A teacher by profession, Treka Engleman- 32- knew what was coming her way when she decided to become a foster mother and later adopted three white children.
Treka said since she adopted the children last year, some have accused her of ‘continuing a slave mentality’ while others mistake her for their babysitter.
In August 2016, Treka fostered her first child, six-day-old Elijah, who was born hooked on drugs as his mother was an addict. The following year she fostered Alexis, 13, and sister Mercedes, 16, who had been in the system constantly moving homes from a young age after their biological mum couldn’t take care of them.
After forming a strong bond with the children, Treka, from Cincinnati, Ohio, decided to adopt all three so they wouldn’t be split up but she has faced considerable backlash for the decision.
She said: ‘I’ve had people say I must have self-hate and that there are a lot of black kids that need homes so why adopt white kids? ‘People have said that I am continuing a slave mentality.
It upset me at first, but I just want to protect my kids. ‘I’ve had people in a store say “you must be babysitting,” and I’m like “no these are my kids” and I just walk away.
She had decided to become a foster mother from her childhood as youngest among 11 siblings, she had to pass through the same suffering when they were handed over to different families to bring them up as no household or family was ready to accommodate them in a single place.
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Netizens have supported her move and asked her to continue raising up her children rather than paying heed towards people’s words.
