I’ve included my professional headshot in this article to help paint a visual picture. Based on your first, gut response, what do you imagine my two children to look like? If you are truly honest with yourself, you probably assume they have a similar skin tone, right?

For those who don’t know me, you should know that my husband is white and our two children are black. We are what is commonly referred to as a transracial adoptive family. November is National Adoption Awareness Month and I want to highlight some of the biases that we might bring with us when working with families that don’t “match” or with students who might be adopted. For transracial adoptees, biases are even more prevalent because they often don’t just blend in as other families might.

Let’s simply just start with the FAFSA. Those of us working in aid know that the parental section of a FAFSA is supposed to be the information of the legal biological or adoptive parent(s). But, imagine a child adopted at 10 years old, who has two sets of parents - both legal parents at some point. Children who were adopted don’t just wipe clean their memories/thoughts/feelings of who their parents are. Now imagine that same student who recently turned 18 and has established contact with their biological family, trying to navigate how to properly fill out the FAFSA. See how this can be confusing and why we need to continue our growth and learning to best help this student?

What about the family that shows up in your lobby and needs help. You see a 50-year old white man sitting with a 17-year old black girl. Is your first thought, “oh, that must be her dad?” I can tell you that oftentimes isn’t the first way in which my family is approached, even with clearly minor children. The first question my husband and I, or even our children, get is, “are you said child’s parent?” or “is this your mom/dad?” By approaching families in this manner, are we questioning the legitimacy of the family? How are we making that student, just trying to get FAFSA help, feel?

What about the student who discloses to you that they were adopted, but their family made them move out at 18 years old because they established contact with their birth family. Are you considering a possible FAA Determination of Homeless Youth situation, or are your biases making you think, well geez, you should just stop contact with your biological family and accept your adoptive family as your family?

Adoption at its core is the product of loss. At the center of the loss is the adoptee - the child, the student. We are in positions of power to meet students where they are at, and if allowed, reduce barriers to help them pay for college. We are in a position to connect with and make these students feel welcome. As we grow and learn, we will continue to expand our toolkit to help countless students.

Nicole Boelk - Director of Financial Aid and Scholarships

Oakland University