On Young Dad Pod

A memorable one-hour interview: a heated but friendly debate about state-run child welfare (we really got into it!). What’s inspiring is how much these issues concern all of us, no matter the background. Thanks, Jey Young, for bringing me on your show!

“Welcome into the Young Dad Pod, Ep. 234 —whether you’re folding laundry, wiping mashed bananas off the ceiling, or quietly googling ‘how to be a good dad’ in the middle of the night—thank you for being here.

Today’s guest is Lane Igoudin—dad, professor, and author of the memoir A Family, Maybe, which tells the powerful story of how he and his partner Jonathan became a family through the foster care system—while fighting for equality as gay parents in pre-marriage-equality America. Lane’s story is about more than paperwork and parenting—it’s about love, identity, resilience, and how we protect what matters most.”

Click to view [ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jamTp0DRrCc ]

On Silver Linings Handbook

An interview which zeroes in on “the balancing act between the rights of parents and what’s best for children.”

So glad for the opportunity to share our story on Jayson Blair’s podcast which aims to “peel back life’s layers to find the depth, beauty, joy, suffering and struggles that become the silver linings.”

Listen at https://bit.ly/3HPGfKl (70 minutes, audio only)

Silver Linings Handbook | Episode 154

Lane Igoudin, a writer, activist, and professor, joins me to discuss the challenges of adopting his children from foster care, the challenges of navigating intersectionality in this world, the balancing act between the rights of parents and what’s best for children, and love under pressure as you fight to keep your family together.

Lane’s memoir A Family, Maybe is available on Amazon and Bookshop. Visit www.laneigoudin.com/afm for more information about his book.

On Zen Commuter

An illuminating conversation about bringing mindfulness into parenting and other aspects of daily life with meditation instructor and podcaster Thom Walters.

From the Zen Commuter episode description:

“. . . Our conversation moves between personal reflection and practical insight, touching on Lane’s writing process, the complexities of chosen family, and how Zen meditation helped guide him through periods of uncertainty and transformation. This isn’t just a conversation about a book—it’s about learning how to sit with life’s open questions with presence, curiosity, and grace.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Zen practice supported Lane’s journey through personal and familial exploration

• Why uncertainty can be fertile ground for growth

• How writing itself can be a meditative and healing act

• Ways to bring awareness and stillness into the storytelling of your own life”

Listen to our 45-minute conversation here.

On Living the Dream with DJ Curveball

On the air with the podcaster, Internet radio DJ, and hip-hop artist Curtis Jackson, a.k.a. DJ Curveball.

Living the Dream, Season 27, Episode 3 (28 min.) | “Embracing Adoption: A Journey of Love and Resilience“

In this episode of Living the Dream, host Curveball sits down with Lane Igoudin, a passionate advocate for adoption and author of the memoir A Family, Maybe. Lane reflects on the complexities of the adoption process, the importance of understanding the foster care system, and the impact it had on his relationship with his partner. Join us as we explore the emotional landscape of adoption and the joys of parenting.

Listen to the full episode at: https://dub.sh/curveball .

24 podcasts taped this year

Since January 15, I’ve been interviewed about A Family, Maybe on 24 podcasts, some syndicated on the radio. My original goal was 5, but there is clearly a lot of interest out there. Some taped episodes have been released, while others are still in the pipeline.

My podcast-matching service PodMatch sent me the following report:

I don’t know they calculated it🤷🏻‍♂️, but it sounds encouraging.

I’m turning off the mic and the lights for the summer and plan to resume the tapings in the fall. In the meantime, I will continue to share those that have been released here. Stay tuned!

On eWN’s Late Boomers

Interviewed by eWN Network’s veteran podcasters Cathy Worthington and Merry Elkins on their popular Late Boomers show.

What is Late Boomers? It’s “the podcast that is your guide to creating a third act with style, power and impact! Join your hosts as they bring you conversations with successful artists, entrepreneurs and entertainers who have set themselves up for an amazing third act. Cathy and Merry take you along for the ride on each interview, recounting the journey each guest has taken to get where they are, and inspiring you to create a path to success as you look toward your own third act!”

Episode 231 (48 min.) Description

Are you curious about the emotional rollercoaster of fostering and adopting as an out gay family? Merry Elkins and Cathy Worthington sit down with Lane Igoudin, author of A Family, Maybe. Lane shares his poignant journey of fostering and adopting multicultural children, diving deep into the complexities faced by LGBTQ families.

