Our Focus on African American and Transracial Adoption

Mardie Caldwell, the founder of Lifetime Adoption, has a heart and a passion for helping African American pregnant mothers. Furthermore, she knows that their babies are loved and wanted as they consider adoption.

When she was starting her work in adoption, she spoke to many pregnant black women and heard their worries. They would tell her their fears that no one would want their babies. However, the more she learned, she realized there is still a myth that “no one wants black babies.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, transracial adoption, and the education around it, is just one more way that a baby can find a loving home.

There are Families of All Racial Makeups Ready for a Transracial Adoption

There are thousands of families of all racial make-ups that are ready and waiting to adopt a baby of any race. Yes, some are more specific than others, but there is no shortage of loving prospective adoptive parents ready to welcome any baby home via a transracial adoption.

The challenge is that often African American birth mothers are hoping for a family that will look like their baby. Additionally, they are looking for families where at least one parent is black or bi-racial. And with modern, open adoption, women have the right to request a family of specific racial make-up. However back then, there were very few to choose from.

How Did the African American Enrichment Program Start?

Around 2003, Lifetime Adoption started the African American Enrichment Program. This program was started to share the need that women are wanting racially diverse adoptive parents for their children. Then grant funding was secured to assist families who may not be able to afford private adoption. And from that beginning, Lifetime Adoption’s African American Enrichment Program has grown to be a leader in bi-racial adoption.

This is a passion project for Ms. Caldwell, who recognizes that African American babies are aborted at a higher rate than babies of other racial make-ups. “I know that God loves every baby, regardless of skin color, and He has a plan for him or her,” she says. “No baby is truly unwanted; no baby is unadoptable. And I want these mothers to know that open adoption is a loving choice, and parents are ready to love both them and their babies. They don’t have to abort their babies.”

Modern adoption provides pregnant women (and those wishing to place a young child for adoption) the opportunity to choose a family and get to know them before they decide if adoption is the right choice for them. Women can even speak to more than one family if they wish.
“As more pregnant African American women learn that there are black and bi-racial adoptive parents available, it is my hope that we will see more babies placed for adoption than aborted,” Ms. Caldwell says.

If you are looking to adopt, please take the first step by completing our free application online.

If you are pregnant or wanting to place a child for adoption, you can call, text, or start your adoption plan now.