Adoption Can Be Challenging For Multi-Racial Families

(CBS) -- Adoption, like parenting, can be rewarding and challenging.

But there are special concerns for parents adopting African-American babies, especially in this day, age and climate.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov shares how families, and one agency, deal with the subject.

It's play time for Chad Weiden and his 3-year-old son, Uriah. Adopted as a baby from The Cradle in Evanston, Chad and his husband Baron Clay Jr. knew their lives would obviously change.

"This act of adoption is not about you, it's about that kid," Weiden says.

In their case, Uriah is a biracial boy with one white father and one black father. It meant preparing for parenthood in a unique way.

Clay anticipates his children will deal with racism, prejudice and possibly some unwanted attention for being a member of a transracial family. It's something The Cradle's 'Our Children' initiative focuses on, too -- helping educate prospective parents about adopting a black child.

About 40 percent of The Cradle's adoptions are of African-American children. Of those, about half are adopted by white parents.

Nijole Yutkowitz, The Cradle's vice president of diversity and inclusion, says national incidents, like the deaths of black men by police and the Black Lives Matter movement, have impacted the conversation.

Uriah now has a new sister. Both dads say honesty is important while raising your kids.

The Cradle is sponsoring a roundtable event, "The Color of Education," Thursday evening.