Black Excellence: Habeebah Rasheed Grimes
Habeebah Rasheed Grimes stands as a powerful embodiment of Black excellence, dedicating her life's work to uplifting and healing vulnerable children, particularly within the Northeast Ohio community. As the Chief Executive Officer of the Positive Education Program (PEP), Grimes leads a dedicated staff of nearly 400 professionals committed to providing culturally affirming and trauma-informed care to young people who have experienced significant adversity and mental health challenges. Her journey is marked by a deep understanding of the impact of trauma, read more
Celebrating the Many Hands and Hearts That Hold Us: Part One – Honoring Motherhood in its Many Forms
By April Dinwoodie This spring, we're offering a two-part series:Celebrating the Many Hands and Hearts That Hold Us — an exploration of what it means to honor family expansively through the lens of adoption. As an adopted person — and someone in deep community with others who share this experience — I know firsthand that Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be powerful, complicated, and deeply emotional. Some years, Mother’s Day filled me with joy and gratitude. Other years, there read more
Mother’s Day: Family Titles, Roles, and Relationships
As a country we have been celebrating Mother’s Day since the 19th century, honoring women who play a pivotal role in the lives of children of any age. For some, Mother’s Day can bring feelings of both celebration and complexity. In adoption, mothers of origin or birth/first mothers play a vital role in the lives of children they are born to and separated from. It’s important that you have open and loving conversations about different ways mothers and mother figures read more
Book Corner – May 2025
Chester Keene Cracks the Code by Kekla Magoon Grades 3-7 Chester Keene’s mom is always worrying about him, so Chester tries his best to hide bad things from her. When a bully gives him a black eye, Chester tells his mom he ran into something. Chester really needs someone to talk to. His father left when Chester was a baby, but presents arrive every birthday and Christmas. When Chester finds an email address in one of the packages, he is read more
Book Corner – April 2025, Becoming Vanessa
Becoming Vanessa by Vanessa Brantley-Newton Ages 3-6 During a month that we focus on the significance of names for transracial adoptees, Becoming Vanessa, by Vanessa Brantley-Newton feels like a relevant recommendation. Vanessa wants to feel special on her first day of school, but everything goes wrong. The outfit she picked is too fancy, and her name has too many letters. She shares her sad feelings with her parents, who help her discover how special her name is – and how read more
April Exploring: What’s in a Name?
Our names are central and significant to who you are and, in essence, can be the keystone of identity. When your child is adopted, there’s another world, another narrative, and perhaps another name that accompanies them along their identity journey. The way in which we build a strong and healthy identity often begins with our names as one of our central and original “keystone” building blocks. June-in-April Calendar Conversation Cards TRJ invites your family to experience the calendar in a read more
Black Excellence – Jared Donahue Robinson
Jared Donahue Robinson, the visionary behind JDRobinsonCultureAnd.co, is a dynamic force driving cultural preservation and community empowerment through the lens of Black history and heritage. His work transcends mere historical documentation, evolving into a vibrant platform for education, celebration, and transformative dialogue. Robinson's dedication to reclaiming and amplifying Black narratives solidifies his place as a beacon of Black excellence. Robinson's approach is rooted in the belief that understanding the past is crucial for shaping a prosperous future. He meticulously curates read more
Expanding Identity Through Names
By April Dinwoodie Names carry weight. They are an introduction, an inheritance, a declaration of who we are—and sometimes, who others hope we’ll become. How Our Understanding of Names in Adoption Has Grown For those of us connected to adoption, names often sit at the intersection of identity, relationship, and lived experience. And like so much else in adoption, the way we think about names has changed over time. In the 1970s, during the height of the closed adoption era, read more
Reclaiming Our Family Narrative: Setting Boundaries & Building Belonging
By April Dinwoodie Transracial adoptive families represent diversity in a world that is constantly observing—even while professing, it doesn't “see color.” This reality makes it imperative that transracially adopted children are protected from the micro and macro aggressions they face by parents setting intentional, empowering boundaries. As a parent navigating the winding roads of adoption and identity, I've learned that fostering belonging begins with establishing clear, non-negotiable limits on what we accept from others. Defining Our Space in a Noisy read more
Black Excellence – Rachel Briggs
For those that have been at TRJ camp these last couple of years, our example of Black Excellence for this month is a familiar face that brings so much spirit to our time together. Rachel Briggs of Dream Through STEAM RI embodies Black excellence, passionately advocating for STEAM education, especially for underrepresented youth. Her work transforms lives, bridging opportunity gaps and fostering innovation. Dream Through STEAM RI, under Briggs's leadership, creates pathways for young minds to engage with STEAM through read more
Book Corner – March 2025
Blended by Sharon Draper Grades 4-7 Told from the perspective of an 11 year old, whose parents are divorced, Izzy / Isabella relays her experiences being shuttled between both parents’ homes (she can’t call either house her home). Her mother is white and her father is Black and not much is ever said to her about being two different races until a racist event (targeted at her close friend) happens at school. Suddenly, Izzy is forced to “check the box” read more
Preparing: Adoption Microaggressions… Lucky Me?
