Empowerment by Dr. Adam Anthony

Lived experience is leadership development.

I've had the privilege of speaking to audiences in higher education, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and adoption/foster care spaces about belonging, identity, and mentorship that actually moves people forward.

My framework, "They Are Not Invisible™," is grounded in doctoral research on mentoring efficacy. I bring both lived experience and scholarship into every room I enter.

Free 30-min consultations available — DM me for bookings. 🤝🚀

EmpowerMENt by Dr. Adam Anthony™ EmpowerMENt™ provides tailored mentorship and leadership development for Black men and adoptees, promoting personal growth and community connections. Join us in thriving together!

Many of you love someone who’s adopted.

Do you really understand what it means to love an adoptee? Welcome to a new series.

“Something I Need You to Know”

Loving an adoptee well isn’t a destination. Knowing them well isn’t either. It’s a practice.

Prescence over perfection.

Here is how you can show up for us. That’s where the real connection and love begins. ❤️

Hey everyone, I have some exciting news to share! 🎉

I’m officially booking Fall 2026 & Spring 2027 speaking engagements and I just dropped my brand new speaker sheet!

A brief reintroduction…I am Dr. Adam Anthony, Ed.D., Keynote Speaker, Leadership Development Consultant, and Founder of EmpowerMENt™.

My work sits at the intersection of Black male mentorship, adoptee identity, and belonging.

If your organization needs a speaker who brings lived experience AND doctoral research to the stage with keynotes that don’t just inform, but move people to action, here’s what I bring:

🎤 They Are Not Invisible™
🎤 Leading with Story: Faith, Focus & Flourishing
🎤 Belonging as Leadership
🎤 Educational Resiliency for Black Male Students & Professionals

👉 Link in bio for a free 30-min consultation.

I created EmpowerMENt™ because I have lived the gap.

As someone who knows the impact of having both foster care and adoption backgrounds, I understand deeply what it feels like to be in rooms that weren't built with you in mind and to be surrounded by people who cared, but didn't have the tools to truly see you.

But I was also fortunate to develop critical skills in leadership development, mentoring, research, training, and the power of storytelling.

That's what drives this work.

They Are Not Invisible™ is a call to action: for educators, caregivers, organizations, and communities ready to move beyond good intentions and create spaces where young men of color, adoptees, and foster care youth can belong, heal, and lead.

I am committed to this work through keynotes, workshops, consulting, and mentoring program design all aimed at meeting people wherever they are who work with, care for, or know these young men and are looking for someone with a niched expertise in a space that can be often overlooked or underrepresented.

If that's you, check out my site below, then email me to see how we can partner on this important mission.👇🏽

🌐 https://www.empowermentbydradam.com

📩 [email protected]

EmpowerMENt by Dr. Adam Anthony™ EmpowerMENt™ provides tailored mentorship and leadership development for Black men and adoptees, promoting personal growth and community connections. Join us in thriving together!

I believe there is a strong tension between honesty and comfort within the adoptee experience. Some of us speak because the cost of silence becomes too heavy to bear. Some of us remain quiet until we have the strength to risk being misunderstood or isolated.. Neither choice is easy. Both carry sacrifice. And both deserve compassion. But for adoptees to heal and thrive, we must keep pushing for spaces where honesty is not punished simply because it makes others uncomfortable. It’s not optional.

A few months ago, I spoke with the Birthparent Support Alliance, not to present a polished narrative, but to share my truth and insights from my lived experience and research.

I discussed the complex realities of growing up as a former foster youth and same-race Black adoptee. Someone who was always meant to lead and care for others but sometimes felt unseen and unheard where it really mattered. Historically, our stories have often been simplified, rendering us invisible. But we are still here, navigating our journeys and becoming who we are meant to be.

This talk invites us to listen deeply, lead responsibly, and create spaces where adopted boys can share their truths without fear.

Thank you, Kristin Yates Thomas, for the opportunity to be part of this important work alongside your team and the leadership of Alexis E.

You can watch the full webinar here:

https://vimeo.com/1176971880

If this message resonates with you or if you work in child welfare, mentorship for young Black males, education, or youth development, etc., I’d love to speak with you.

Let’s bring this conversation into your organization and move beyond awareness to action. We are not invisible; we are our brothers, fathers, husbands, sons, classmates, coworkers, and friends.

Let’s create spaces where every voice can rise.

Dr Adam Anthony speaking at Activism in Adoption This session explores how adopted boys—particularly Black adopted boys—are often rendered invisible when adoption is understood as an endpoint rather than a lifelong experience. While stability and love are essential, they do not automatically address the layered identity, emotional, and belongi...