Best Adoptive Parents Of Color Podcasts (2025)

1
E27: Sankofa Episode - Year in Review 1:14:38

1y ago1:14:38

1:14:38

This episode is chock full of goodness and light! SooJin and Hannah are joined by Hannah’s 8-and-a-half-year-old son (Anthony) for the first part of the episode. He shares what racism is, what we can do to stop it, and what has been helpful for him so far in learning about racism and antiracism. After saying goodbye to Anthony, SooJin and Hannah re…

1
E26: What White People Are Doing with Laura Holsen (Part 4 of 4) 57:24

1y ago57:24

57:24

SooJin and Hannah round out this 4-part series by talking with Hannah’s cousin, Laura Holsen. Laura reflects on how she used to notice interracial couples and wonder what that experience must be like. Then she fell in love with and married someone from a different racial background! Laura’s relationship with her spouse, Sunny, has greatly shifted h…

1
E25: What White People Are Doing with Margaret Gerstle (Part 3 of 4) 42:05

1y ago42:05

42:05

SooJin and Hannah sit down with Margaret Gerstle (Hannah’s 63-year-old aunt!) for this brave episode. Margaret shares how her commitment to redistributing wealth has helped her to better understand the true needs of her community, to learn new tools for addressing racism, to expand her network of friends, and to strengthen her overall sense of self…

1
E24: What White People Are Doing with Delia McGrath (Part 2 of 4) 1:00:42

1y ago1:00:42

1:00:42

SooJin and Hannah sit down with Delia McGrath (Hannah’s 83-year-old aunt!) for this sweeping episode. Delia was born in 1939 at the outbreak of World War II. She was raised in a large family of 14 children, attended segregated schools, married a Filipino man, and raised two biracial daughters who now have their own children (Delia’s four beautiful …

1
E23: What White People Are Doing with Hannah Carney (Part 1 of 4) 1:11:39

1y ago1:11:39

1:11:39

SooJin and Hannah mix it up in this episode - featuring co-host, Hannah Carney - to launch a four-part series on What White People Are Doing. This series is in response to a question posed by previous guest Marjorie Grevious (from Episode 19). Hannah opens the conversation by sharing personal stories, grappling out loud with some of the nuance that…

1
E22: The Story of Black Lives Matter with Veronica Chambers 1:07:37

1y ago1:07:37

1:07:37

SooJin and Hannah sit down with prolific author and editor Veronica Chambers of the New York Times to discuss her recent book entitled Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter. This conversation is epic, exploring the history of the BLM movement and how we can all play a part in moving the ball forward a little bit. Veronica poses thought…

1
E21: Building Cross-Racial Friendships with Sharon White and Kate Towle 1:14:26

1y ago1:14:26

1:14:26

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah bring in former guest Kate Towle (Episode 3) and her long-time friend Sharon White to talk about building relationships across difference. We learn how Sharon and Kate were raised by parents who modeled the practice of cultivating interracial friendships, and how that translated into their own lives. As they refle…

1
E20: Learning from Children with Amira Mann Hill and Miranda Del Toro 56:55

1y ago56:55

56:55

This episode is sure to lift your spirits! Hannah is back - she and SooJin are enlightened by Miranda (daughter of Emilia Gonzalez Avalos from Episode 4) and Amira (daughter of Laura and Daren Hill from Episode 10). Every word oozes with wisdom and brilliance. With the help of these two girls, we learn how to open our hearts wider, how to be more c…

1
E19: Addressing Toxic Masculinity with Marjorie Grevious 1:13:03

1y ago1:13:03

1:13:03

In this episode, SooJin brings in spiritual wellness consultant and restorative yoga teacher Marjorie Grevious to share the wisdom and insights she’s garnered from witnessing how toxic masculine definitions of what it means to be a “man” has robbed the men in her life. She discusses not only how men are complicit in toxic masculinity but also women…

1
E18: Addressing Toxic Masculinity with E.G. Bailey 1:04:18

1y ago1:04:18

1:04:18

In this episode, SooJin and E.G. talk about the Minnesota artist community, the importance of “being in the tradition” a la Amiri Baraka, and how he and his partner are raising their two Black boys to be sensitive, confident, and creative souls. E.G. spits all kinds of wisdom, as he discusses how the women in his life, along with embracing his own …

