MEET LIGIA

Here I was, an adoption social worker who decided to  navigate adoption for myself. Although I was a child welfare social worker, my husband and I opted for a private adoption. We met the most amazing woman who chose us to be the parents for her unborn son. Less than a month later, we rushed to the hospital to meet our son. That meant we would also get to be in the delivery room. I cannot fully explain the beauty of being in the room when he was born. Watching him catch his first breath and me cutting the umbilical cord. It was magic✨ We took him home, and for the first time I had to live out loud what I was coaching other adoptive families to do. We decided to keep his adoption open. We wanted him to be loved and to know he was wanted by all of his family. As he grew, we taught him that there is enough love to go around. Now at 14 years old, I’m so glad we gave him the space to receive love from all of us. Two years ago, I was challenged again as I took on the role of Director of Adoptions for the City of Tampa, FL. My career has always walked alongside my personal adoption experience. I wouldn’t change a thing! 

 

That’s why last year my very real experiences in adoption prompted me to author my first award-winning book, “Heard” on our adoption story and lessons I’ve learned along the way. I now share stories on my blog about what an adoptive multiracial family in the deep South has to navigate. I am inspired by my very deep and personal connections to adoption, fueled by being an Afro-Latina daughter of immigrants who has been in an interracial@marriage for over 20 years, as we raise our multiracial son. Part of my personal mission is to address how differences of class, culture, and race impact adoption in today's world. I share most of our intimate stories of our adoption journey on my blog, www.ligiacushman.com”