Transracial Adoption/Interracial Adoption

Please find some of our best articles, essays and reviews on this topic.

For more topics and articles, check out our full listing on our Resource Library.

Parenting children across racial lines brings on new challenges and joys. Pact has long been known for advanced insight into the experience of transracial adoption. Advice for parents of children of color, whether they were born domestically or internationally, includes addressing issues of racial pride, white privilege, racism and understanding how racial identity formation occurs. We also have a selection of personal stories from both parents and adopted people as well as suggestions for handling questions from outsiders when you become a “visible" family by adoption.

If you prefer, you can use our Library Search Tool to search by title or author. All the material in this section is copyrighted by Pact; for permission to reproduce or re-post it, please contact us at education@pactadopt.org.

• "Racially Conscientious" - Parenting In A "Colorblind" Society
  by Terry Keleher (2011 | 124 KB | )
  
• A Different Kind of Normal
  by Joan McNamara (1998 | 339 KB | )
  
• Adopted Person Profile - Race And My Family
  by Liza Steinberg (1997 | 96 KB | )
  
• Adoption, Race and Where’s the Hairbrush?
  by Lisa Lerner (2008 | 117 KB | )
  
• All of Nathan’s Family
  by Pamela, Barbara, Suzanne & John (1997 | 91 KB | )
  
• …and the Beat Goes On
  by Gail Steinberg (1999 | 277 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: African or African American?
  by Lisa Marie Rollins (2008 | 123 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: Black Hair and the Politics of Beauty
  by Lisa Marie Rollins (2008 | 380 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: How Do We Choose the Best School?
  by Pact (2004 | 115 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: Is Transracial Adoption Easier for Biracial Kids?
  by Pact (2009 | 47 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: My Child Wants To Be White
  by Pact (2007 | 101 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: Our Son Doesn’t Mind Being The Only Only
  by Lisa Marie Rollins (2008 | 104 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: Responding to Racist Comments from Kids
  by Pact Campers Listserv (2008 | 356 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: Taking Risks and Making Connections
  by Martha Rynberg (2012 | 127 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: To Move or Not To Move?
  by Beth Hall (2009 | 60 KB | )
  
• Ask Pact: Transracial Adoption, Laying Our Cards On the Table
  (2011 | 120 KB | )
  
• Attachment in International Adoption
  by Susan Soon-keum Cox (2000 | 70 KB | )
  
• Biracial Children and the Emperor’s New Clothes
  by Gail Steinberg (1992 | 311 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Beneath the Mask Understanding Adopted Teens
  by Debbie Riley (2007 | 84 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Forever Fingerprints
  by Sherrie Eldridge (2007 | 86 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Happy Family
  by Wendy Lee (2008 | 406 KB | )
  
• Book Review: In Their Parents’ Voices
  by Rita Simon and Rhonda Roorda  (2006 | 104 KB | )
  
• Book Review: In Their Siblings’ Voices
  by Rita Simon and Rhonda Roorda (2009 | 89 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Once They Hear My Name: Korean Adoptees and Their Journey
  by Marilyn Lammert, Ellen Lee and Mary Anne Hess (2009 | 406 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Sam’s Sister
  by Juliet Bond (2003 | 75 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Slant
  by Laura Williams (2010 | 361 KB | )
  
• Book Review: The Colours in Me: Writing & Poetry by Adopted Children & Youth
  Edited by Perlita Harris (2009 | 412 KB | )
  
• Book Review: Why Can’t You Look Like Me?
  by Ola Zuri (2010 | 525 KB | )
  
• Book Review: You’re Not My REAL Mother!
  by Molly Friedrich (2005 | 83 KB | )
  
• Borders of Belonging
  by Sofia Arroyo (2008 | 309 KB | )
  
• Brown Babies, Pink Parents: A Practical Guide to Transracial Parenting
  by Amy Ford, Reviewed by Shannon Riehle (2011 | 101 KB | )
  
• Building Racial Identity
  by J. Todd Chas (1997 | 96 KB | )
  
• Building Racial Identity - The Challenge of Religion
  by Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg (1997 | 116 KB | )
  
• Can White People Nurture Black Kids Effectively?
  by RoAnne Elliot (1998 | 111 KB | )
  
• Dealing with Racism: Perspective of a White Transracial Adoptive Parent
  by Beth Hall (2012 | 163 KB | )
  
• Different Birth Families of Adopted Siblings
  by Pam Hutsell (1994 | 110 KB | )
  
• Director’s Corner - Seeking Solutions
  by Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg (1992 | 105 KB | )
  
• Director’s Corner: Getting Over It and Stepping It Up
  by Beth Hall (2011 | 130 KB | )
  
• Director’s Corner: INSPIRATION -- in Capital Letters, Visiting Historically Black Colleges
  by Beth Hall (2008 | 120 KB | )
  
• Family Resemblance in Transracial Adoption
  by Jana Wolff (1998 | 329 KB | )
  
• Family Stories: I Wish I Could Stay At Pact Camp Forever
  by Martha Rynberg (2007 | 136 KB | )
  
• Family Stories: What Sophia Needed, Open Hearts, Open Minds
  (2011 | 1.85 MB | )
  
