Arkansas is facing Initiative Act I, a ballot measure that would prohibit individuals who are living with someone outside of marriage from becoming an adoptive or foster parent. Randi Romo is the Director of Center for Artistic Revolution which is fighting to defeat this measure and to organize for progressive family values. Here is Randi's story:

I am a lesbian raising my 16 year old granddaughter. My daughter has a chronic illness that has meant that I have raised her child for most of her life.

I love my child and her child with all of my heart. This means that I've spent my fair share of time holding sweaty heads while they were sick, cleaning up dirty diapers and throw-up, and struggling through homework. I've worried about having enough to pay the bills, whether the car will start every morning, and if I can send them to college. I've gone to their school plays, plastered my refrigerator with their artwork, encouraged them to grow and learn even when they felt defeat, bought a new coat for one of them while mine fell apart, held them while they cried when they were hurt or disappointed, loved them enough to keep working to resolve our differences and challenges no matter how hard they may be, taught them ethics, respect and care for all living things. In other words, all of the things that "married people" are supposedly doing for their kids.

If Initiative Act I is really about the welfare of children, then instead of vilifying LGBTQ families there would be an investment in supporting ALL of Arkansas' families through family counseling during difficult times, living wage jobs, access to equitable education, affordable healthcare, childcare, housing, food, fuel, etc.

This initiated act not only would ban unmarried LGBTQ and heterosexual couples from adopting or providing foster care it will also help. Christian conservatives define by their criteria just WHO CAN BE A FAMILY in Arkansas. This impacts all families in Arkansas, regardless of sexual orientation.

Despite being my granddaughter's blood relative, this act would ban me from adopting her in the event that my daughter was to pass away and I was in a cohabitating, sexual relationship with a partner. So, I am forced to choose between residing with a partner in a loving relationship or living alone with my granddaughter so that I can adopt her if that becomes the need. My daughter, granddaughter and me want me to adopt her if the unthinkable were to happen. So, for now I continue to live without a partner.

There simply are not enough homes for the children of Arkansas who require a safe and loving home. This summer four children died while in foster care and two of the deaths have allegations of abuse cited. Outside the foster care system DHS has investigated the deaths of 11 children in Arkansas, all of who died from abuse. A safe, secure and loving home is not dictated by the sexual orientation, marital status or gender identity of its parent(s). Strong families and good homes are based in love. Love dictates the investment, responsibility and the commitment to keep a child safe, healthy, educated and above all, loved, loved, loved!

Arkansas' families are better served by ending the witch hunts against families who don't fit one group's religious perspective of what constitutes a family. Investigate all homes and potential parents who present themselves regardless of marital status or sexual orientation and if the home and parents are suitable, place the child or children. Continue with the appropriate prescribed monitoring of the homes. And above all, don't deny any child a safe and loving home based on religious bigotry.

If we are really about the children of Arkansas we will not allow a blanket ban that will exclude a significant pool of loving and competent couples from providing foster care or adopting.


Randi Romo is the Director of Center for Artistic Revolution (CAR) in Little Rock, Arkansas. She can be reached at artchangesu@yahoo.com and (501) 244-9690. To find out more about defeating Initiative Act 1, please visit CAR's ALL FAMILIES MATTER!!! Page and Arkansas Families First.