According to the Adoption Network, over 135,000 children get adopted every year in the United States. However, these kids are more than statistics. These are human beings with complex and layered lives, often riddled with traumas that are, unfortunately, rarely talked about or supported even by their loving adoptive families.

Trauma is often overlooked in adoption for many reasons. It can be difficult for families to discuss. Adoptive families may feel like they need to protect their child from further hurt, or they may feel guilty about the traumas their child has experienced.

Additionally, many adoptive families are not aware of the signs of trauma or how to support their child through it. Culture can also play a huge role in how trauma is viewed.

The effects of trauma among adopted children, though, can amplify not only in the household but also in the community.

How can the black community help these families, especially the children, heal?

To answer this significant question, I reached out to adoption advocate, Stacey Gatlin, who runs the organization, Yes, We Adopt. In this podcast episode, we discussed the barriers to adoption inside our communities, why adoption is traumatic for kids, and how adoptive parents can get much-needed support.

Gatlin adoptive parent herself, she has a unique perspective when it comes to understanding and talking about trauma in the black community.

Topics Covered:

• Identify the common barriers to adoption in the black community
• Learn why trauma should also be discussed and managed during adoption
• Know why the origin story matters
• Discover ways that parents can acknowledge, understand, and ultimately support the child’s healing from trauma
  
  

Guest Bio:

Stacey Gatlin is a servant leader dedicated to the development of people, processes, and organizations.  Her true passion is helping to make a difference in the lives of women and children. She is committed to long-lasting personal, professional, and community development through her career and volunteer activities.  She recently transitioned her corporate experience in talent management, process improvement, and project management into entrepreneurship and advocacy.

As an adoptive mom, Stacey saw a need to rewrite the narrative around Black adoption and fostering from the negative stereotypes often portrayed in the news. She created Yes We Adopt (yesweadopt.com) to help enlighten Black individuals and couples to the need for adoptive and foster parents and provide support in their journey.  As she further engaged with adoptees and birth parents, she also wants Yes We Adopt to help elevate their voices and to enact change.  In addition to her work in Yes We Adopt, Stacey is also a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) in New Jersey for children in foster care.  

In 2017, Stacey launched her own lifestyle management business, Victory Concierge (victoryconcierge.net). The business provides online business management and virtual assistance to busy professionals and small businesses. Victory Concierge is a perfect merger between her passion for helping others and her attention to detail.  Stacey’s customers entrust her to handle the administrative responsibilities while they focus on growing their business and/or career. She works with diverse professionals in the private sector, including legal, medical, consulting, and beauty industries. 

In her previous career, Stacey enjoyed 15+ years with Johnson & Johnson spending the first half of her career in operations and supply chain with experience in planning, manufacturing supervision, and customer service.  In the second half of her career, she leveraged her network, ability to drive results, and coaching skills in talent mana