Interview for article about transracial adoption

Many thanks to the forum Administrator for granting me permission to post this request. ***While the request is geared mainly towards those who have adopted transracially or transnationally, some of the questions are about your opinions and perceptions, and your feedback may be helpful regardless of the type of adoption have or have considered.*** Hello I am a Pittsburgh-based freelance writer and a black adoptive mother. I write a monthly column, "The Girl is Mine", at Literarymama.com (link below), and I am presently in the early stages of writing an article about transracial adoption for a national parenting magazine. For this article, I'm looking to conduct interviews via email or phone. If you or someone you know might be interested in being interviewed for such an article, read onŅ Some background In 2003, my then-husband and I (biological parents of a 4-year-old) met with a counselor at a local Christian adoption agency to learn about the adoption process, after discovering our secondary infertility. The counselor talked to us about the different processes for adopting newborns and toddlers. We left that appointment feeling quite overwhelmed, not sure we wanted to adopt a newborn, not sure we were equipped to care for a child with special needs (which would likely be the case with a toddler, we were told). Just not sure. So we decided to table the issue for a while--but we forgot to tell this to the agency. A month later, we received a call from the agency to see if we would consider adopting a baby who had been born a few days earlier and whose birth mother sought to place her for adoption. The adoption counselor explained that she had thought to call us because, "...while we have many couples waiting to adopt, and some of them are open to adopting a biracial child, no one is waiting to adopt a black child." Fast forward four years and one adoption later, the counselor's words still ring in my ear: No one is waiting to adopt a black child. I have wondered why this is, why there aren't more individuals and couples seeking to adopt a black child since so many are waiting to be adopted. I've wondered too about transnational adoption, which, from my understanding, seems to be more complex and expensive than domestic adoptions. My wondering has led me to write an article which will explore: 1) adoptive parents' decision-making processes; 2) who is adopting black children; and 3) why there are so many black children awaiting adoption in the first place. I understand that issues related to race and those related to adoption are personal, highly sensitive, and emotionally charged for some people. But while adoption is a personal choice, it does not happen in a vacuum. I am writing this article from a place of basic respect for individual choices while also examining the larger social, political, and cultural context in which we make these choices. The article will be roughly divided into three parts: an exploration of the reasons families (primarily, though not exclusively, American) choose to adopt transnationally; an exploration of the reasons non-black families (primarily, though not exclusively, American) choose to adopt black American children; and an exploration of the reasons so many black children are awaiting adoption. The article will consider, among other issues: *the bureaucracy and hurdles involved in all types of adoptions; *the impact and legacy of the 1972 statement by the National Association of Black Social Workers in opposition to the placement of black children in white homes; *Congress's passage of the 1994 Multiethnic Placement Act (MEPA) which lifted restrictions to transracial adoption *perspectives from adult transracial adoptees and birth parents; *the role racial stereotyping plays in adoption decisions; and *the impact of America 's historical and persistent black-and-white racial divide on adoption and foster care issuespersonal decisions as well as policies. While some interviewees may prefer to answer the following questions via email, phone interviews can be arranged as well. I will not use your name, names of your family members, or any identifying characteristics about you or your family in the article, unless I have your express permission to do so. Please send responses to any or all of the questions below to deesha (at) deeshaphilyaw (dot) com . 1. How/why did you decide to adopt? 2. Please describe your decision-making process when considering the following: --private adoption, local vs. national agency, state adoption program --domestic vs. international adoption --adopting a child with special needs --child's gender --child's race, ethnicity, nationality --open, semi-open, closed adoption --cost --the impact on any children you were already parenting, prior to the adoption --opinions and attitudes of family, friends, colleagues --other concerns or factors 3. If you adopted along with a spouse or partner, please describe any differences between you in your attitudes and perceptions about adoption, types of adoption, and other aspects of the decision-making process? 4. Was adopting a black American child a consideration during your decision-making process? 5. If you have completed a domestic adoption would you recommend such adoptions to others, based on your experience? 6. If you have completed a transnational adoption, would you recommend such adoptions to others, based on your experience? 7. If not, (regarding questions #4, #5, #6), please share your reasons/concerns. 8. Do you have a preference for or a problem with any of the following terms: "transracial", "transcultural," "transnational," "ethnicity," "culture," "race"? How do you describe your family's adoption? 9. If you considered adoption, but did not ultimately adopt, why not? 10. If you have adopted, were adopted, or placed your child for adoption transracially/transnationally, and you wanted to give advice to an adoptive parent, birth parent, or adoptee in your position, what would you say? About the adoption process, about parenting, about becoming a family, etc.? 11. What concerns, if any, did/do you have about transracial or transnational adoption (You may answer even if neither is part of your personal experience.)? 12. What myths/misconceptions have you heard (or held yourself) about transracial adoption? About transnational adoption? 13. Please describe any negative or ill-informed comments from or experiences with family, friends, colleagues, adoption workers, or strangers, regarding your adoption choices or your adopted status? 14. What efforts are you aware of, if any, on the part of public or private entities to reduce the number of children in the American foster care system? If you had a magic wand, what efforts would you like to see institutedחon behalf of individuals and/or organizations--to reduce this number? 15. How do you describe your racial/ethnic/cultural background, that of your adopted child(ren), that of your spouse/partner (if applicable)? 16. Anything else you would like to add on this subject? 17. Questions? 18. May I contact you in the future as I am completing this article? Contact preference: Phone__________________________________________________ or Email___________________________________________________ Spreading the word... If you know anyone who else who would be interested in being interviewed for this article, including those who are against or wary of transracial and/or transnational adoptions, please feel free to forward this email to them. I am also interested in hearing from any birth parents who wish to be interviewed. Feel free to post this information on related message boards and email lists as well. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you! ~Deesha