When Anna Sheffield, now based in Utah, goes to her adoptive parents' home in Iowa and inspects her childhood bedroom, she sees more than framed photographs, toys and keepsakes. What she finds in how the room is decked out is a deliberate attempt by her white parents to make sure their Black daughter could recognize herself—in her family, faith, creativity and the world around her. "I was adopted at 8 months old," Sheffield, 30, told Newsweek.
"There are different objects and memories in my childhood bedroom that made me feel loved, understood and seen." Among them are photographs of Sheffield with family members, artwork she made as a child and, later, her college diplomas. There are also, scattered around, Black dolls, statuettes, toys, positive affirmations and signs declaring that she is loved. Framed posters display things she is grateful for, while a saved onesie offers another heartfelt connection to her childhood.
There are also images of Jesus, including a Black depiction that Sheffield said carried particular significance. "Growing up in a Christian, predominantly white environment, having both representations in my room helped me understand that faith and my Black identity could coexist," she said. "My parents wanted me to see myself reflected not only in the world around me but also in the things that shaped my faith." That sense of representation extended to a children's Bible illustrated for children of color.
Its pages contain depictions of historic biblical figures with brown skin, something Sheffield said helped reinforce the idea that people of color had always been part of the story of her faith. Another treasured feature is the framed collection of photographs showing Sheffield with each of her family members. "Having those pictures displayed in my room was a reminder of the love and connection I shared with my family," she said.
"Each photograph represented a relationship that mattered to me and reinforced that I was an important part of our family." For Sheffield, the significance was never simply in the objects themselves. "Each of these things served as a reminder that my identity, my creativity, my education, and my experiences mattered," she said. "They were small but meaningful ways my parents affirmed me as a Black child growing up in a white family." Sheffield recently invited thousands of strangers into that bedroom through Instagram.
The short video offering a glimpse of the personal space has resonated far beyond what she expected. After moving to Utah in 2023, Sheffield began posting regularly on social media while pursuing a modeling career. As a plus-size model, she gradually built a following.
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