Navigating Transracial Adoption: A Personal Journey (feat. Isaac Etter, Identity)
Adopting children who are of a different race than your own can be a beautiful thing. But many parents who do so make one crucial mistake—they try to disregard the topic of race altogether. They may feel uncomfortable addressing this subject or think that it’s better to just ignore it.
But the truth is, in order to set children up for success, it’s vital to seek to understand and communicate about the unique challenges they face. Without this, children may feel alone, unsure of their identity, and unequipped to deal with the realities of racial discrimination.
Today’s guest, Isaac Etter, was transracially adopted at the age of two. His experiences inspired him to found Identity—a startup focused on helping adoptive and foster families thrive.
In this episode, Isaac shares important insights on subjects like why it’s important to teach your children about racial issues before they go out into the world, how to show children that they’re loved for the entirety of who they are—not just the fact that they are your adopted child, ways to give your child opportunities to connect with diverse communities and individuals who they feel represented by, and so much more.
You can also find this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more.
Key Takeaways
- Give your child opportunities to connect with communities they can see themselves in. As a black person adopted by a white family and raised in a predominantly white community, Isaac often felt a sense of isolation. Looking back, he wishes he had been given more chances to connect with peers and role models who looked like him. Isaac’s story serves as a good reminder for parents to honor the unique life experiences and needs of adoptees who are of a different race than themselves.
- Making children feel seen, heard, and valued starts with honoring every part of their experience. When we adopt children into our families, it can be a very exciting and joyous life transition. But we must never forget that a young person’s worth and identity don’t lie in the fact that they are our adopted child. We must validate their past traumas, honor the places and people they came to us from, and never erase the racial heritage that is a big part of who they are.
- Tune into signs that may indicate a child’s need for additional help. Making space for your child to express their honest thoughts, questions, and concerns is important. But this is only the first step. When a child does feel comfortable enough to open up to you about their struggles, consider what actions you can take to help them move forward in a healthy way, such as seeking therapy or counseling.
Resources
- Connect with Isaac on his website
- Learn more about Identity on their website, YouTube channel, or Instagram
Meet the Guest
Isaac Etter is an adoptee and social entrepreneur who was transracially adopted at the age of two. He founded Identity, a startup focused on helping adoptive and foster families thrive. At Identity, Isaac is working on re-imagining post-placement support for adoptive and foster families. He uses his story and deep passion for adoption and foster care education to bring relevant, quality, and diverse resources to adoptive and foster parents.
