By Development Team | Kidsave Staff
Across Los Angeles and throughout the United States, Black and Latino/a children remain overrepresented in foster care—and underrepresented in permanent, culturally affirming homes. While Latino/a children make up 23% of youth waiting to be adopted, they account for only 20% of completed adoptions. The gap is even wider for Black youth, shaped by generations of systemic inequity, racial bias, and fractured support systems that leave many children without the stable, loving families they deserve.
Kidsave is working to change that story.
Through our Weekend Miracles and EMBRACE programs, Kidsave is creating new pathways to permanency by connecting kids with caring adults who not only want to be there for them—but who understand and reflect their cultural identities. Using data as a tool for change, Kidsave is partnering with media outlets, digital influencers, and community leaders who share the lived experiences of the youth we serve.
“Marginalized children need to be prepared for a complex world,” says Shantay Armstrong, Manager of the EMBRACE Project. “Kids need love, stability, and cultural connection—someone who can model safety and show them they matter. Any adult can do that, but culture and identity shouldn’t be afterthoughts.”
At monthly Weekend Miracles events, prospective mentors and adoptive parents meet kids face-to-face, allowing authentic relationships to form naturally. These events are designed to build bridges—giving kids real opportunities to connect with adults who look like them, understand their stories, and can walk alongside them through life.
Research shows that Black children are more than twice as likely to enter the foster care system as their white peers. When placed with families who share their racial, cultural, or LGBTQ+ identity, children are more likely to thrive—building stronger self-esteem, mental health, and long-term stability. A culturally responsive approach helps prepare kids for the world ahead while affirming who they are today.
“When a child sees someone who reflects them—who understands—it affirms that they matter,” Armstrong adds. “Mentoring and adoption are powerful acts of community affirmation.”
How You Can Get Involved
Attend a Weekend Miracles event in Los Angeles
Become a mentor or host a child in foster care
Take culturally responsive training through the EMBRACE program
Join the new Peer Mentor Program, launched in 2025
Each action—whether mentoring, hosting, or advocating—helps rewrite the future for kids who have spent too long waiting.
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