Our biggest dream is to build a loving, joyful, and supportive family—and becoming parents through adoption is a deeply meaningful part of that dream.

We imagine family game nights where everyone's a little too competitive, science fair projects that take over the dining table, and traveling to new places to expose ourselves and our child to new things. We want to be the parents who show up, cheering loudly from the sidelines, helping with homework, and offering warm hugs on tough days.

Our dream is to raise a kind, curious, and confident child who knows they are unconditionally loved. We'll support them in exploring who they are and who they want to become—whether that's building Lego skyscrapers, learning an instrument, or planting a garden in the backyard. We also plan to teach the child how to speak multiple languages. As a native Italian speaker, our dream is for the child to first become bi-lingual in English and Italian and then learn new languages they will choose (we could help with Spanish and French that Luigi speaks).

We also dream of raising a child who's proud of their story, their identity, and the people who love them, including you. Our home will always be a safe place for big feelings, big dreams, and big love.

More than anything, we want this child to feel safe, secure, and seen—to know that our love is constant, and that their story, including yours, will always be honored.

Nathan About Luigi: Luigi has many qualities that I love, admire and respect. He is a very nice person and treats everyone with kindness and respect. He is also extremely smart - he has multiple advanced degrees, is working on his Ph.D. and speaks four languages fluently (English, Italian, Spanish, French), which is something he will also teach our child. I also admire the fact that he is hard working and ambitious and constantly strives to achieve both his personal and professional goals. I also love his sense of adventure and he pushes me to always try new things. He is also very funny and keeps me laughing!

Luigi About Nathan: I love how lighthearted, engaging and funny Nathan is. I admire how he engages with anyone anywhere, with a big smile that he is always ready to share. He listens and understands other people's needs, he is generous and has a strong drive. I respect that he is able to set clear objectives for himself and works hard toward them. He always pays attention to how his actions can help others. I admire his unconditional love for his family. He is strong and passionate, and I respect how he diligently and courageously continuously works to build a path for himself and our family.

As a mixed-race couple, Black American and Italian, with extended family that includes Hispanic and Asian heritage, diversity isn't just something we value, it's part of who we are. We know that race and culture shape how we experience the world, and we're committed to making sure our child feels seen, celebrated, and deeply rooted in who they are.

If we're lucky enough to adopt a child of a different race or culture, we will embrace their identity wholeheartedly and ensure they grow up surrounded by people, stories, and experiences that reflect and affirm who they are. This isn't just a philosophy, it's how we live our lives.

We'll be intentional in the choices we make: celebrating cultural holidays, attending community festivals, reading books and watching shows that feature characters who look like them, and surrounding ourselves with a diverse group of friends and mentors. Our home will be filled with art, music, and traditions from many cultures—including theirs.

We also love to travel and try to explore a new country every year, and we are lucky to have friends from different backgrounds like African American, European, and Hispanic.

More than anything, we want our child to grow up proud of where they come from, confident in who they are, and knowing they are loved completely, not in spite of their identity, but because of it.

We live in a bright and welcoming two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home in a safe, family-friendly neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Our home has plenty of natural light, a cozy balcony, and is filled with colorful art, family photos, and keepsakes from our travels. It's a space that reflects our personalities—warm, vibrant, and full of love.

Our neighborhood is ideal for raising a child. It's walkable and diverse, with parks, playgrounds, schools and pools nearby. Families walk their dogs, ride bikes, gather for block parties for example at Halloween. Several of our neighbors have young children, and we're excited about the chance to raise our future child in such a connected, supportive environment.

One of the greatest things about living in Washington, D.C. is the endless access to free, kid-friendly activities. From the Smithsonian museums like the Air & Space Museum with the spaceship that took the first astronauts to the moon, the National Zoo with the pandas, holiday parades, summer concerts and festivals, there's always something happening. We love spending weekends exploring the city, visiting a new exhibit, enjoying fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Our home and community are filled with love, opportunity, and adventure. We've created a life that's rich in culture, creativity, and connection, and we look forward to sharing it with a child—giving them a safe, nurturing place to grow and thrive.

