MEMPHIS, Tennessee —
Recently, we’ve seen plenty of life events like birthday parties and weddings postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, imagine trying to finalize an adoption through all of this? Thanks to the help of a local organization, an attorney and Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins, two sisters now have a forever home.
Jada and Jamaya Pope entered into the foster care system in 2012. Jada was placed at Youth Villages and Jamaya would eventually join her sister years later.
But after fears of being separated again, one Mid-South mother stepped in just in time to take them under her wing.
“I was out in so many different foster homes and then I was put in two different facilities. Then I was in a group home,” Jada Pope said.
The Pope sisters have been through a lot at their young age. Their lives in the foster care system haven’t been the most stable.
“I was separated from my big sister. Me and my sister are really close so it was just hard for me. I was switching schools. I was going home to home,” Jamaya Pope said.
Plus the two weren’t living together. A weekend outing, thanks to Jada’s mentor from Youth Villages and her mentor’s mother would change all of that.
“I talked to my biological kids and I let them know that this is what we are about to do, we about to help somebody,” said the sisters’ adoptive mother, Laquita Carpenter. “I always teach my kids to remain humble and be a blessing to something else.”
Carpenter reached out to Youth Villages to become Jada’s foster mother.
“We want to be able to keep the siblings together and we had not talk to Ms. Carpenter yet. So we were happy when she contacted us and said that she was willing to be a part of Jada’s sister life as well,” said Regional Manager of Youth Villages, LaKeisha Gomes.
Carptenter wanted to adopt both girls. Their original court date was in March, but was postponed due to the pandemic.
“The attorney was very receptive to us asking and be able to advocate and help us be able to move this forward,” Gomes said.
Last Tuesday, the family got their wish. The adoption was finalized right before Jada’s 18th birthday.
“It meant a lot to me. I ain’t got to worry no more. It’s a big relief,” Jada said.