In a country shaped by centuries of systemic oppression and injustice, Black families continue to face profound challenges in preserving their unity and well-being. One critical issue that many may not be familiar with is the disproportionate number of African American children placed in foster care and adoptive homes outside of their communities. The African American Family Preservation Act (AAFPA) seeks to address this injustice and is a vital step toward dismantling white supremacy in child welfare systems.

Understanding the Problem: Systemic Displacement of Black Families

For decades, African American children have been removed from their families at disproportionately high rates, often under circumstances that would not result in the removal of white children. This disparity is not a reflection of worse parenting or more dangerous environments within African American families. Instead, it is a direct consequence of deep-seated biases within child protection services, systemic racism, and a long history of over-policing Black communities.

In many cases, these children are placed with white families, severing their cultural ties and further perpetuating the cycle of trauma experienced by Black communities. This practice echoes the dark legacy of slavery, where Black families were torn apart and Black children were stripped of their heritage and identity.

What Is the African American Family Preservation Act?

The African American Family Preservation Act (AAFPA) is a groundbreaking legislative effort aimed at ending the unnecessary removal of African American children from their families and communities. The Act is designed to reform the child welfare system and ensure that Black children are given every opportunity to remain with their families or within their cultural community.

Key provisions of the AAFPA include:

• Family Preservation: The Act mandates that every effort be made to keep African American children within their biological families before considering removal. This includes providing families with access to necessary resources such as mental health services, housing assistance, and other supports that address the root causes of family instability.

• Cultural Placement: When removal from the home is absolutely necessary, the Act prioritizes placing African American children with extended family members, or at the very least, within African American communities. This helps preserve the child’s cultural identity and ensures they grow up surrounded by people who understand their experience as Black individuals.

• Oversight and Accountability: The Act establishes measures to ensure that child protection agencies are held accountable for decisions that disproportionately affect African American families. It requires thorough documentation of efforts made to preserve the family unit and a clear rationale for why a child is being removed.

Why the AAFPA Matters

The enactment of the African American Family Preservation Act is more than a policy change; it is a moral imperative. The removal of African American children from their families has far-reaching consequences, not just for those children but for entire communities.

Here’s why the AAFPA is critical for Black families:

1. Cultural Continuity and Identity: When African American children are removed from their homes and placed in non-Black families, they lose a crucial connection to their cultural heritage. The importance of identity development for Black children cannot be overstated. Growing up in an environment that reflects their cultural roots helps them develop a sense of pride and belonging that is essential for healthy self-esteem and psychological well-being.

2. Breaking the Cycle of Trauma: The trauma of family separation is devastating, particularly for Black children who have historically experienced intergenerational trauma due to slavery, segregation, and systemic racism. The AAFPA recognizes the importance of healing and ensures that efforts are made to keep families intact whenever possible.

3. Empowering Black Families: By providing necessary resources and support, the AAFPA empowers African American families to overcome systemic barriers that often lead to child removal. The Act is about addressing the root causes—poverty, lack of access to mental health care, and housing instability—rather than punishing families for challenges they face due to systemic inequality.

4. Reclaiming Our Rights: African American parents have historically been undermined by child protection systems that operate with cultural incompetence and bias. The AAFPA is about reclaiming our rights as parents and guardians, ensuring that we are treated with the dignity and respect that every parent deserves.

The Role of Communities in Enacting Change

Passing legislation like the AAFPA is just the first step. As a community, we have to be active in making sure it is fully implemented. This means:

• Holding Child Welfare Agencies Accountable: Communities must advocate for transparency and insist that child protection services follow the guidelines laid out in the Act. This includes demanding that African American families be treated fairly in every aspect of the child welfare process.

• Supporting Families: We need to create support networks within our communities to help families before they reach a point of crisis. Whether it’s through providing childcare, financial assistance, or mental health services, our collective strength is key to keeping families together.

• Advocating for Expansion: While the AAFPA is a groundbreaking law, its principles should be expanded nationwide. We must advocate for similar legislation in every state to protect African American families across the country from unnecessary and unjust separations.

Why This Matters: The Urgency of AAFPA

The African American Family Preservation Act is not just about reforming a broken system—it’s about safeguarding the very foundation of Black communities: the family. For far too long, African American families have been disproportionately affected by child welfare systems that remove children based on biased assessments of parenting, poverty, and other systemic barriers. The AAFPA represents a necessary step toward addressing these injustices.

Connection to Roman and Gianni’s Story

The importance of the AAFPA hits close to home for me, as I continue to fight for my sons, Roman and Gianni. Like many African American fathers, I’ve found myself up against a system that feels designed to separate me from my children rather than support my role as their father. The story of Roman and Gianni is one of love, resilience, and a commitment to preserving our family, despite the forces trying to pull us apart.

Roman and Gianni were placed in the custody of their mother’s adoptive parents, who are not African American. As a result, my sons are growing up in an environment where they are disconnected from their cultural heritage and where the bonds between us are systematically weakened. The African American Family Preservation Act speaks directly to situations like ours. It recognizes the inherent value of keeping African American children within their cultural community and provides a pathway for families like mine to remain intact.

The AAFPA would have given me the legal backing to ensure that Roman and Gianni were not needlessly separated from me. It would have demanded that every effort be made to keep us together—whether through resources, mediation, or extended family connections. Instead, I’ve had to fight through a system that often disregards my rights and my role as their father.

Every time I fight for visitation, for overnight stays, or simply for more time with my boys, I am reminded of the importance of this Act. The trauma of family separation is not just a statistic—it’s a lived reality for Roman, Gianni, and me. The emotional and psychological toll on them is immeasurable, and it underscores the urgent need for legislation like the AAFPA to protect Black families from unnecessary separations.

My story is just one example of many. African American parents across the country are experiencing the same struggle, and it’s time for a change. The AAFPA could be that change. It could be the legislation that ensures other fathers like me don’t have to fight so hard to keep their families together.

Conclusion: Preserving Our Families for the Future

The African American Family Preservation Act represents a crucial step in the fight for justice, equity, and the preservation of our culture. By prioritizing family unity, cultural integrity, and community support, the AAFPA confronts the systemic issues that have long plagued Black families in the child welfare system.

But this fight is far from over. It requires the collective efforts of policymakers, community leaders, and families to ensure that Black children are no longer disproportionately torn from their homes. For the sake of our children and future generations, we must remain vigilant and committed to the cause of preserving our families.