We're lucky to have a large, close-knit extended family spread across two continents—Nathan's family is in the U.S., and Luigi's is in Italy. Nathan's parents, two sisters, in-laws, and six energetic nieces and nephews (3 month, 4 years old - twins, 11, 13, 16) all live within a two-hour drive, so we see them often for birthdays, BBQs, holidays, and big family celebrations. Holidays are especially fun with 30 to 40 family members gathered under one roof, sharing food, laughter, and traditions.

Luigi's family lives in a small town in Italy, between the sea and the mountains. We travel there at least once a year to spend time with his parents, 2 siblings, their partners and friends. Summers mean beach days, gelato, walks through the hills, and late-night family dinners; winters are filled with more food, mountain hikes and cozy fire. A child in our family would grow up surrounded by love from across the world and exposed to traditions that are both familiar and rich with culture. We recently went to Italy in Dec/Jan and organized a surprise birthday party for Luigi's mom's 70th birthday! It was so much fun organizing the party and seeing the joy and surprise on her face when she walked into the room to see 50 people waiting for her. After Christmas, we took a road trip with the family and traveled to different cities in Italy, including Tuscany and Rome - this is something that we do often when we go to Italy.

Thank you for reading our letter and considering adoption as part of your journey. We can only imagine how many emotions you may be feeling. We want you to know that we deeply respect your strength, your love, and your willingness to even consider adoption. No matter where this journey leads, we honor you for the care you're giving to your child.

We are a mixed-race married couple with dreams of becoming parents. Nathan is African American, Luigi is Italian. Our home is full of love, laughter, and a strong sense of purpose, and we are excited at the thought of sharing all this with a child. Our relationship is grounded in deep respect, shared values, curiosity for each other and the world, and a lot of fun. We love taking walks in our neighborhood, hanging out with friends, traveling to new places, and spending time with our large, multicultural extended family. We balance our passion for our work (Nathan runs a nonprofit marketing agency and Luigi works in creating opportunities in less developed countries) with our love for home life and connection.

What makes a family is love. We hope to create a home where your child feels safe, celebrated, and loved. We picture a life filled with bedtime stories, going to the playground, art projects on the living room floor, and pancakes on Sunday mornings. We look forward to cheering them on at school events, helping them discover their passions, and being a steady, loving presence through all of life's ups and downs.

If we're lucky enough to be chosen as adoptive parents, we want you to know that we are open to continued contact in whatever form feels right for you - letters, pictures, phone calls, or visits. Adoption is an ongoing journey. We will speak openly and lovingly with your child about their story, beginning from day one. They will know who they are, where they come from, and that their birth parents made a courageous, loving decision. We promise to talk about you with respect and gratitude. You will always be a part of their story. We believe that the more people who love a child, the better. If you are open to it, we'd love to build a relationship with you that grows over time; if you are not open to it, we will celebrate your choice in the child's story.

As a multiracial, same-sex couple, we are committed to creating a home that affirms identity, celebrates difference, and encourages self-expression. In our home we have African, European, Hispanic and Asian heritages. We travel often, speak more than one language at home, and enjoy exposing ourselves to different cultures and perspectives. If your child comes from a background different from ours, we will do everything we can to connect them with their culture, including books, traditions, community, and people who reflect their identity.

We promise to show up every single day with love, patience, and a willingness to learn and grow. We'll create a home where your child can be silly, curious, strong, and true to themselves. We will always listen to them, support them, and stand by them.

We can't thank you enough for taking the time to get to know us, even in this small way. No matter what you decide, we wish you peace, clarity, and support through this journey. If our paths are meant to cross, we will be honored to walk this road with you.

With love and gratitude,

Nathan & Luigi