1
E17: BONUS EPISODE - Antiracist Schooling: The Angela Day School with Dianna Myles 52:06

1y ago52:06

52:06

In this special bonus episode, SooJin speaks to Dianna Myles, the founder of the The Angela Day School, to raise awareness of this new antiracist school that is scheduled to open in Fall 2022. Listen to find out more about this school, how you can get involved and enroll your children, and what the upcoming November info sessions will be about. Our…

1
E16: Addressing Toxic Masculinity with Kyle Tran Myhre 1:03:02

1y ago1:03:02

1:03:02

In this episode, SooJin and Kyle talk about how art, spoken word, and poetry can serve as door ways to talk to our children about larger, more complex systems of oppression. Through his work on dismantling toxic masculinity, Kyle points out how harmful forms of masculinity are embedded throughout white supremacist culture, capitalism, and other sys…

1
E15: Talking to Your Children about 9/11 with Deepa Iyer 52:35

1y ago52:35

52:35

SooJin and Hannah bring in 9/11 expert Deepa Iyer to process the horrific terrorist attacks that took place twenty years ago. Deepa describes 9/11 as a watershed moment in history that significantly changed the way South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh communities were perceived in the U.S. Since then, racial anxiety, Islamophobia, and anti-immigrant…

1
E14: Adoptive Parents/Caretakers: Helping Kids of Color Access Whole Futures with Malaika Parker 1:21:52

1y ago1:21:52

1:21:52

Welcome to Season 2 of the Antiracist Parenting Podcast! We start off the season with an AMAZING guest, Malaika Parker, who is the Director at Adoptive Parents of Color Collaborative. Malaika is committed to building whole and complete futures for her biological and adopted children. She does this, in partnership with her spouse, by being honest al…

1
E13: Sankofa Episode – Year in Review 1:09:59

1y ago1:09:59

1:09:59

In the last episode of Season 1, SooJin and Hannah tap into the power of Sankofa as they reflect back on the season. They discuss the ways in which their lives have been transformed by the podcast, sharing what they’ve learned from our past guests in order to understand their present moment and future possibilities. Hannah shares the process she’s …

1
E12: Antiracist Parenting in the Context of Multiracial Families with Melissa Beck 1:07:27

1y ago1:07:27

1:07:27

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah sit down with TV personality Melissa Beck (formerly known as Melissa Howard) from MTV’s reality series The Real World: New Orleans (2000). Melissa found her true calling in motherhood and is raising three mixed-race daughters with her partner, Justin. As an antiracist parent, Melissa is helping her children to “se…

1
E11: Antiracist Parenting in the Context of Multiracial Families with Kale Bantigue Fajardo 1:24:10

1y ago1:24:10

1:24:10

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah are joined by Dr. Kale Bantigue Fajardo who shares his experience with “trans-local” (long distance) parenting. As a trans Dad living in another state, Kale is particularly committed to loving his 11-year-old daughter, Nia, unconditionally. Through their relationship, Nia is seeing that there are different ways to…

1
E10: Antiracist Parenting in the Context of Multiracial Families with Laura and Daren Hill 1:37:50

1y ago1:37:50

1:37:50

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah engage in a rich discussion with soulmates, Laura and Daren Hill. The conversation flows like a slow, meandering river as we challenge ourselves to slow down and be more like water: adaptable, strong, gentle, powerful, vulnerable, interconnected, and expansive. We break down “knowledge” by getting to know our ledg…

1
E9: Antiracist Parenting in the Context of Multiracial Families with Karla Benson Rutten 1:24:50

1y ago1:24:50

1:24:50

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah invite Karla Benson Rutten (from Episode 2) back to dive deeper into raising multiracial, antiracist children. SooJin opens the conversation by naming the victims of the recent shootings in Atlanta, GA, and Boulder, CO. She shares how these events are impacting her personally as a Korean-American woman, and sh…