Being Prepared as a Transracial Family Have you had strangers ask inappropriate questions of you and your family? “Is she/he/them yours?” “Where are they from?” “Your child is SO lucky”. These invasive questions are part of being a family that does not match and where differences of race are obvious to the world around you. It is important to be prepared for these intrusions. March Pro-Tip to Foster Conversations About Transracial Adoptions At TRJ we send our families conversation cues read more
Book Corner – February 2025
All Ways Black Cree Myles, Curator of All Ways Black Instead of one book and author this month, we’re sharing a robust resource from Penguin Random House. All Ways Black is a year-round celebration of Black authors and stories, a place to honor the depth and breadth of experiences around what it means to be Black. This is a community dedicated to Black literature – reading, sharing, living, and loving it. All Ways Black aims to help you discover incredible read more
Black Excellence – Habeebah Rasheed Grimes
Habeebah Rasheed Grimes, a mental health advocate and CEO of Positive Education Program (PEP), whose work centers on supporting children impacted by trauma, systemic racism, and educational inequities. As a passionate leader in the mental health field, Habeebah uplifts the importance of culturally responsive and trauma-informed care, ensuring that Black and Brown children receive the support they need to thrive. Her unwavering commitment to justice, healing, and empowerment reflects the spirit of TRJ and the values we hold dear. We read more
2025 Family Camp Theme Announcement:
A Message from the TRJ Board of Directors and Executive Director At the intersection of Black History Month and a month when we celebrate love, we are reminded of the power of community, resilience, and the bonds that sustain us on our journeys. This year, those values feel more urgent than ever and why we are thrilled to announce our 2025 camp theme: Together on the Journey: Community, Empowerment, & Joy. These words embody the heart of our mission—bringing transracially read more
February. Transforming: Bring a Higher Love
At the intersection of St. Valentine’s Day and Black History Month, this short month brings so many foundational elements of identity, relationships, and differences for families to explore. Love is a vital ingredient for all families but adoption and difference of race make it imperative the love moves beyond the transactional and into the transformational. February Pro-Tip to Foster Conversations About Transracial Adoptions Transracial Journeys invites your family to experience the calendar in a whole new way. With the help read more
January: Honoring Family Connections Through the Calendar
By April Dinwoodie I couldn’t sleep. Something was nagging at me. Yes, there were work deadlines looming and the mundane tasks of life left undone. But this was different—a heavier weight, a quiet ache pressing on my spirit that I couldn't quite name. I lay awake, restless, cataloging every possible reason for my sadness. No upcoming anniversaries or events came to mind, nothing obvious to explain this depth of melancholy. Eventually, exhausted, I drifted off in the early hours, only read more
Black Excellence – Alec Ingold
By K. Bean Alec Ingold stands as a shining example of Black excellence, both on and off the football field. As an NFL fullback for the Miami Dolphins, Ingold exemplifies dedication, athleticism, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. His powerful blocking and contributions to the Dolphins' offense have solidified his place as a respected player in the league. However, Ingold's impact extends far beyond the gridiron. Deeply rooted in his own experience as a transracially adopted child, he recognizes the read more
Book Corner – January 2025
Somewhere Sisters: a Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family by Erika Hayasaki Ages: Adult Vietnamese twins Loan and Ha were separated when they were babies. Ha was raised by her aunt in a loving home in rural Vietnam. Loan was adopted, renamed Isabella, and grew up in a loving home in a Chicago suburb. Isabella’s American family weren’t told their daughter was a twin, and when they found out, Isabella’s mom started to search for Ha. After read more
January Embracing: Live with Authenticity, Purpose and Joy
January is a time when folks traditionally take stock of where they are and may even make some resolutions for a new diet, more time exercising, or commitments to spending quality time with family and friends. For families that extend through transracial adoption, January can offer a time to think about the year ahead and together as a family, continue the expansive journey of authentically navigating family and differences together with purpose and joy. Related article for parents' reflection: January: Honoring read more
