Anchor Parent:

• Shawnese Parker

Shawnese Parker learned first hand the impact that a loving foster family could have on a child. At the age of 12, Shawnese and her younger brother were placed into foster care. Shawnese was first placed into a group home, then into three different foster homes, the latter of which was loving and supportive.

While she and her brother were in foster care, Shawnese’s grandmother decided to build an extension to her house in order to have room to care for her two grandchildren. When this project was completed, Shawnese’s grandmother cared for them and raised them into adulthood. 

At the age of 16, Shawnese gave birth to her daughter,, Shareya. She dropped out of high school and obtained her GED, afterwhich, she attended John Jay College with the support of her grandmother. Shawnese grew to become a productive adult and began to consider becoming a foster parent herself. At first, she was hesitant because she wondered if she could love another child as much as she loved her daughter.

In 1996, at the age of 22, Shawnese began taking in foster children. She told the agency that she wanted children her daughter’s age, however, no children were being placed into her home, so she decided to broaden the age to 12 years. In January of 1998, Shawnese’s life changed when a sibling group of four came into her home. She was originally scheduled to take two of the children, but when she saw the anguish on the sibling’s faces as they were being separated, she relented, taking in all four. As a sister who was separated from her brother, she knew the heartache and wanted to prevent other siblings from experiencing the same pain.

Shawnese reported that she faced many challenges as a foster mother, however, it was all worth it. There was an adjustment period for both herself and her daughter. Today, Shawnese takes pride knowing that she has made a difference in the lives of her children, just as her grandmother made a difference in hers. Her children acknowledge their love and appreciation for her through words, cards, and hugs. Additionally, the children have developed special bonds with eachother. She is in the process of adopting the sibling group and looks forward to watching the children grow.

Shawnese is the Anchor Parent for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, & Questioning Circle of Support group. This group is geared towards working with individuals in the LGBTQ community who are foster parents or are interested in becoming foster/adoptive parents. 

Shawnese can be reached at 718-567-4710