TRANSRACIAL ADOPTION EDUCATION

 
 

WHAT IS IT?

A transracial adoption course that is adoptee-focused, anti-racist, trauma-informed, and research-driven. The full educational experience will include a six-week comprehensive digital transracial adoption course accompanied by live weekly workshop and a physical workbook. This course is led by transracial adoptee and former foster youth experts and features Q&A with adoption professionals, birth mothers and current adoptive and foster parents. This course provides prospective adoptive and foster parents crucial preparatory education on race, ethnicity, culture, transracial adoption history, transracial parenting, racial identity development, and anti-racism. This course will cultivate proactive, empathetic, and courageous parenting skills that empower parents to advocate for, protect, and celebrate their child of color.

 

WHO IS IT FOR?

Those interested in pursuing transracial adoption are eligible for this course. While all races and ethnicities participate in transracial adoption, this course focuses in particular on preparing white prospective adoptive and foster parents for adopting children of the African diaspora and children of Asian, Latinx, and Indigenous descent. If you are considering transracial adoption, have recently matched with an expectant mother, or are in the early days of adoption finalization this course is for you. Beginner level.

 

WHAT IS INCLUDED?

  • Two Printed and Bound Transracial Adoption Workbooks 

  • Lifetime access to digital course and materials

  • Weekly Live Continued Conversation Workshops featuring Transracial Adoptee Panelists 

  • One Intake session with Victoria DiMartile 

  • One end-of-program session with Victoria DiMartile to develop action plan

  • Ongoing community with fellow adoptive and foster parents

  • Five Support Transracial Adoptee” Decal Stickers 

  • Pack of 15 It Takes a Village adoption announcement cards

  • Certificate of completion

 

Course Completion Timeline May 2023 - Fall 2024

PHASE 1

  • Launch Website

  • Apply for Small Business Grant (Pending)

  • Launch GoFundMe Fundraising Campaign (Goal: $5,000)

  • Select Advisory Committee (In process)

  • Introduce Advisory Committee with Instagram Posted Bios

  • Phase 1 Newsletter Report

PHASE 2

  • Select Course Contributors

  • Complete workbook with Contributor’s Content

  • Review of workbook by Advisory Committee

  • Select Course Videographer and Creative Design Lead

  • Print and Bind workbook

  • Introduce Contributors with Instagram Posted Bios

  • Phase 2 Newsletter Report

PHASE 3

  • Schedule Filming

  • Book AirBnB for Filming

  • Book travel for contributors

  • Introduce Course Videographer and Creative Design Lead with Instagram Posted Bios

  • Contributors complete prepared questions for filmed discussion of each workbook module

  • Pre-Launch of Course with Early Bird Purchasing

  • Phase 3 Newsletter Report

PHASE 4

  • Complete Filming

  • Complete Design and Editing

  • Launch Open Enrollment

  • Begin Course with First Cohort!

  • Phase 4 Newsletter Report

WHAT MAKES THIS COURSE UNIQUE?

  • CENTERS the lived experience of multiple transracial adoptee and/or former foster-youth. Includes voices from domestic infant adoption, international adoption, adoption through foster care and same-sex adoption.

  • CENTERS the lived experience of multiple Black, Asian, Latinx and Indigenous transracial adoptees and former foster youth.

  • REVIEWED by an advisory committee (made up of anti-racist educators, transracial adoptees and former foster-youth, adoption professionals, birth mothers, foster parents, and adoptive parents) to ensure ethical, authentic, and accurate course materials and accountability to our core values.

  • COMPENSATES course contributors appropriately and continuously for their expertise, time, and emotional labor. 50% of the profit from each cohort is invested into course contributors (taking into consideration their degree of power and privilege within the adoption industry.)

  • INVESTS in organizations that support family preservation and family reunification projects and initiatives. 10% of the profit from each cohort is invested in our 10% Fund.

  • PROVIDES It Takes a Village announcement cards to send to family and friends to support early conversations around the complexity of adoption. It Takes a Village announcement cards allows adoptive and foster parents to share about their expanding family while modeling the beliefs and values they hold towards adoption, first/birth family and race.