A Practical Guide: Transracial Adoption
“The step-by-step playbook to raising confident, empowered, and loved transracial adoptees.”
Every child deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued.
Transracial adoption isn’t just about bringing a child into your home—it’s about embracing all of who they are. It’s a journey filled with challenges, but also the potential for a profound bond and relationship between you and your child.
Isaac Etter knows this firsthand. Adopted at the age of two, he grew up in a white family and community, wrestling with questions of belonging, identity, and acceptance. As he got older, he felt the sting of being misunderstood—dismissed by comments like, “Why does racism matter to you? Your family is white.” These words cut deep, leaving Isaac to navigate the complexities of being a Black man in spaces that didn’t fully see him.
But his story didn’t end there.
Isaac’s family at first didn’t understand his struggle but made the commitment to lean in. His parents read books about race, sought out Black mentors, and engaged in honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about adoption, race, and bias. Over time, Isaac saw his family grow and share their story of change.
Through love, vulnerability, and a commitment to understanding, Isaac’s family built a home where his race wasn’t just acknowledged in passing—it was embraced and celebrated as a part of him.
Now, Isaac is sharing the tools that transformed his family. His guide offers real, actionable steps to help parents navigate race, identity, and belonging—so your child can grow up knowing they are seen, heard, and deeply valued for who they are.
Parenting across racial lines is complex, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. With Isaac’s guidance, you’ll gain the confidence to create a home where love and understanding thrive.
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What You’ll Learn Inside
🧡 Practical Steps for Every Age
From ages 0–18 and beyond, discover actionable steps for helping your child build a positive racial identity at every stage.
🧡 Real-Life Stories that Inspire
Isaac Etter—himself a transracial adoptee—shares his powerful personal story alongside insights from countless families.
🧡 Creating Racial Mirrors and Cultural Connection
Build a community, celebrate heritage, and surround your child with positive role models who reflect their identity.
🧡 Preparing Your Teen for the Real World
Empower your child to navigate life confidently and safely, from police interactions to cultural pride.
🧡 How to Confront Bias and Build Trust
Learn how to examine your own biases, navigate tough conversations, and create a home where your child feels seen and safe.
What Parents Are Saying
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I am always looking for good resources to share with the parents that we work with. Isaac speaks from lived experience, and his story and his advice are invaluable. With this guide, Isaac gives parents the tools to navigate parenting a transracially adopted child. He uses concrete examples and advice, weaving in his own personal experiences. Isaac talks about his own search for identity and acceptance and how he spoke with his own adoptive parents about racial injustice in general and within his family. In his thoughtful and gentle way, Isaac highlights how important it is for adoptive parents of transracially adopted children to explore their own racial issues and biases. I highly recommend this guide to all parents who are adopting a transracial child.
Kramer — Social Worker
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Such a fantastic and digestible resource! A must-read for adoptive and prospective adoptive parents of children with different ethnicities than their own. 1st, Isaac shares his perspective with vulnerability and honesty, but without shaming anyone. As adoptive parents, it's critical that we seek out adoptee perspectives! All of our parenting decisions are for them. Next, he shares a framework of how to support your child with love and ethnic mirroring throughout their developmental stages. Then he outlines actionable tips and FAQs. So helpful. Last, Isaac's mom shared her perspective on the realities and crucial lessons in raising an adoptee with love, compassion, safety, and continuous learning.I love that this book has wide margins, which invited me to take notes."
Kara — Adoptive Parent
Meet the Author: Isaac Etter
Transracial Adoptee | Advocate | Founder of Identity, Inc.
Isaac Etter is an adoptee who turned his story into a mission. As a national advocate for transracial adoptees and adoptive families, Isaac shares lived experiences and proven strategies that help families thrive.
“Adoptive parents have the power to change everything. To help their child see their worth, celebrate their identity, and feel loved in every sense. That’s why I wrote this guide.” — Isaac Etter
What’s Inside the Guide
A Quick Sneak Peek
👇 CHAPTER 01 👇
Understanding Transracial Adoption
What transracial adoption really means and why it’s essential to be intentional.
👇 CHAPTER 02 👇
Isaac’s Story
An inspiring, honest look at the challenges and breakthroughs from Isaac’s own life as an adoptee.
👇 CHAPTER 03 👇
Addressing Bias and Building Identity
How to confront your own biases, acknowledge racism, and help your child develop pride in who they are.
👇 CHAPTER 04 👇
A Step-by-Step Age-Based Guide
Specific, actionable steps for ages:
• 0–5: Developing positive associations with their racial identity.
• 5–12: Building trust and addressing insecurities.
• 13–18: Preparing your teen for a world that sees race differently.
• 18+: Offering support as they navigate adulthood.
👇 BONUS CHAPTER 👇
You Got This!
Encouragement, guidance, and insights from Isaac—and his adoptive mom, Julie Etter.
Who Should Read This Book?
✅ Prospective Adoptive Parents
Understand what transracial adoption requires before starting the journey.
✅ Adoption Professionals & Agencies
Equip families with the resources they need to support their transracial adoptees fully.
✅ Current Adoptive & Foster Parents
Practical tools for each stage of parenting, from toddler to adulthood.
What Makes This Guide Different?
🔥 Written by a Transracial Adoptee
A firsthand perspective you won’t find anywhere else.
🔥 Practical and Specific
Step-by-step strategies you can start applying today.
🔥 Empowering, Not Overwhelming
You’ll walk away with clarity, confidence, and a plan.
🔥 Rooted in Real Stories
Isaac shares raw, honest experiences to inspire and guide you.
Ready to Show Up for Your Child Like Never Before?
Parenting a transracial adoptee is about more than love—it’s about action.
This guide equips you with everything you need to:
✅ Build trust and safety in your home.
✅ Help your child feel proud of who they are.
✅ Prepare them to navigate the world with confidence.
100% Risk-Free Guarantee
Try it for 30 days. If this guide doesn’t help you feel more confident as a parent, we’ll refund your purchase—no questions asked.
You’re not just parenting a child—you’re shaping their confidence, identity, and future.
Let’s do this together.