JUSTINE SIMMONS TALKS ABOUT ADOPTION
Justine Simmons “wasn’t supposed to be the mother with a whole lot of kids,” let alone six children. In 2006, Justine gave birth to her first daughter Victoria with hip-hop pioneer, Rev Run Simmons. Victoria , who was born with a condition known as omphalocele (a birth defect that causes organs to grow outside the body), died shortly after her birth. It was at this time that the Simmons made a decision to adopt. In the December issue of Black Enterprise magazine, Justine talks about adopting her daughter Miley Simmons, now two years old.
On why she and her husband decided to adopt:
After our older girls [moved to Los Angeles] I had that empty nest syndrome. I didn’t want to have more kids [biologically], but I wanted to adopt. But after talking to my husband we decided to have our own. When Victoria passed, he said, “Wow, this lets me know, we don’t make babies. God does.”
What was the adoption process like?
It’s a lot of paper work and repetition. Our bishop’s wife set us up with Judge Hatchett because she’s a part of Casa House, which places kids in homes. [Hatchett] set me up with an adoption lawyer. The agency will show you a picture and you can say, yes or no. If you have a preference the process is not as quick, but if you don’t your options are wide open. We wanted a baby girl, black, not born to heavy drugs, and a closed adoption. Every place is different as far as waiting after that person has the baby. Some places, you have to wait three months for the person to change their mind. Others are a month, and some two weeks. I still could have said no if I didn’t want that baby once they showed her to me, but that wasn’t the case with Miley.
On her thoughts about transracial adoption:
I think it’s fine. Just let that child know that you love them for who they are and not their color. But please do not adopt a child of another color if you are going to make them feel alienated or different in any way, or tell them they’re different.
On why she thinks African American children are less likely to be adopted:
A lot of African Americans are trying to take care of themselves and don’t have extra to give, whether it’s time or money. I also feel there’s a myth that these kids come with baggage, and that’s not true. You hear a lot about white people adopting African American children, so it’s not like they’re not wanted.
On what she is doing to raise awareness about the need of domestic adoption of African American children:
I’m in the process of starting a blog called the Adoption Option, where people can ask me questions and find information about the adoption process.
On whether it was hard to go through the adoption process on television:
The pleasure people find in our show is that we are dealing with the same things they’re dealing with. We’re not acting. I know we’re on a reality show, but it’s not about us––this is something God wanted us to do. A lot of people are shocked that I went on TV and showed that Victoria passed. That was for other women to say, OK, I need to move on. God probably wanted me to adopt in the beginning, but we didn’t listen. God bless Victoria, but I have to say, Miley is supposed to be here.
Check out Black Enterprise.com for the original source
15 Comments to “JUSTINE SIMMONS TALKS ABOUT ADOPTION”
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Great interview
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Thats beautiful. Maybe seeing and reading about this family more African American children will be adopted by African American families. Its fine that other races will take in an African American child but it does my heart good when children are adopted by someone with the same background as themselves.
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Wonderful interview! I hope African-Americans start formally adopting some of these children. Adoption is such a wonderful thing!
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My friends have trying to adopt an African-American baby for years. They have been foster parents for the past 8 years. When they were finally asked to adopt a baby, the agency asked them to adopt a white baby. My friends had to tell them no. They wanted to share their privileges with an African-American child. They are still waiting for a baby (they don’t want to disturb the birth order of their biological children).
I think there is a stigma in our community about giving children up for adoption. A lot of people try it on their own only to have their children taken or terminate rights when the child is older. A baby is more easily placed than an older child, but we don’t give them up as infants.
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I remember seeing something on television about how a lot of African-American children are being adopted by families in places like Canada, Ireland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
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I saw a similar program as well. It really makes you wonder at all those overseas adoptions, especially when people say it’s much harder for a black American child to find a home in general. Why can’t they be adopted in the land of their birth? I’m glad they’re finding families regardless, but it looks like one of those complex issues with no straight answers.
In any case, I’m glad that they opened their heart to adopting a child after such a devastating loss.
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Thats nice. Where’s new pix of her? =(
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I think it’s wonderful that the Simmons family has put the spotlight on adoption for African American families, but they never mention the cost of private adoption (meaning not through foster care). The cost to adopt a newborn African American baby is $20,000 – $30,000 and the cost to adopt a Caucasian baby is as high as $40,000 (my husband and I have personally experienced working with private adoption agencies). I believe the reason why a lot of African Americans do not adopt using private agencies is because of the cost…but the media never tells you that….
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I think being educated regarded adoption is very important. Understanding that you are adopting a human life and that it has to be taken seriously. The cost can be extremely high. And, I pray one day that their is no cost put on a childs life and that they can be placed for free – to a loving home. It is true that the cost does prevent parents from adopting. So, hopefully, one day adoption will be made easier for parents that do pass the qualifications to be great, loving parents.
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As an adoption/foster care caseworker I love that African Americans are talking about adoption. Our kids are in care in some states up to 50percent more then any other ethnicity. The problem is that everyone wants a baby. I have children on my caseload that are PERFECT but I can’t find them families because they over 6 years old. Adoption is FREE (or the cost of you medical, drug screen, and background check) in most states if you are willing to work with a public agency (state or non-profit) and take an older child. Babies cost money because people will wait 1-12 years for them. Most of the time our people don’t have that kind of money, so white people take a cheaper ($10, 000.00) African American child rather then a more expensive ($40,000.00) Caucasian child. PLEASE if you are interested in adoption/foster care talk to your local agencies and be open to an older child.
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It’s nice to see black families adopting black children although for me it really doesn’t matter who adopts them black white or yellow families, either way these kids get a chance in life & I am always in favor of that.
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Wow, I’m happy for them. I’ve always been interested in adopting. I hope later in life I’ll be financially able to do so.
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THATS NICE IM GLAD MILEY IS IN THEIR LIVES.
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when i get older i want to adopt as well. i think its a wonderful thing.
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