Color Shift: April

April joins the show to share her story of growing up as a Black/biracial adoptee navigating identity, belonging, and family in predominantly white spaces.

Relinquished at birth in Massachusetts, April spent her earliest months in temporary foster care before being placed in a foster-to-adopt home in Rhode Island. By the age of two, she was adopted into a white family with three biological children. Growing up, April learned to navigate the complexities of being both adopted and a person of color—experiences that would shape her understanding of identity, connection, and what it truly means to belong.

In this conversation, April reflects on the realities of transracial adoption, the questions that can follow adoptees throughout their lives, and the emotional work of making sense of one’s story. She also shares how those experiences led her to dedicate her life to reforming child welfare systems and creating spaces that center empathy, inclusion, and understanding.

Today, April continues that work through her speaking and coaching, the summer camp she runs, and her two podcasts, where she helps elevate adoptee voices and challenge long-standing narratives around adoption and foster care.

This episode is an honest and thoughtful exploration of identity, family, and the lifelong journey of understanding where—and how—we belong.

Photo Credit: Jeff Forney

April's projects:

Born in June, Raised in April Podcast - A podcast exploring adoption, identity, and race through the universal framework of the calendar.

Calendar Conversations Podcast  - A guide for adoptive parents to navigate sensitive milestones and inclusive parenting month-by-month.

Together on the Journey - A community initiative and camp designed to support and educate transracial adoptive families.

June in April (Official Website) - The central hub for April’s professional consulting, public speaking, and DEIB advocacy work.