As a single Black woman, I never imagined I’d become a mom to two white children. But when I opened my heart to fostering, I found my purpose—and a family that proves love transcends all differences.
I’m Maya Johnson, the youngest of eight siblings, raised in a bustling home after losing my dad at age six. I never had a parental guide, but caring for cousins and working at a daycare after high school taught me how to nurture kids. I always felt a pull to be a mom, but as a single 32-year-old with no children, I doubted I’d qualify. Still, in 2017, I took a leap and contacted Hope Haven Foster Care.
The agency sent me a checklist and a three-month training schedule. The stories of kids in foster care—alone, without family—hit hard. I’d had my siblings growing up; these kids often had no one. It fueled my resolve to give them a home. After training, I chose to foster up to three kids, ages three to ten, race unimportant. I just wanted to love them.
In January 2018, Hope Haven called: “We have a three-year-old boy, Noah.” Without hesitation, I said yes. Noah arrived, shy but curious, and filled my home with laughter. Six months later, in July 2018, they called again about a seven-year-old girl, Lily, whose brother was in a group home. I welcomed Lily, and we arranged regular visits to keep her connected to her brother, Ethan. By early 2019, Ethan joined us, too.
Suddenly, I was a single mom to two incredible kids, ages three and seven. Strangers assumed I was their nanny. “No, they’re mine,” I’d say proudly. They were my family, no question. When I asked Noah and Lily if they wanted to be adopted, their faces lit up. “Yes!” they shouted, hugging me tight. The adoption process was daunting—paperwork, home visits—but we faced it together, becoming Team Johnson in 2020.
People notice I’m a Black woman raising white kids. Some stare, some ask questions. But in our home, love doesn’t see color. Noah’s silly dances, Lily’s love for books—they’re my kids, safe and happy. This is my calling: to give them the life they deserve.
If fostering or adopting is in your heart, don’t wait. You can change a child’s world. Share your story—what does family mean to you?