when you speak up about what’s wrong. I completely understand the fear behind your eyes…
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I have been thinking a lot about family lately, simply because I am entering the stage of wanting to create a family myself. Wow- to think like three years ago I was afraid of motherhood. Time really changes things. Questions like: “How does being a kinship adoptee affect motherhood?” & “Does it depend on the…
Adopted Black Girl 