Second Parent Adoption Fund for The Long Pitre Family

Hello ! My name is Stephanie Santos-Grant and I'm here on behalf of the Long Pitre Family, who have graciously given me the great honor of sharing a bit about their family's history & story with you.

Earlier this year, Renée & Kath welcomed their darling daughter Shiloh earth side after years of conception and fertility treatments. Renée and Kath have been legally married in the State of Connecticut since 2015. Renée carried and gave birth to Shiloh in March (on Kath's birthday!) and both Renée and Kath's names are in print on Shiloh's birth certificate as her parents. However Kath still needs to adopt Shiloh in what is called a "Second Parent Adoption" to protect her legal rights to their daughter and in the event anything happen to Renée.

I think it's important to remember that Renée and Kath are smart, thoughtful people who have known from the beginning of their journey into parenthood that they would have to adopt their own child at some point, however with the recent changes in elected government officials and a return to the 2016 administration, Kath and Renée find themselves on a new timeline to get Shiloh's adoption completed. It perhaps goes without saying, but fertility treatments (including multiple IUI's, IVF, mandated embryo testing, etc) are both not inexpensive and worth every cent and so while Second Parent Adoption has always been in the 5-7 year plan for their family, financially this is a less than ideal time to be pursuing this endeavor, especially as lawyers begin increasing their costs due to a very real and much higher demand for Second Parent Adoptions.

As much as it infuriates me that my beloved friend & sister has to adopt her own child, I think real power has always existed in the hands & the hearts of the PEOPLE and the communities we build and lean on through our personal and shared ups & downs. It is also my belief that this shared power of community has never been more critical or imperative than it is right now. We are the ones who will save ourselves, our families, our neighbors. And while I (for one) cannot remove the fear(s) from the minds and bodies of the people I love or from any of us who are currently contemplating which basic Human Rights we might still have come 2025, what I can do is use my voice to rally the people who are actively seeking opportunities to give time, energy and resources to the folks who can really use that support & community, that affirmation that they aren't alone, RIGHT NOW. So I'm asking you to join me here, to be part of something bigger then ourselves, to support Renée and Kath in the Second Parent Adoption of their daughter Shiloh so that together as a family they have at the very least, the peace of mind that their daughter has two lawfully recognized parents, safeguarding Shiloh from any legal separation from either of her parents going forward.

Thanks so much for your time & consideration ~

With much love & gratitude,

Stephanie