Suzanne Koch
Sunnyvale, CA
First and foremost, I’m a mom. Being a mom to a child who doesn’t look the rest of our family is both the simplest thing in the world and the most complicated. Falling in love with my son, who is adopted and has brown skin, was as straight-forward as any Mama/Baby Love can be. Loving and raising him is full of the same joys and trials as loving and raising my two biological children. But – seeing the power of my white privilege and the impact it has on my son – this is so painful. Most of the prejudice/stereotyping/discrimination he has experienced has been subtle, but it is real nonetheless. Teaching him to be proud of who he is, comfortable with his life story, assertive in the face of prejudice, and yet safe, safe, safe….it’s a tricky thing to do, especially for two white parents. I don’t feel comfortable trusting the world to treat him well. I hate that I don’t have the same worries about my other two kids.
