Seeing Color: Why it Matters for Birth Parents and Adoptive Families?
When people say, “I don’t see color,” it sounds extremely tone-death and like an excuse as to why they are avoiding the issues plaguing this world based on race. We see color at our adoption agency, Adoption Choices of Colorado, but we don’t let it determine our thought process or opinions. When it comes to adoption, we have seen plenty of mothers show fear and resentment to letting another family raise their child of a different race. There are many reasons for cultural differences, possible mistreatment, external social justice issues, and more. We reassure expectant mothers at our adoption agencies in Colorado like we are reassuring you we choose and pick families based on thorough checks. Children are the future, and we want them to be loved and treated the best without their skin color being judged.
We are Adoption Choices of Colorado, a private adoption agency that serves local birth mothers in the state. With specific locations in Denver, Colorado Springs, and throughout Colorado we look to be as close as possible to any mother seeking to put her child up for adoption. With the recurring theme of race taking place in America, we decided to talk about the fear and resentment you might harness for transracial adoption while making sure you understand there is nothing to be afraid of at our agency.
I Don’t want to Choose an Adoptive Family of a Different Race. Is that Wrong?
Not at all because here at Adoption Choices of Colorado, we have witnessed plenty of women of color mothers have a fear. That particular fear is letting a family of a different race raise their child. You should not feel in the wrong to want a family of the same race to adopt your beautiful child. As the birth mother, all decisions are precisely left up to you and based upon your preferences and the type of adoption you utilize. We will assemble a sum of parent profiles you can look over. Those parent profiles will have a match the preferences you gave us prior to us gardening a pile for you.
However, at Adoption Choices of Colorado, we want you to know we have witnessed and participated in a mass amount of transracial adoptions. They are all beautiful, and seeing the diversity and child being loved by someone they share no relation to is delightful. We understand your wants and needs by respecting them at the same time. But, we would like you to know there is nothing to be afraid of and possibly consider learning more about transracial adoption before diminishing it based on your own personal opinions.
Why Am I Scared to Let My Baby be in a Transracial Family?
An adoption process in Colorado, just like any other state, is scary. When race is involved due to the subject being taboo and causing controversy in the light of today’s society, being scared is normal. We know on TV there are recurring stories examined on outlets discussing adoption cases where the child was mistreated and more. In some cases, the child is of color and adopted by a Caucasian family, which induced a bigger stir. Viewers, as was the child, were mistreated due to their skin color, and could it have been prevented? Also, if a family of the same race adopted them, would they be in a better predicament and could have avoided such trauma? The answer is we don’t know because many mothers, such as yourself, have come to the realization that transracial is dangerous.
This is understandable, and at our private adoption agency in Colorado, we don’t judge or question your talking points. We try to understand and make you feel as safe as possible. We encourage you to come up with your own opinions based on your viewers and not cases broadcasted on TV. As we have seen, race is not the biggest factor in adoption cases gone wrong with a child sharing the same race as their adoptive parents in some heinous cases.
You should know if you feel as if the fear is affecting you mentally. We offer therapy free of charge to you. So there will be no worries about cost, but mentally getting back on track to take care of yourself and the baby you are carrying.
Seeing Color At Adoption Choices of Colorado Is Beautiful
If you are a mother facing an unplanned pregnancy and would like to put your baby up for adoption, come to us! We will assist you no matter the race you or your baby are. We respect your wishes and hope you can know our goals. We want to end the stigma surrounding adoption while building families. If you would like to contact us, please do such through text, phone call, or our portal. We will get back in contact with you as soon as possible!
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy and want to learn more about your adoption options, contact Adoption Choices of Colorado by email, phone, or text: Email Us, Text us: 720-371-1099, Call us: 303-670-4673 (HOPE). If you are hoping to adopt, please contact us here.
Meet the Author: Imani Agbionu is a recent graduate from George Mason University, earning her Bachelor of Science in Marketing. With a history in writing for her former university’s online publication, Her Campus, she aspires to become a successful journalist who can provide for herself and her family. She is from Washington, DC, where she has lived her whole life, but one day wants to move to experience and call another state home. Her mother is from Washington, DC, and her father is from Nigeria, part of the Igbo tribe. As an introvert, she loves streaming platforms, with her favorites being HBO Max, Netflix, and Disney+. Unfortunately, she can’t pick one due to all playing a vital role in her life on a daily basis. She enjoys reading, with her favorite book being The Shining by Stephen King, which she sees as unusual since she is a fearful person that avoids horror at all costs. Listening to music is a vital mechanism that helps her stay calm and deal with her anxiety at times. As an inspiring Journalist, she likes to write about a plethora of topics that some may look at as controversial, but she believes in staying true to herself. She doesn’t mind having conversations with people as long as opinions are being respected.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!