The Biracial Family Network (BFN) is a nonprofit organization based in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

. Founded in September 1980, BFN is one of the oldest nonprofit multi-ethnic family support organizations in the United States. It has traditionally focused on supporting those in interracial

Interracial marriage

Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...

/intercultural relationships via education and social activities. However, over the years, its scope has grown to also include those who are of mixed heritage – biracial, multiracial

Multiracial

The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...

, transracially adopted. Monthly meetings are offered to bring mixed heritage families together to discuss mixed heritage issues, experiences, and concerns.

History

BFN was founded by Irene Carr and five other mothers who were the parents of biracial and transracially adopted children. The founding purpose of the organization was to strengthen and support interracial /intercultural families and relationships by facilitating communication among persons of diverse ethnic heritages via educational programs, discussions, and newsletters. BFN concentrated its early efforts on locating interracial families of any kind and held monthly meetings to discuss various issues. After its meetings were firmly established, BFN added social events, such as family potlucks, to its lists of activities.

In 1985, BFN developed bylaws, incorporated in the state of Illinois, and became a federally tax-exempt 501(c)(3), a nonprofit organization. Over the years, BFN participated in the 1988 founding of the Association of MultiEthnic Americans

Association of MultiEthnic Americans

The Association of MultiEthnic Americans is an international collaboration of community organizations. With dedication to advocacy and education on behalf of the mixed-race community, AMEA works to promote a community of acceptance and equality....

 and held workshops and conferences. The Association of MultiEthnic Americans

Association of MultiEthnic Americans

The Association of MultiEthnic Americans is an international collaboration of community organizations. With dedication to advocacy and education on behalf of the mixed-race community, AMEA works to promote a community of acceptance and equality....

(AMEA) is a nationwide organization of local multiracial/multiethnic groups incorporated as a nonprofit public benefit organization. In 2000, BFN celebrated its 20th Anniversary and held a benefit banquet in downtown Chicago, Illinois. In March 2003, the web site development team launched BFN's official web site. The completion of this strategic goal helped BFN connect to a global multiracial community. http://www.bfnchicago.org/about.html