Adoption

National Adoption Month

November is dedicated in the state of Illinois to build awareness of adoption, but are you aware of the different ways that adoption can have an impact? As a trans-racial Hispanic international adoptee, I have been pretty open about my adoption, especially having two obviously white parents. There is more than just my “type” of adoption. I was adopted essentially at birth, but adoptions can happen at different ages. International means that I was born in a country and then brought to another country and became a citizen of that new country due to my adoption. Domestic adoptions occur when a baby/child remains in the same country they were born in. Interstate adoptions occur when a baby/child is born in one state in America and the adoptive family resides in another state. Closed adoptions (now no longer recommended) are adoptions where the birth family and adoptive family have no contact. Open adoptions are adoptions where communication is available and utilized in some form. This can vary from exchanging letters through an adoption agency, direct contact such as visits and the sharing of pictures, or even an extended family type connection between birth and adoptive family. Foster care adoptions are also a part of the adoption community. If a parents’ rights are terminated by the state (typically due to established history of abuse or neglect), a baby/child may be available for adoption by an approved family member or foster care family. Step-parent adoptions consist of a step-parent adopting their step-child. Trans-racial adoptions (such as mine) are situations when a baby/child of one race/ethnicity is adopted by a family of a different race/ethnicity. Adoption comes in many different shapes and sizes. If you keep your eyes and ears open, there is no doubt you have been directly or indirectly impacted by adoption.

by Olivia Espinosa