1
E8: How White Parents and Caregivers Can Become Antiracist: Edie Grauer & Robin Alpern (Part 3 of 3) 1:19:28

1y ago1:19:28

1:19:28

In this final episode of our three-part series, SooJin and Hannah speak with Robin Alpern and Edie Grauer from the Center for the Study of White American Culture. We explore the complexity of white supremacist culture and how racially mixed communities are not necessarily free from racism. Both Robin and Edie talk about being raised by parents who …

1
E7: How White Parents and Caregivers Can Become Antiracist: Mary Moriarty (Part 2 of 3) 1:12:35

1y ago1:12:35

1:12:35

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah talk with Mary Moriarty, former Chief Public Defender in Hennepin County, Minnesota. During our discussion, Mary shares many stories that shaped her antiracism journey while living in Minnesota. Minnesota is considered to be a progressive state; however, it struggles with some of the worst racial disparities in ou…

1
E6: How White Parents and Caregivers Can Become Antiracist: Kathleen Devore (Part 1 of 3) 1:17:43

1y ago1:17:43

1:17:43

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah sit down with Dr. Kathleen Devore, a Professor of English at Minneapolis Community Technical College. This is the perfect conversation to kick off a new year and our three-part series. As someone who experienced a challenging childhood, Kathleen understands pain and trauma. She also understands her white privi…

1
E5: Talking to Children about Peacebuilding in Divisive Times with Crixell Shell 1:06:38

1y ago1:06:38

1:06:38

In this episode, SooJin and Hannah speak with Crixell Shell, the Assistant Executive Director of the MN Peacebuilding Leadership Institute. Our conversation is both timely and robust. Crixell shares ways she has been talking with her teenage son about the election - instilling critical values around humanity and respect while also supporting him to…

1
E4: Talking to Children about ICE and the Prison Industrial Complex with Emilia Gonzalez Avalos 1:33:45

1y ago1:33:45

1:33:45

In this episode, Emilia Gonzalez Avalos (Executive Director of Navigate MN/Unidos MN) to join us shares her powerful and painful story of coming to the US from Mexico, what life is like for undocumented immigrants living in this country, and the threat she and her children and other Latinx families face everyday because of the targeted attack again…

1
E3: How to Talk to High School Kids about the Uprising Following George Floyd’s Murder (Part 3 of 3) 1:05:21

1y ago1:05:21

1:05:21

We have been living in COVID times now for five months, seeing the death toll continue to rise in the United States - currently standing at more than 190,000 deaths. And our country’s other pandemic, racism, is alive and well. Breonna Taylor was murdered by police while sleeping in her home in February and George Floyd was killed, very publicly, by…

1
E2: How to Talk to Middle School Kids about the Uprising Following George Floyd’s Murder with Karla Benson Rutten (Part 2 of 3)Untitled Episode 56:01

1y ago56:01

56:01

We have been living in COVID times now for five months, seeing the death toll continue to rise in the United States - currently standing at more than 170,000 deaths. And our country’s other pandemic, racism, is alive and well. Breonna Taylor was murdered by police while sleeping in her home in February and George Floyd was killed, very publicly, by…

1
E1: How to Talk to Young Kids about the Uprising Following George Floyd’s Murder with Daniel Shannon (Part 1 of 3) 1:11:40

1y ago1:11:40

1:11:40

We have been living in COVID times now for five months, seeing the death toll continue to rise in the United States - currently standing at more than 170,000 deaths. And our country’s other pandemic, racism, is alive and well. Breonna Taylor was murdered by police while sleeping in her home in February and George Floyd was killed, very publicly, by…

1
Bonus: How Well Do You Know Your Child? (with Chioma Fanawopo) 6:41

3y ago6:41

6:41

In this bonus bite-size edition of The Survival Guide, Chioma Fanawopo, mum, youth worker and wellness practitioner, tells us how we can communicate better with our older children, creating a bond that will last into adulthood. Follow Chioma on Twitter and Instagram, and find out more about her work. Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Instagram and Ti…

1
Bonus: Imperfect Women, Imperfect Mothers (with Naima Coster) 15:41

3y ago15:41

15:41

Often, mothers are put a pedestal that it is way too easy to fall off. In this bonus episode, bestselling author Naima Coster discusses her book, 'What's Mine and Yours', messy mother characters as well as dealing with grief in her own parenting journey. Naima's novel, 'What's Mine and Yours', is available now. Follow Black Ballad on Twitter, Insta…

