Melissa Guida-Richards

Pennsylvania

Author & Transracial Adoptee. Words in @nytopinion, @HuffPost, @Independent, @thisisinsider, & more. Rep’d by @thekatsmews

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Articles

I hyphenated my last name after getting married to honor my identity. It only created more problems.

2 weeks ago | businessinsider.com | Conz Preti |Melissa Guida-Richards |Henry Blodget

At 19, I had the shocking discovery that not only did I have a different name when I was born, but that I was adopted from Colombia. When I was adopted, my birth name was immediately changed, and after years of fighting tooth and nail to fit in with my family, I decided that losing my family's name when I married was too much for me. I couldn't deal with yet another change to my identity, so I hyphenated my last name when I was married — a choice that I ended up regretting.
I hyphenated my last name after getting married to honor my identity. It only created more problems.

2 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

2 hours agoTrump administration tells immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela they have to leaveMIAMI (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday that it has begun notifying hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans that their temporary permission to live and work in the United States has been revoked and that they should leave the country.
Live-Action 'Lilo & Stitch' Is a Reminder That Even The Best Adoption Situations Still Have Grief and Loss

3 weeks ago | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

Editor’s Note: Live-action Lilo & Stitch spoilers ahead!Disney’s release of the Lilo & Stitch live-action remake on May 23, 2025 has sparked early buzz online, with fans debating casting choices, CGI quality, and how faithfully the story will reflect the heart of the original 2002 animated film. But what’s mostly being celebrated is its portrayal of family—particularly the idea that adoption can be a beautiful, healing act of love. For many, this story feels heartwarming.
My Son and I Both Have Autism—Here's What I'd Say to RFK Jr.

2 months ago | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.) stood at a press conference this week and called people like me and my son part of an “autism epidemic,” my heart sank. Not because I was surprised, but because I was hearing the United States’ Secretary of Health and Human Services say the quiet thoughts people have about autism out loud on a national platform. In that moment, he gave voice to the fear and stigma that so many of us live with every day.
40 Books by BIPOC Authors to Add to Your Library

Sep 3, 2024 | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

Creating your TBR list for the upcoming season? One editor rounded up 40 books by BIPOC authors she'd suggest.
Simone Biles’ Adoption is Making Headlines Again—Here’s What I Want People to Know as an Adoptee

Aug 19, 2024 | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

Simone Biles is an Olympic champion, whose story has inspired many people, but for foster youth and adoptees like myself, it hits especially close to home. In an interview with Today, she recently mentioned that “if not for my parents and adoption, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” a sweet sentiment that touched interviewer Hoda Kotb’s heart, who happens to be an adoptive mother herself.
When Your Child Says 'I Hate You'-How Best to Respond

Feb 29, 2024 | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

The first time my 6-year-old son slammed his bedroom door and screamed, “I hate you!” I felt like he had slapped me in the face. I felt shocked, frustrated, and hurt by three little words. As a person who grew up physically punished for stepping out of line, my instinctual reaction was not one I am proud of—I wanted to spank my child. But I am proud of how I actually handled the situation, taking a moment to step back and self-regulate.
How Parents Can Prepare for School IEP Meetings

Sep 13, 2023 | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards

The first time I received accommodations for my disabilities in school, I was a sophomore in college. I’d struggled for years to keep up in elementary through high school without supports. It was only in advocating for myself as a college student that I learned the school had an entire department to help make accommodations for students. In going through the process for myself, I learned there was a lot of back and forth of sending forms, documentation, and organizing calls with my specialist.
What the Recent ICWA Supreme Court Win Means for the Adoption Community

Jun 23, 2023 | theeverymom.com | Melissa Guida-Richards
Would-Be Adopters Are Praying for the Destruction of Families

Jun 16, 2023 | thedailybeast.com | Melissa Guida-Richards