Role Models

Experts in transracial adoption frequently tell adoptive parents that one of the most important things they can do is to surround their children with people from their same racial heritage. We are told to find role models, so that our children are not growing up completely separated from their birth culture.

I want this for both of my children, as I agree it is very important. However, recently I was speaking with a friend about how to exactly go about doing this, especially in our town which is predominantly white. We both admitted that it feels somehow “wrong” to be actively searching out Asian people to befriend based on their race. My friend said that she understood completely that her daughter needs Chinese people in her life, but she still felt uncomfortable with the thought of walking up to a stranger simply because they are Asian and saying, “hi, do you want to be my friend?”

So my question for those of you who have successfully done this is HOW did you do it? Were there local resources you used to help find mentors? Were the people you approached understanding about what you were hoping for? Have you used college communities to search for role models? Thanks for any and all advice you can share.

Amy