We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Patricia Russell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Patricia below.
Patricia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I started my own publishing company, after I wrote my first children’s book. The backstory: Following divorce and years of infertility, I was fast approaching 40 and still did not have children. My biggest dream in life was to be a mother. Adopting as a single parent was cost prohibitive and I was unable to find a foster agency willing to certify me, due to my extensive travel. I had nearly lost all hope when I met my guardian angel. It was on a late night flight home in November 2016, seated next to a woman whom I exchanged pleasantries with. I soon learned she worked for one of the foster agencies I reached out to. After sharing my story of hope and heartache, she vowed to help me. Holding true to that promise, she put me in touch with a Home Finder. I started foster parent training in January, was certified in April and received a call for my son in August. I welcomed Ezariah as a newborn into my heart and home. Though he was pre-adoptive, there was no guarantee mine would be his forever home, but I loved him just the same and truly considered him my son from day one. After two years in foster care, I was able to adopt him, officially welcoming him to the Russell family. Soon after, I joined the BOD with the agency that certified me, starting my journey as a child welfare advocate. My daughter was born 16 months after her brother and also joined our family as a newborn. Aside from being a child welfare advocate, my other passion is writing. I decided to marry the two and wrote a children’s book, “Foster To Friends.” It is a heartwarming story detailing a young boy’s experience in foster care, narrated by his 5-year old foster brother. The book is filled with messages of acceptance and diversity while teaching children and adults alike how to support children in foster care. The book uniquely poses questions throughout, urging the reader to consider how they would feel in similar circumstances and how they can be an ally to children in foster care. With a strong desire to publish the book in time for Foster Care Awareness Month and a tight timeline, I started my own publishing company and released the book in February 2024. I have since shared my story and the book with school children, child welfare agencies, friends and family. The “Foster To Friends” sequel is in the works, with plans to continue writing and my child welfare advocacy.
Patricia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a single mother of two amazing children, now 6 and 7. I am a profession business woman by day and an author and child welfare advocate in my free time.
The biggest challenge with child welfare advocacy is that the majority of Americans do not truly understand the plight of children in foster care, their needs and trauma. There is profound need for foster parents and support for the children in the system. Educating communities about these needs is challenging, due to the delicate subject nature. Children in foster care have suffered immense trauma, including neglect, physical, emotional, mental and sexual abuse that most cannot relate to or even comprehend. Their wounds are deep, their actions often reflect their abuse and many are discarded or tossed aside, leaving them with little hope. My goal is to significantly improve the lives of children in foster care because every single child deserves a safe and loving home. Every. Single. Child.
I am most proud of checking off a life-long bucket list item: writing and publishing a book, while honoring children in foster care. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to give back go those in need and am grateful I found a way to do so through another one of my passions.
My children are also proud to share our story and are proud of my work, which is life’s greatest compliment.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
My favorite marketing story is when I presented the book at my children’s school. As a guest speaker at two morning assemblies, I read the book to more than 500 1st- 5th graders with my children in the audience. They were so proud to see me on stage sharing the book and our story. We entertained many questions following the book reading, including those that delved into both of my children’s personal stories. We openly shared names of their birth mothers, what it is like being adopted and part of a bi-racial family and more. The children were intrigued, and demonstrated genuine interest in learning more on the subject. Following the event, several children approached me for photos and autographs in their copy of the book.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My entire story is about resilience. I endured two difficult divorces, years of failed infertility treatments, multiple pregnancy losses and constant rejection, followed by dead ends in my pursuit to be a mother. However, I never gave up hope. I found the answer in the most expected and unorthodox way: through a complete stranger, on an exhausting trip home. I clung to hope that my dream would be fulfilled, but took the steps to execute that dream. I prioritized my foster parent journey, despite extensive business travel. I developed a plan to make being a single, foster and adoptive parent a reality. I followed my passion, despite many nay-sayers and those who believed I was taking on too much. I followed my heart and the universe rewarded me. Building a support network was critical and I was blessed with the best. I sought and received the support of my employer when I brought not one- but two- newborns home with no maternity leave- not one day. Still I maintained a grueling travel schedule simultaneously insuring the health and safety of my children. My network of family and friends supported me through the challenges, helping me find ways to meet my children’s needs, while meeting my professional responsibilities. The outpouring of love and support came from all directions and the more I have given back, the more I have received. While I was successful in achieving my dream of motherhood, that wasn’t enough. The burning desire to advocate for all children in foster care was deeply rooted. Again, I defied all odds, finding a path to authorship and advocacy. As a full-time professional with an aggressive travel schedule, a full-time, single mother and board member, I once again vowed to find a way to make it all work. The arrival of my children gave me inspiration to write and I pushed myself to pen a compelling story. Every minute of every day was carefully choreographed in order to make time for my writing. I further pushed my comfort zone by creating my own publishing company to expedite the launch of my book, despite not knowing the first thing about writing or publishing. Not to mention, lacking any formal training outside of lived experience. Every step of my journey has been- and continues to be=- about resilience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.everysinglechild.com/
- Instagram: ebrploveseverysinglechild
- Facebook: Every Single Child
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ patricia-l-russell
Image Credits
Kerensa Rybak Photography, Catherine Rhodes Photography