I moved up over Lower East Side and I was adopted by eight foster parents; I lived all over New York City with these parents, man, till I was about ten years old.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Meanwhile I married and I adopted three kids who were all from one family and then later I was divorced.
I have spent a lot of time with foster children over the years - kids for whom I have not necessarily acted as a foster parent.
When I was in the group homes, I saw some of the kids being moved into foster homes with the potential for adoption. I remember well asking a social worker if I could find a home, too. I was told I was 'too old' and 'no one wants to adopt a 16-year-old.' I felt hopeless and alone.
When I was growing up, my parents took in foster children. From a young age, I learned that there are a lot of children in need.
I grew up in an average middle-class family. I don't think I even knew any friends who were fostered or adopted.
I was adopted without the benefit of papers. They used to hide adoption in the forties; I don't know why. Perhaps it was shameful. I could have been kidnapped - there are all kinds of crazy things that people have done - but I got over dealing with that a long time ago.
Too many children in foster care are falling through cracks. Be a hero, take the time learn about adoption today.
My mother birthed three children and she adopted myself and another African-American son. My adoptive parents were Finnish. I grew up in a white picket neighborhood.
I was raised in Brooklyn and in Baltimore. My father was a bookkeeper. When I was 36 years old, my mother told me I was adopted.
I was a sickly baby, and after two sets of adoptive parents took me home, they returned me to the orphanage because of a serious respiratory infection. But as they say, the third time's a charm, because my mom and dad adopted me and took me into their home where I was raised in a family full of love.