Making and Breaking Traditions:
As the year draws to a close, it’s a perfect time to reflect on the traditions we hold dear and consider how we shape new ones to honor the diversity within our families. This month, we are thrilled to share our 2024-2025 Bibliography for the Giving Season and All Year Long, a curated collection of books that celebrate stories of identity, culture, and connection. This guide is a testament to the power of books in fostering understanding, self-discovery, and belonging for read more
Kimble Bells: A Celebration of Generosity
A big thank you to Board Chair Kurt Harvey for his passion and persistence in securing TRJ as the 2025 Kimble Bells Charity and Networking Event honoree. Held in Detroit, the event brought together local business leaders for a night of connection and giving. Thanks to the incredible generosity of attendees and a donation match from Freshbank Partners (co-founded by Kurt and his business partner Therese), an astonishing $19,722 was raised. End-of-Year Giving: Help Us Continue the Journey As we read more
Black Excellence – Jon Batiste
By K. Bean Jon Batiste has been a trailblazer in the music industry, both honoring traditions and breaking new ground. Hailing from the vibrant city of New Orleans, Batiste's music is a fusion of jazz, R&B, funk, and soul, creating a sound that is both timeless and contemporary. Batiste's ability to seamlessly blend genres and incorporate elements of classical music into his compositions demonstrates his versatility and deep understanding of musical theory. His live performances are electrifying, often featuring spontaneous read more
December – Reflections: Evolving Traditions
The December holidays give us an opportunity to think about traditions tied to different cultures and religions. Regardless of what you and your family honor and celebrate, we can be inspired to take a closer look at what traditions mean to us and how we can expand our thinking and actions. Read this month's reflection and link to book gift giving guide as well as previous December posts from over the years to help guide you and your family through read more
The Quest for Belonging:
By April Dinwoodie, TRJ Part-time Executive Director, Speaker, Trainer As a Black/Bi-racial transracially adopted person, I am mustering up the strength and centeredness to stay present, stay focused and not let the realities of our country stop me from protecting my community. I invite you to do the same and see this as a time where we lean even harder into doing the work to protect children that are entrusted to you through adoption. As we enter this holiday season, read more
November Nourishment: Sustaining Strong and Healthy Families
Thanksgiving can be one of the more complicated historical holidays, and for many in the United States, one of the more family and food-centric holidays. Whether you are a family that chooses not to mark Thanksgiving in a traditional way, or your family goes all out with a big Thanksgiving celebration, this month we are thinking about the family table and what might be true when there are differences of race and culture with transracial adoption. November also brings National read more
Black Excellence – Rachel Noerdlinger
By Bear Howe, TRJ Parent Rachel Noerdlinger was born in 1970 in New Mexico, and adopted by white parents as a baby. Noerdlinger has made significant contributions in public relations and social justice. Known for her tenacity and expertise, she served as the Chief of Staff for New York City’s First Lady, Chirlane McCray, where she advocated for social programs and community empowerment. Noerdlinger also played a key role in organizing national events, including the public communications for George Floyd’s read more
National Adoption Awareness Month (NAAM): Embracing a Broader Narrative
By April Dinwoodie, TRJ Part-time Executive Director, Speaker, Trainer National Adoption Month (NAM) was officially launched by the U.S. federal government in 1995 under the Clinton Administration, with its roots going back to 1976, when Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis first established an adoption awareness week. The original goal was to promote adoption as a pathway to provide permanent homes for children in foster care, focusing on the need for adoptive families and support within the child welfare system. In recent read more
Costumes and Code-Switching: The Hidden Layers of Transracial Adoption