• Family Story: Dan O’Brien - The World’s Greatest Athlete - A Transracially Adopted Hero
  Interviewed by Gail Steinberg (1997 | 390 KB | )
  
• Feelings of Differentness
  by Jean Benward (1994 | 106 KB | )
  
• Film Reviews: Adopted & We Can Do Better
  by Pact (2009 | 253 KB | )
  
• Film Review: Wo Ai Ni Mommy
  by Michele Rabkin (2010 | 115 KB | )
  
• Helping Your Child Develop A Positive Racial/Ethnic Identity
  by Jeannie Lin (2000 | 57 KB | )
  
• If You’re Color Blind, How Do You See Me?
  by Kevin Hofmann (2012 | 101 KB | )
  
• Jigsaw Puzzle: Adopted Children of Color
  by Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg (1992 | 118 KB | )
  
• Latino and Asian Children in White Homes
  by Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg (1995 | 116 KB | )
  
• Listen
  by Jane Brown (1998 | 318 KB | )
  
• Loss of Innocence
  by Becca Martinson (1995 | 95 KB | )
  
• Mathilde’s Awakening . . . And Mine too.
  by Marie Claude Provencher (2008 | 118 KB | )
  
• Mia’s Art: What I Learned From My Daughter’s Self Portrait
  by Elise Crum (2010 | 101 KB | )
  
• Mongolian Spots
  by Beth Hall & Gail Steinberg (2000 | 326 KB | )
  
• Multicultural Identities in the Making: You Are What You Speak
  by John Raible (2009 | 120 KB | )
  
• Not Just "White Parents with Kids of Color" - The Importance of Racial Identity Work for Parents
  by Gina Miranda Samuels, Ph.D., MSSW (2012 | 129 KB | )
  
• One of Them
  by Kirstin Nelson (2004 | 88 KB | )
  
• Pact Camp Offers Parenting Insights FCC Northern California, Summer 2006
  by Annie Stuart (2006 | 66 KB | )
  
• Pact’s Position on the Multi-Ethnic and Inter-Ethnic Placement Acts
  by Beth Hall and Gail Steinberg (1997 | 117 KB | )
  
• Perspectives on Transracial Adoption - Transracially Adopted Child’s Bill of Right
  by Liza Steinberg (2003 | 63 KB | )
  
• Promoting Understanding of Adoption Issues
  by Patricia Irwin Johnston (1993 | 337 KB | )
  
• Question and Answer with Adam Pertman
  (2011 | 127 KB | )
  
• Quien Yo Soy? Identity Issues in Trans-ethnically Adopted Children
  by Beth Hall (1992 | 108 KB | )
  
• Racial Politics: The "Business" of Domestic Private Adoption
  by Beth Hall, Joe Kroll and Ruth McRoy (2010 | 308 KB | )
  
• Raising Kids Multiculturally
  by Ann Freeman (1994 | 107 KB | )
  
• Rethinking Fit in the Context of Transracial Adoption
  by Julia Sudbury Oparah (1998 | 60 KB | )
  
• Searching for Me
  by Lynne Connor (2008 | 114 KB | )
  
• Supporting Transracial Families: Start From Where They Are
  by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall (1994 | 99 KB | )
  
• Teaching Culture Understanding the Complexities
  by Lisa Marie Rollins (2007 | 104 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: A Letter From My Heart
  by Melissa Cunningham (2010 | 327 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: Dominique’s Journey
  by Dominique Parker (2005 | 94 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: Making Sense of Living Transracially
  by Ryo and Jake (2010 | 53 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: Mission Possible
  by Rabia Cons (2008 | 83 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: Picture Me
  by Sofia Arroyo (2005 | 72 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: Psychological Heavy Lifting
  by Lilah Goldthwaite (2008 | 350 KB | )
  
• Teen Corner: TRA (Transracial Adoptee) Understanding and Love
  by Sara Blair (2007 | 83 KB | )
  
• The Benefits of Pact Camp
  by John Raible (2009 | 132 KB | )
  
• The Godparents Council
  by Michael-David Sasson and Kirsten Cross (2010 | 122 KB | )
  
• The Importance of Support
  by Becca Martinson (1992 | 94 KB | )
  
• The Name Game
  by Jae Ran Kim (2007 | 327 KB | )
  
• The Savior Syndrome
  by Becca Martinson (1994 | 91 KB | )
  
• The Tapestry of My Life
  by Holly van Gulden (1994 | 323 KB | )
  
• Thinking About Culture Camp
  by Julie Randolph (2004 | 54 KB | )
  
• Transracial Adoption
  by Jim Mahoney (1992 | 323 KB | )
  
• Transracial Adoption - A Response to Jim Mahoney
  by Theresa Hughes (1992 | 108 KB | )
  
• Transracial Adoption of Mixed-Race Youth: A Diary of a Child’s Journey
  by Gail Steinberg and Beth Hall (2002 | 121 KB | )
  
• Two Stories of Reunion
  A Review by Susan Ito (2011 | 122 KB | )
  
• We Are Family
  by Marcia Burnell (1998 | 112 KB | )
  Politics: The "Business"
• When Racism is Part of the Story
  by Beth Hall & Gail Steinberg (1998 | 128 KB | )
  
• White Parents Identity
  by Deborah Haynor & Lori Miller (2006 | 121 KB | )
  
  

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