Hear Lane read the first chapter of his memoir, capturing the heart-stopping moment he and his partner Jonathan welcomed a newborn with a complex background into their lives. Discover why they chose fostering over other options, and how it impacted their relationship. Lane candidly discusses the cultural dynamics within their family and the broader social and political challenges surrounding adoption rights.

This episode is a heartfelt exploration of love, resilience, and advocacy. Tune in for insights and inspiration!

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Author talk in honor of Foster Care Awareness Month

About 250 Los Angeles City College students and faculty attended attended my talk in honor of Foster Care Awareness Month as part of LACC Book Program author event series.
The two-hour event went off perfectly thanks to the tireless work of the Book Program organizers and the moderator Sergio Garcia of LACC Foster Care Programs.

In my 45-minute speech, I touched on the social, cultural, and political issues surrounding foster adoption and child welfare in Los Angeles, and illustrated with excerpts from my memoir A Family, Maybe. I finished with some takeaways from my experience as a writer and a parent.

The talk was followed by a conversation with Sergio and a Q&A with the students who lined up behind the audience microphone. The questions they asked were highly relevant, for instance, about the discrimination against LGBTQ parents and the book’s path publication.

The first 40 students received a free copy of my book, subsidized along with the event, by LACC Foundation, which I stayed on to sign afterwards.

On SoCal Voices

Interviewed on SoCal Voices, an award-winning podcast focusing on regional stories and issues. It went live on Apple, IHeartRadio, Spotify, and also on Amazon Music (my first recording there☺️).

Episode description:

Foster adoption in Los Angeles County is, in a word, unpredictable. The process goes smoothly for some but for others it can be difficult, presenting political, legal and personal challenges that test patience and resolve.

In his memoir A Family, Maybe, author Lane Igoudin chronicles the journey he and his husband faced as they embarked on the rocky path to adopt as a gay, interracial couple in the early 2000s.

In this episode of SoCal Voices, author Lane Igoudin shares how the goal to become a family — while ultimately successful — was sometimes marked by pain and powerlessness, and he offers tips to prospective foster adoptive parents on how to successfully navigate a child welfare system that doesn’t always seem to operate in the best interests of the children it is designed to serve.”

Listen to the 30-minute interview at https://dub.sh/socal .

BookLife Critic’s Review: 10/10

A quarterfinalist for The 2024 BookLife Prize, A Family, Maybe scored 10/10 on this Publishers Weekly-sponsored competition. The Critic’s Report left me deeply humbled. I am sharing it here with the award organizers’ permission.

This book is a profound study on the meaning of family—both biological and found—that will stun readers in its authenticity and emotion. Igoudin’s inclusion of adoption’s legal side adds complexity to an already intricately woven memoir.

Igoudin writes with a delicate touch, relaying even the most painful moments with grace and respect for all involved. The prose brilliantly captures contrasting moods and emotions, wrapping this warm message of family love in a realistic, often-heartbreaking rendering of how adoption impacts not just the children, but their biological family, adoptive family, and the professionals assisting in the process.

Igoudin hits every beat in this lovely narrative, bringing vivid life to his adopted daughters, his partner, and the support team who helped them persevere through a years-long battle to create a stable family.

The complete review is posted on the BookLife website.

Recalling the 1st generation of out LGBTQ families on a queer podcast

A historical memoir set in a particular time and place, A Family, Maybe documents the rise of the first wave of out gay families and the struggle for the equal rights of the LGBTQ community in the 2000s, something we were very much involved in at that time.

I was thrilled to speak with Angelica Thompson, Ph.D., about our journey and struggles on her weekly A Queer Understanding podcast – “a space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community to talk about how we’re breaking glass ceilings and making an impact on society.”

Season 7 Episode 5: DESCRIPTION

When Dr. Lane Igoudin and his husband Jonathan decided to become parents in early 2000s California, they stepped into a world of uncertainty and prejudice that would challenge them to their core. Dr. Igoudin’s memoir, A Family, Maybe: Two Dads, Two Babies, and the Court Cases That Brought Us Together, chronicles how this interracial gay couple navigated the labyrinthine foster care system during pre-equality times, fighting to create a family against daunting odds.

Listen here or click on https://dub.sh/aqueeru .