By April Dinwoodie, TRJ Part-time Executive Director, Speaker, Trainer It’s October and many children begin dreaming up costumes, reveling in the chance to put on a mask and become someone else for a night. For many Black and Brown children in transracial adoptions, wearing a "costume" often extends far beyond October 31st. Transracially adopted children may feel the need to mask aspects of their identity and emotions daily as they navigate a world where they may feel out of place—even read more
Revealing: What’s Under The Mask
Whether you participate in Halloween or not, October 31st has many children and the young at heart dressing up in costumes and wearing masks. Today, the pandemic has given many of us cause to wear masks to protect ourselves from the COVID-19. But what is behind the masks you don’t see? What do they reveal? Read how masks and mental health can have unique significance in our community in our article "Masks, Masking, and Mental Health." Fostering Conversations About Transracial read more
Black Excellence: Gina Prince-Bythewood
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Gina Prince-Bythewood was a creative kid, was always writing short stories and in high school decided she really wanted to write for tv and become a director. She went on to graduate from UCLA Film School, and started as a tv writer right after graduation. She has since become a prominent filmmaker, writer, and director of films like “Love & Basketball,” “The Secret Life of Bees,” and read more
Black Excellence: Keegan-Michael Key
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent Image attributed to Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons Keegan-Michael Key is an actor, comedian, writer and producer, known for his sharp social satire and innovative sketches in shows like Key & Peele, which he co-created and starred in with Jordan Peele, and Schmigadoon, as well as his work in television, film and on Broadway. Key was born in Detroit, Michigan, to parents Carrie Herr and Leroy McDuffie. He was adopted at a young age by read more
September: Navigating Life with Clarity and Confidence
In September we focus on navigating to move through life with clarity and confidence as it can relate to our family's relationship to the calendar. As we make our way through the year there are so many ways we can use the calendar to lean into conversations about the uniqueness of our families. Being thoughtful about how our families have to navigate the world differently and talking openly about what we might face can help ease the impact. The calendar read more
Walking Beside Our Children With Clarity and Confidence – (Part 2)
By Bear Howe PART 2 This is part 2 of a two-part article written for the September issue of Transracial Journeys newsletter. Click here for Part 1: Walking Beside Our Children With Clarity and Confidence (Part 1) (Part 1 explores the topics of personal work, allyship and parenting inside the home.) Parenting Outside The Home If we are the upholders of our children’s dignity, then we need to get really clear about the forces at play in society, in our communities, read more
Walking Beside Our Children With Clarity and Confidence – (Part 1)
By Bear Howe When I set out to write this piece, I thought I’d share some jumping off points that have helped me become a more confident transracially adoptive parent. But it grew to include quite a few pieces, so we have decided it’s best broken into two parts. Here you’ll find part 1, and you can jump over to our blog to find part 2. Thanks for being here, putting in the time and energy our kids need from read more
Black Excellence: Colin Kaepernick
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent On August 26, 2016, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick took his first knee during the national anthem at an NFL preseason game. This action was part of his protest against racial inequality and police brutality in the Unites States. His actions made the whole country pay attention, and helped ignite the national debates around Black Lives Matter and what role athletes can play in social activism, as well as the meaning of patriotic gestures during sports read more
August – Growing: Always Learning
Back to school is a time of transition for children and families. It’s a time to be thoughtful about what children need when they go into schools every day. A great way to prepare children from families that don’t match is by having intentional conversations about differences of race and ethnicity as well as family structure and culture. Read "Back-to-School," this month's reflection by K. Bean, for more on intentional conversations about adoption and race during this time of year.
