November is National Adoption Month. In honor of the month, we talked to the creative team behind the song "Mommy," which was created to promote adoption.
Former public defender Roxana Jiménez wrote it and collaborated with singer Mel Kay to record the single.
Jiménez said when she started her legal career on the mainland she worked with cases that involved children in crisis — which was the inspiration for the song and the desire to share the healing power of an adoption.
"I have a part in the song where it talks about the grandchildren who eventually come after — years of having an adopted child in the family, and it's just generational. The beauty of having adoption in your family and I want to inspire people to also consider that decision if you have the means, if you have the time — it's something that just ripples for generations, and that was a big part of it," she said.
Esther McDaniel, executive director of Harvest Family Life Hawaiʻi, an organization that works with foster families, said when she heard the song it was "so peaceful and calming."
She said there are thousands of phone calls from the hotline that report abused and neglected children.
Part of the work of the organization is reunification. However, many times it ends up in legal guardianship or adoption, McDaniel said.
"In my own personal experience as a foster parent, about 75% to 80% of the children that we fostered did get reunited with their family. But nationally, it's about 20% of foster cases that end up in them being adopted or legal guardianship with another family," she said.
Mel Kay, who sings the adoption song "Mommy," said that she loved the message, which influenced her to collaborate with Jiménez.
"I think we all strive for a sense of belonging. I think in adoption, people are giving kids that gift to feel like they really have a place to belong," Kay said.
Kay has been working in music for over a decade.
She said her purpose as an artist is "to help people feel less alone through music — so that really connected to the message of this song."
This interview aired on The Conversation on Nov. 21, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
