WHITE PEOPLE RAISING BLACK KIDS

As I was just hanging out at the Douglass Manor apartment complex for an hour or so with some of my black (I put that in for a reason that they are black) friends there, we were chatting about how I'd like to foster and adopt one day. They asked me what race would I want to adopt and I said probably black because everyone seems to want a white baby more. They agreed. And I also told them that my pastor and another family in my church have shown me how good it can be to foster and adopt poor kids who otherwise would have a potentially hard life. And the thing is that the poor kids that need fostering or adopting are almost always not white. Then we got to talking about how a black kid in a white family can still learn about their culture and heritage as African Americans. This advice applies to several families in my church who are white and have adopted kids of other races. Their advice was this: most of all, take the kids to as many cultural events celebrating black history month and other things like that. For instance, St Louis has the Black Rep Theater that puts on culturally relevant shows. And there are lots of events if you look for them. Then second they recommended sending your kids to a magnet school, having books about urban life in the house (especially kids' books), having them take some hip hop dance classes, and eating soul food regularly and making it a big deal when you do eat it that it is often considered cultural food. They saw it as important so that when the kid gets in their teens then they understand the culture and can fit in somewhat when they meet other kids at school or church or wherever. But they also affirmed that a loving family is what is most important and that it won't hurt a kid at all to grow up black in a white family. :)