S1E1: “You’re gonna adopt a stranger’s child?” x The Cradle’s Nijole Yutkowitz & Kikanza Harris

“Typically in our culture we value blood ties…” – Nijole Yutkowitz
Black people don’t adopt. Adoption is too expensive. What if something is wrong with the child? Can I love a stranger’s child? There is so much fear, stigma, shame, and straight up misinformation about Black adoption that we had to kick off Season 1 with experts who go hard for Black children and Black families daily.  The Cradle, based in Evanston, IL, is one of the nation’s foremost adoption agencies. Nijole Yutkowitz (Vice President of Community Outreach & Education) and Kikanza Harris (Community Engagement Manager) oversee programming and outreach for The Sayers Center, one of the only programs in the country that specifically promotes adoption awareness in the African-American community. In this episode, Nijole and Kikanza deep dive into what stops Black families from “stepping up to the plate” to adopt,  the adoption process, how adoption fees aren’t “buying babies,” transracial adoption, and the passion they have for seeing Black children placed with Black families.  Their Black Adoption Experience moves them to tears of joy and, at times, pain.
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