Book Corner – August 2024
Reviewed by Bear Howe, TRJ white adoptive parent The Connected Parent by Karyn Purvis, Lisa Qualls and Emmelie Pickett Adult Nonfiction The Connected parent offers a framework for parenting called Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). TBRI is an attachment-based and trauma-informed approach designed to support the complex needs of children with histories of trauma. This framework focuses on three core principles: empowerment, connection and correction, and first asks parents do their own inner work of healing and introspective processing in order read more
Back-to-School
By K. Bean Back-to-school season is an exciting and transformative time, not just for our children but for us as parents as well. While our children gear up for new academic adventures, we as parents can seize this opportunity to reignite our own commitment to learning and growth. Embracing a mindset of curiosity and dedication to continuous learning is essential for fostering an inclusive, supportive, and understanding family environment. Continuing to learn about the impact of racism and bias will read more
Book Corner – July 2024
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent Book Corner – Brooke Randolph: It’s Not About You Understanding Adoptee Search, Reunion, & Open Adoption It’s Not About You: Understanding Adoptee Search, Reunion, & Open Adoption is a book written for adoptive and birth parents and their therapists. After repetitive conversations with adopted persons (and sometimes their parents) about reactions to their search and reunion, Brooke knew adoptive and parents of origin needed a book on the topic. Brooke is a therapist, author, speaker, trainer and read more
Black Excellence – Isaac Etter
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent This month we are combining our Black Excellence and Book Corner featuring Isaac Etter. Isaac is a transracially adopted person and a social entrepreneur who founded Identity, a startup focused on helping adoptive and foster families thrive. At Identity, Isaac is working on re-imagining post-placement support for adoptive and foster families. He uses his story and deep passion for adoption and foster care education to bring relevant, quality, and diverse resources to adoptive and foster read more
Freedom
By K. Bean As we delve deeper into our history and the true essence of freedom, July 4th becomes a day of profound reflection. It invites us to consider the complexities of freedom and to question who is genuinely free and under what circumstances. This exploration is particularly relevant in the context of transracial adoption, where understanding our identities and truths as individuals and families becomes paramount. The concept of freedom, as celebrated on Independence Day, is multifaceted. It encompasses read more
July – Expanding: Exploring Our Unique Identities
As we all learn more about our history and what freedom really means, July 4th gives us much to contemplate. Who is really free and when? Freedom related to adoption and exploring the truth of who we are as individuals and families is foundational and important. July Pro-Tip to Foster Conversations About Transracial Adoptions At Transracial Journeys we send our families conversation cues each month, from our Transracial Journeys card deck. The card deck contains three cards for each month, read more
Father Day
By Daniel Herd In the early stages of our adoptive process, during a routine doctor's visit, the girls’ doctor, a specialist in high-risk infants, asked if we had any more medical history about their fathers. I replied that we still had no knowledge about either one and that they “had no fathers around.” The doctor paused and then said, “yes, they do now.” He might have added something about how a father can be defined by actions rather than biology, read more
Black Excellence: Michael Franti
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Franti (@michaelfranti) Michael Franti is an American singer-songwriter, poet, activist and documentarian known for his socially conscious music. His work spans several genres including hip hop, reggae, jazz, folk and rock. Franti was born in Oakland, California, in 1966, the biological son of Mary Lofy and Thomas read more
Book Corner – June 2024
By Kristen Perry, transracial adoptive parent and professor of literacy education Max and the Tag-Along Moon, by Floyd Cooper Floyd Cooper’s picture book, Max and the Tag-Along Moon, is the perfect story to celebrate all the fathers, grandfathers, and other father-figures in our children’s lives. It is a wonderful ode to the love between a grandfather and grandson and to the things that connect us to each other, even across distances. In this sweet story, Max is sad to be read more
June Father’s Day: Family Titles, Roles, and Relationships
Officially celebrating Father’s Day came a bit later than Mother’s Day and there are many of the same things to think about and reflect on as we come to this day that is all about acknowledging the fathers and father figures in our lives. In adoption father’s of origin or birth/first fathers are often thought of after mothers. Sometimes there can be even less information about fathers and it can be harder to open up a conversation about the role read more
Book Corner – May 2024
Reviewed by Rebecca Howe Monstrous, by Sarah Myer Monstrous is a young adult graphic novel memoir written and illustrated by nonbinary comic artist and transracial adoptee Sarah Myer. The story is about Myer's childhood years in the 1990s and early 2000s in rural Maryland, taking us from an imaginative and emotionally explosive early childhood, through an adolescence rife with bullying, racism, homophobia, ableism, mental health struggles and the protagonist's reckoning with identity, how to stick up for themselves, take responsibility read more
Black Excellence: Viola Davis
By Becca Howe, TRJ Parent Viola Davis is a highly acclaimed American actress known for her powerful performances on stage and screen. She was born on August 11, 1965, in St. Matthews, South Carolina. She is known for her impactful roles in movies like “Doubt” in 2008, “The Help” in 2011, “Fences” in 2016, and “Windows” in 2018. She is also a trailblazer in the entertainment industry for being vocal about addressing issues related to racism, gender inequality and representation read more
Mothers’ Day
By Jennie Rosenstiel As I typed the first draft of this article, the grammar checker kept telling me I’d misspelled the name of the holiday. Again and again, it reminded me that it was Mother’s Day, not Mothers’ Day. It turns out that Anna Jarvis, the advertising executive responsible for the holiday’s modern incarnation, “was specific about the location of the apostrophe; it was to be a singular possessive, for each family to honour their mother, not a plural possessive read more