Unraveling the Black Adoption Myths in America

Unraveling the Black Adoption Myths in America

Adoption. At first glance it's just another word in the dictionary. But its power is vested in the weight of the word - conjuring images of abandonment, cherished blessings, adamant secrecy and self discovery.

For African Americans adoption has yet another layer of imagery. Families being torn apart by drug use, poverty, homelessness and even death. At any given moment there are 500,000 children in foster care across the United States with 26% being African American according to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010 statistics.

This statistic gives pause to Gloria King, executive director of the Oakland, Calf, based Black Adoption and Placement Resource Center. Founded in 1983 BAPRC was among the first "specialty" agencies to distill the myths surrounding adoption eligibility criteria that kept countless prospective parents from applying.

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