Nationwide — Nicole Brabson, an African American high school teacher from Detroit, Michigan, and her husband adopted a foster child to help her stay in their community and ensure she can continue attending Mumford High School.
The decision came after Brabson watched Sound of Hope, a film about families adopting children from the foster care system. The movie sparked something in her. Soon after, she discovered that many of her own students at Mumford had lived in foster care. Listening to their stories made her aware of how often these kids move around, making it hard to stay in school.
That experience led Brabson to connect with Saba Gebrai, a foster care advocate and leader of the Village at Mumford. The program encourages local families to adopt foster children so they can stay rooted in the same school and neighborhood, according to People.
Brabson and her husband had tried to adopt before, but it didn’t work out. This time, through the program, they were able to adopt a student named Brittany.
“It was creating a network of us so that if our kids had to leave, or if our kids had to be placed some place else, that one of us were legally ready to take them in,” Brabson said.
Brittany now lives with the couple and continues to attend Mumford High. When asked about her adoptive parents, she described them as “kind, funny, smart, and hard-working.”
For Brabson, becoming a parent has brought new challenges, but it was a rewarding experience. She said, “We’re learning so much and I can’t even describe what it feels like to have someone call you mom.”