A Family Built on Diversity and Love
Harris Faulkner, a prominent African-American journalist, and her husband, Tony Berlin, a Caucasian public relations expert, have always celebrated the diversity of their family. The couple, married since 2003, are parents to two daughters, Bella and Danika, whose mixed-race heritage reflects their parents’ unique union. Faulkner often refers to her family as “colorful,” a term that encapsulates not only their racial diversity but also their vibrant, inclusive approach to life. This openness to diversity laid the foundation for their decision to expand their family through adoption, a choice that would challenge and ultimately transform their understanding of love.

The decision to adopt came unexpectedly when Faulkner and Berlin learned about a newborn baby boy abandoned in Canada. The child, born to a young mother unable to care for him, was left at a hospital in Toronto under Canada’s “safe haven” laws, which allow parents to surrender infants anonymously without legal repercussions. The boy, described as a healthy but fragile infant with striking blue eyes and fair skin, captured the couple’s hearts. “When we heard his story, something clicked,” Faulkner shared during an emotional segment on The Faulkner Focus. “We knew he was meant to be ours.”

Adopting a child is never a simple process, but international adoption added layers of complexity for Faulkner and Berlin. The couple faced a labyrinth of legal, bureaucratic, and emotional hurdles to bring their son home to the United States. Canada’s adoption laws, while supportive of safe haven surrenders, require rigorous vetting for prospective parents, especially those from another country. Faulkner and Berlin worked tirelessly with adoption agencies, immigration officials, and legal teams to navigate the process.