68. Loving Well with Ligia Cushman

We talk about EVERYTHING in this episode! Whatever stage of adoption you are in, this episode has something for you. Ligia shares her personal story of loss and how it led to adoption. We also discuss what it's like to adopt as a person of color and finding community. Ligia shares where things stand with racial justice and the adoption community and what the future of trainings could look like. And she talks about personal stories of her adoption journey and how we can love our children well.  Check out Ligia's website and book here:  https://www.ligiacushman.com/ More about Ligia: Inspired by her very deep and personal connections to adoption, fueled by being the daughter of immigrants and motivated by the realities of a complex society, Ligia has become a fierce advocate for adopted children and multiracial families. Her ability to have authentic conversations about her Afro-Latina experience, adopting a mixed race child, and being married interracially is genuine and insightful. Part of her personal mission is to address how differences in class, culture, and race impact adoption in today's world. Ligia is also dedicated to changing the narrative by introducing a modern understanding of adoption through her own professional and personal story. Earning a Masters Degree in Professional Counseling and with over 18 years of experience as a social worker, Ligia recently stepped into the role of  National Child Welfare Consultant at AdoptUSKids. n 2019, Ligia published her first book "Heard: How Loss Led Us to Love" which was recognized as one of the top 20 books on adoption by Book Authority. In 2020, Ligia’s blog was named one of the best adoption blogs of 2020 by Healthline Parenthood. Her hope is to raise awareness and change the narrative of what it means to be a transracial adoptive family in a world that often wants to put you in a box. Find Us on IG/FB @adoptionhacks Email Us [email protected] --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/adoptionhacks/support