November is National Adoption Awareness Month and given how much our society looks to celebrities to set trends, we hope one that catches on quickly is the need for more people to adopt.
According to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System, there were a total of 427,910 children in foster care as of the September 30, 2015 fiscal year, and of the 269, 509 that entered foster care that year, 23% (60, 733) were African American.
These Black celebrities are helping to reduce those numbers, having adopted children by various means and under various circumstances. Check out their stories on the next few pages.
Viola Davis
In 2011, Viola Davis, 46 at the time, and her husband Julius Tennon adopted their daughter Genesis as a newborn. Genesis is their first child together although Julius has two children from a previous relationship.
T-Boz
It took years for T-Boz to become a mother again, but in May 2016, the singer brought her son Chance home nine months after he was born. The TLC lead expected to become an adoptive mother a few years prior when a women from her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, promised to give her baby to her. Sadly, the mom changed her mind but when she became pregnant again in 2015 she allowed T-Boz to adopt her son.
Hill Harper
Though Hill Harper wanted to become a father the traditional way, at 51 the actor decided to become a single parent, adopting son Pierce at 18 months this past Spring. A choice he said is “the greatest decision I’ve ever made.”
Hoda Kotb
Today show host Hoda Kotb became a first-time mother at 52 when she adopted a newborn baby girl earlier this year. Kotb was left unable to conceive after undergoing treatment for breast cancer a decade ago, but as she told People magazine, “One of the things in my life I’ve always wanted was to be a mom.” Now as a mother to Haley Joy she’s achieved that goal.
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard and her husband, writer Roderick Spencer, have two adopted children, a daughter named Mavis and a son, Duncan.
Rev Run
Rev Run and his second wife Justine Simmons had three children together before deciding to adopt. We saw sons Diggy and Russy grow up on their MTV reality show which also sadly documented the couple’s experiencing losing their daughter Victoria Anne Simmons who died shortly after she was born on September 26, 2006, from complications due to omphalocele. In 2007 they adopted Miley Justine Simmons at one-month old.
Al Roker
During his marriage to Alice Bell, Al Roker adopted a daughter named Courtney who was born in 1987. When he later married Deborah Roberts, the two welcomed a son and daughter together with the help of IVF.
Magic Johnson
After having their son Earvin III (EJ) in 1992, Magic and Cookie Johnson adopted daughter, Elisa, in 1995.