1
Mum Guilt, The Importance Of Community & SO MUCH MORE! (with Laura Henry-Allain MBE, creator of JoJo & Gran Gran) 1:08:19

3y ago1:08:19

1:08:19

In this wide-ranging conversation with Laura Henry-Allain MBE, Black Ballad's CEO and co-founder Tobi Oredein discusses Laura's groundbreaking work, JoJo & Gran Gran and they get real about working motherhood and mum guilt. Follow Laura on Twitter and Instagram. Laura's book 'My Skin, Your Skin: Let's Talk About Race, Racism and Empowerment' is ava…

1
The Realities of the Adoption Process & How We Can Better Centre Adoptees (with Shania Ives, Didi & Priscilla Akutu-Carter, Henrietta & Patricia) 1:00:31

3y ago1:00:31

1:00:31

Adoption is not a foreign concept for many black communities. Even if we don't officially name it, there are many of us who have been brought up by grandmothers, aunties and other relatives. And yet, there are many myths and misconceptions that live on. But we're here to bust them! If you want to read more about black women's experiences of adoptio…

1
Baggage, Blended Families & Stepmothers (with Priscilla Appeaning) 28:06

3y ago28:06

28:06

According to statistics, "blended families" are on the rise, but the idea of a happily ever after that involves children from previous relationships, is often written off by many people dating. We get into the practicalities of step-parenting and step-family life with Priscilla Appeaning. It's not all a bed of roses, but it doesn't have to be a bas…

1
Let's Talk About SEX...Again! (with Angella, Uche & Jemilea) 30:06

3y ago30:06

30:06

***Content warning*** This episode discusses sexual assault and the physical trauma of childbirth. We dive back into the conversation about sex after childbirth because it's necessary! This time we have three mums talking through their experiences from sex after a C-section, to triggered trauma and body dissociation, to gaining weight and the all-e…

1
Free Black Mothers Raising Free Black Children (with Nehanda Truscott-Reid aka The Soul Mama) 35:34

3y ago35:34

35:34

How often in your day to day life as a parent do you get time to just stop, take stock and address how you are feeling? It sounds like a luxury, but in order to be our best selves and create the best environment for our children to grow, we need that space for self-evaluation, addressing wounds and traumas and healing. Nehanda Truscott-Reid, aka Th…

1
...Teenagers?! (with Jamelia) 28:51

3y ago28:51

28:51

At some point, you have to accept that you're going to become the parent or caregiver you complained about when you were a teenager. But the challenges facing upcoming generations of teens are very different from what many of us faced, similar to how our challenges were different from our parents'. How do we maintain communication, boundaries, resp…

1
When To Tell Your Kids They're Black (with Dr Beverly Daniel Tatum) 50:58

3y ago50:58

50:58

No black parent looks forward to having that conversation – the one where you explain to your sweet child what it means to be racialised as 'black'. But how do we prepare our children for the realities of racism, while still encouraging a strong, positive sense of identity? How do we go about raising black kids in mostly white environments? And can…

1
Dual Heritage Dilemmas (with Ibianga and Abigail) 30:33

3y ago30:33

30:33

Raising black children in an interracial or intercultural household doesn't have to be complicated...does it? But with different cultures having different traditions, expectations and approaches to parenting, having children can bring unforeseen questions and tensions. Ibianga and Abigail speak about how they navigate conflicting opinions and prese…

1
Let's Talk About SEX! (with Black Mums Upfront) 37:19

3y ago37:19

37:19

Black Ballad Presents: The Survival Guide is back with a BANG! (Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!) In the first episode of our new season we are talking about sex after motherhood with Black Mums Upfront – a topic that we really don't talk about enough. How long do you wait before you dive back in? How do you (and your body) change after the trauma of chil…

1
We're back! 1:00

3y ago1:00

1:00

Black Ballad Presents: The Survival Guide is back for another season, talking about all the things we don't speak about enough. We have guests including Jamelia, Black Mums Upfront and Laura Henry-Allain MBE (the creator of JoJo & GranGran), and talking about fun topics such as sex after childbirth, when to tell your kids they're black and how to d…

