It’s a big question in this current season of life! How do you celebrate diversity in a world that is so divided?
For our Season 19 debut of The Honestly Adoption Podcast, we were over-the-moon excited to sit down with our good friend, and children’s book author, Maria Hansen-Quine to talk about this hot-button topic. Maria offers a refreshing and inclusive take on the subject of diversity, being anti-racist, and finding hope in the middle of a world that is difficult to live in.
A little more about Maria…
Maria has always been passionate about diversity. Twelve years ago, while a school counselor in Washington state she created a diversity unit which she taught regularly for 10+ years. Her books are a culmination of this curriculum and her experiences as a school counselor and a mom.
Maria passionately believes in the value of children. So much so that she has devoted the past 22 years to working with children, currently working as a school counselor in a beautiful inner city community. She has worked in three different states, six different schools, two group homes, an outpatient therapy children’s programs, a homeless shelters, and has provided court mandated therapeutic in home support to families. Maria’s passion for kids was birthed during college, when she spent two summers running day camps in Camden New Jersey.
Maria’s early beginning stories begun in a little country called the Faroe Islands. Here she spent the first eleven years of her life, immigrating to Canada as a non-English speaker. Later as an adult, Maria immigrated to the United States.
She calls herself a precious jewels mamma, as she believes children are sacred gifts from God. Maria and her husband Sam have ten beautiful and diverse precious jewels, seven through adoption, two born biologically, and one bonus adult daughter (and son in law). Sam is an adult adoptee.
Maria is passionate about many things including diversity, justice, kindness, adoption, special needs, parenting, running & hiking, and all things God.
She and her family live in the beautiful Phoenix area where they consider it an enormous blessing to be a part of Hillsong Church Phoenix.
Make sure you check out Maria’s latest books and Instagram…
And don’t forget to visit our brand new Podcast website over at www.honestlyadoption.com/podcast
Thanks for stopping by this week!
