VOICES for children in foster care

When I was a teenager, I had an A Cappella singing group called VOICES. We sang at various local functions. We were actually pretty good and tried to make a demo, but then life separated us and we went off to college and pursued other careers.

One function we sang at was an adoption rally for children’s rights. We sang the song in the previous blog, entitled, “Hear My Voice.” It is from the perspective of a child who was given up for adoption. After being adopted and raised for a few years as infants and toddlers, children were being given back to their birth families because the mom or dad changed their minds or just found out about the kid or had another reason.
A child deserves a permanent home. A family deserves to know that they are a family forever.

My sister is a lawyer in NYC. She assisted me in looking up the law about discriminating against adopting parents. New York State explicitly bans marital status discrimination in adoption law, making it illegal for government agencies to place children with a married couple over a single individual or an unmarried couple. The sole reason I was given that I could not adopt the little boy pictured below was because I was not married.

When I asked the state social worker if I had tried to adopt the toddler before Craig had died, she said that we would have been more seriously considered. I asked if I could get this in an email and she said she was uncomfortable with that. This is not right. This is not just. This is illegal.

Hear My Voice

Does anyone hear what I hear through my ears?

Do you know I have ears, too?
I hear you deciding my future for me,

but no one's asking me.

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too.

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too.

Does anyone see what I see through my eyes?

Did you know I have eyes too?

I already see my life clearly, but no one's asking me.

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too

Hear My Voice

Children have Voices, too.

Does anyone feel what I feel deep inside?

Did you know I have feelings, too?

My feelings are just as real as your's,

but no one's asking me.

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too.

Can anyone say what I say with my voice?

Did you know I have a voice, too?

Before it's too late, please listen to me,

Please listen, won't you listen and

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too.

Hear My Voice

Children have voices, too.

~a song by Annie Rose~