1
Eliminating hierarchies and creating an anti-racist dream space 44:05

3+ y ago44:05

44:05

In this episode Malaika is joined by Dr. SooJin Pate. SooJin is an educator, writer, and DEI consultant dedicated to centering the lives and experiences of historically marginalized peoples. She’s an alumna of Howard University and the University of Minnesota and was named Educator of the Year (2014) and Ally of the Year (2013) by Macalester Colleg…

1
Community as white supremacy's antivenom 29:11

4y ago29:11

29:11

This episode Malaika is joined by Natalie Thoreson. Natalie is inVision Consulting's sole proprietor and primary consultant. Natalie has designed and facilitated social justice, anti-oppression, and liberation workshops for over 15 years. Natalie organically nurtures a sense of community with her unrivaled skills in shaping safe, welcoming, creativ…

1
Transitions, connection and bug out bags 40:52

4y ago40:52

40:52

In this episode Malaika is joined by Robin Joy Park. Robin is a queer ,transracial Korean adoptee. Robin's participation and post-adoption services, (including teen groups), mentor and mentee programs. living abroad in Korea, navigating birth family search and reunion and DNA testing have all deeply influenced and informed much of her professional …

1
Community, sleep and holding space 41:56

4y ago41:56

41:56

In this episode Malaika welcomes Angela Gee. Angela is an adult adoptee and adoptive parent and a marriage, family, and child therapist who works to hold space for adoptees and their families. In this episode, Malaika and Angela discuss the importance of creating safe spaces for adoptees to build community and ways that we can show up in support of…

1
When Tik-Tok connects us 34:28

4y ago34:28

34:28

In this episode Malaika welcomes Jamie Nunez. Jamie is the Bay Area Regional Manager for Common Sense Media. Through his work Jaime supports school districts, educators, and parents in their efforts to implement digital wellness initiatives. Jaime offers parents helpful strategies for navigating media wellness. Together Malaika and Jamie talk about…

1
Slicing apples, hot pots and parenting across racial lines 32:57

4y ago32:57

32:57

This episode Malaika welcomes Kate Goka an educator, brilliant creative, and an adoptive parent parenting across racial lines. Kate joins Malaika to talk about her experiences as an Asian-American parent parenting who is parenting Asian, Black and Latinx children. Together Malaika and Kate explore themes of bridging cultural differences within fami…

1
Season 3 trailer 0:54

4y ago0:54

0:54

Welcome to the 3rd season of Yes, we do adopt! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/apcc/message

1
Having It All (with Tobi Oredein) 49:00

4+ y ago49:00

49:00

For our final episode, we have an intimate conversation between Tobi Oredein (co-founder and CEO of Black Ballad) and Jendella Benson (Black Ballad's head of editorial) about working motherhood, women's health, parenting choices and future hopes for their children... Use the code THRIVE to get 50% off a Black Ballad membership for a year at www.bla…

1
Pure Black Joy (with Samantha & Ola, Bolanle Tajudeen, Tobi Asare, Kelechi Okafor & Wunmi Etti) 13:29

4+ y ago13:29

13:29

We've spoken about a lot of hard things during this season of The Survival Guide, but that only makes us appreciate the little joys of motherhood even more. In this episode, we revisit with previous guests, as they tell us about the little things that bring maximum joy along their parenting journey. Featuring Samantha & Ola (@shadesofblackpodcast),…

1
In allegiance with a lie 55:45

4+ y ago55:45

55:45

For the season 2 finale Malaika is joined by Dr. Sam Coleman, Dr. Christine Beilard, Sandria Washington, Satcey Gatlin and Nefertiti Austin of the Black Adoption Collection, a group that is working to represent Black members of the adoption constellation. In November, they worked to highlight black voices during National Adoption Awareness Month, t…

1
Initiations & Transformations (with Kelechi Okafor) 35:41

4+ y ago35:41

35:41

Motherhood is wild. Have we told you that it's wild? Just in case you haven't gathered that from the first nine episodes of this series: MOTHERHOOD IS WILD!!!!! In the process of caring for your new baby and adjusting to your new normal, it can feel like you've lost yourself in some ways, and it can be quite a process to 'find' yourself again. Kele…

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Adoptive Parents Of Color Podcasts

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