Yavapai College’s Respect Campaign celebrates non-traditional families November 18

Prescott, Arizona – In a world that struggles with division and change, foster families remain an enduring source of inspiration and joy. Yavapai College’s Respect Campaign celebrates National Adoption Month with an exploration of unconventional families, and the wonders that come from them. Join us for Families We Choose: Finding Home in Unexpected Places, Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m., in the Prescott Campus Community Room on the Yavapai College Campus.

“The Families We Choose event is for a wide range of people,” Yavapai College Art History Professor and Respect Campaign Chair Dr. Brandelyn Andres said. “Primarily, it’s for anyone who has experienced an unconventional family and wants to celebrate that. It’s also for people who want more information about adoption or fostering, those who work in the system or anyone who works with families or children.”

In personal stories and panel conversations, foster parents, children and caregivers in the foster care system share the challenges and joys of creating blended families; from navigating the logistics of foster care to stabilizing family chemistry to finding acceptance and love. “It addresses the reciprocal importance of family within the community, and the importance of community in supporting families,” Andres said.

Yavapai College’s Respect Campaign focuses on supporting diversity and inclusiveness within the College and the community. Andres said the Families We Choose event provides “a wonderful opportunity to talk about lives being changed through love and acceptance. We can celebrate unconventional ways that family bonds are formed. It’s a different type of conversation surrounding belonging, identity, and family.” 

Families We Choose will be held in the Prescott Campus Community Room, Building 19, Room 147, on the Yavapai College Campus. Admission is free.

Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over one hundred degrees and certificates, four baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. To learn more about YC, visit www.yc.edu.