Raising a Black Teen in a Mostly White Community |…

About this episode

What happens when a white foster-to-adopt family adopts a Black teenager in a small rural community with very little diversity? In this deeply honest and thought-provoking episode of From Foster to Forever, Rachel talks with foster and adoptive mom Kat Parvin about transracial adoption through foster care, parenting adopted teens, navigating racism in schools, and the realities of raising a Black daughter in a predominantly white town. Kat shares how her family’s foster care journey quickly turned into adoption after welcoming a 13-year-old girl into their home. But alongside the joy of becoming a forever family came difficult questions about racial identity, white privilege, trauma-informed parenting, and how white adoptive parents can better support Black children growing up in white spaces. The conversation explores the emotional complexity of foster adoption, the guilt many adoptive parents feel, and the importance of listening to adoptee voices and continuing to learn — even when it’s uncomfortable. Rachel and Kat also discuss: foster care disruption adopting older children and teens bullying and racism in schools trauma and emotional regulation parenting children from hard places supporting adopted children through identity development balancing the needs of biological and adopted children foster parenting while working full-time creating community and mentorship for transracially adopted children why representation matters in adoptive families Kat opens up about the backlash she received online after posting about her adoption day and how that experience pushed her deeper into learning about transracial adoption, anti-racism, and culturally responsive parenting. This episode is an important listen for: foster parents adoptive parents white adoptive parents trauma-informed caregivers families considering foster-to-adopt parents raising adopted teens anyone interested in foster care, adoption, racial identity, and transracial parenting Resources Mentioned Do Right By Me: Learning to Raise Black Children in White Spaces How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum PACT, An Adoption Alliance Culturally Fluent Families About the Podcast Hosted by award-winning audiobook narrator, writer, and foster-to-adopt mom Rachel Fulginiti, From Foster to Forever shares hopeful, honest stories of families formed through foster care and adoption. Through real conversations with foster parents, adoptees, advocates, and experts, the podcast explores the beauty, complexity, and emotional realities of nontraditional families. 🎧 Follow, rate, and review the podcast to help more foster and adoptive families discover these conversations. #fostercare #fosteradoption #transracialadoption #adoption #adoptiveteens #adoptiveparenting #fosterparenting #whiteadoptiveparents #raisingblackchildren #racialidentity #traumainformedparenting #adoptionpodcast #fostertoadopt #adoptionjourney #fostercareawareness