Important Books to Review:
Inside Transracial Adoption by Gail Steinberg, Beth Hall 2000
A very comprehensive guide for Transracial parents covering history, racial identity, family matters, developmental stages and a transracially adopted child's bill of rights
In Their Own Voices, Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Roorda 2000
In Their Parent's Voices, Reflections on Raising Transracial Adoptees by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda Roorda 2007
In Their Siblings' Voices, White Non-Adopted Siblings Talk About Their Experiences Being Raised with Black and Biracial Brothers and Sisters by Rita J. Simon and Rhonda Roorda
2009
These three volumes on black and biracial men and women who were adopted primarily in the 1970s by white parents uses the actual stories by the adoptees, their parents and their siblings in their own voices through interviews that were conducted. This is perhaps the first time we hear from adoptees on what their experiences were and what might have been different. I liked hearing the different points of perspective of each member of the family.
Growing Up Black and White by Kevin Hofmann
Wonderful book by author and transculturalist retelling the author's experience being raised among 3 white siblings in a white suburban family growing up in Michigan.
I'm Chocolate, You're Vanilla. Raising Healthy Black and Biracial Childrenin a Race-Conscious World by Marguerite A. Wright. I love this book! Now that Arielle is older (4) and saying some things about her skin color this book had some straight on advice how to handle situations kids encounter at different ages along with scripts on how to handle racial comments. This is a very useful book to have!
Brown Babies, Pink Parents by Amy Ford 2010
Funny real world guide for white parents raising black children. Amy with her partner, Kim, and their three African American daughters growing up in Texas.
Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria And Other Conversations About Race. by Beverly Tatum 2003
Websites, etc:
Adoptive Families.com : great website with wonderful articles and tips, good magazine to have a subscription
Evan B Donaldson Adoption Institute : national non profit that is the important voice on research, policy, and education in adoption. Adam Pertman Executive Director wrote the infamous Adoption Nation (being released March 11, 2011-10 years after the orginal publication)
Pactadopt.org : This is a great non profit organization dedicated to serving adopted children of color. They have a ton of resources, articles, educational programs you can sign on for. So many of what is on their website, I wish I had in the beginning. And they have a special PACT camp every year for adopted children and their parents. They have a large amount of transracially adopted families that attend this every year.
Check out the paper on "Finding Families for African American Children" reported May 2008
Local Websites Resources
Chicago Area Families for Adoption (CAFFA) (caffa.org) wonderful organization for any family considering adoption or has adopted. This organization provides information, networking, playgroups, outings, and conferences for its members and has branches all over Chicago and its suburbs.
Chicago Bi Racial and Multiracial Family and Friends Network (http://www.bfnchicago.org/) , hosts monthly networking meetings in the city, adult and family social events, speakers and education for its members
