Journey to the Son

Carla Carlisle, an upwardly mobile, successful African American woman, determined to be a mother, crosses paths with a beautiful baby boy, Devon. A mother at last, Carla finds joy in her baby-born two months premature to a birth mother ravaged by drugs and mental instability. At six months, the cruel wheels of justice take Devon away, back to a world of abuse and poverty, locked in the clutches of his birth mother, backed by an unfeeling judicial system. Faced with the choice of letting go or fighting for the son given to her by God--Carla chooses to risk her wealth, her sanity, and her very life to return Devon back to the family they both so desperately deserve. Journey to the Son is not only a discussion about motherhood, but a collection of memories, often painful, held together by a thread of hope. It invites parents from every walk of life and every situation to sit down and chat about the awe- some gift they've been given--no matter how uncon- ventional or how long the odds. This mother's story brings to light the power of perseverance and prayer and gives the verse: "...but with God, all things are possible," a whole new meaning. Sit back and be blessed.

"We need to focus on what's best for our children no matter how unconventional the solution is or what the odds may be." Carla always wanted to be a mother. She was already a corporate executive at a Fortune 100 company and a loving wife, who lived with her husband and two dogs in a beautiful house in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although her dogs were her "babies," Carla desperately wanted to have her own children. It's not that she couldn't get pregnant. She struggled to carry full term. Carla, an upwardly mobile, successful African American woman, determined to be a mother, crosses paths with a beautiful baby boy, Devon. A mother at last, Carla finds joy in her baby-born two months premature to a birth mother ravaged by drugs and mental instability. At six months, the cruel wheels of justice take Devon away, back to a world of abuse and poverty, locked in the clutches of his birth mother, backed by an unfeeling judicial system. Faced with the choice of letting go or fighting for the son given to her by God--Carla chooses to risk her wealth, her sanity, and her very life to return Devon back to the family they both so desperately deserve. Through the eight year process, Carla learned about the pain of others, generational trauma and it's impact on mind, body and soul. Compassion for the birth parents and desperately wanting to keep her child safe were drivers that took over her life for six years. When Devon was six, the unthinkable happen, and everything that seemed to be helping was actually enabling generational trauma. Something had to happen quickly for Devon to be saved. Journey to the Son is not only a discussion about motherhood, but a collection of memories, often painful, held together by a thread of hope. It invites parents from every walk of life and every situation to sit down and chat about the awe- some gift they've been given--no matter how uncon- ventional or how long the odds. This mother's story brings to light the power of perseverance and prayer and gives the verse: "...but with God, all things are possible," a whole new meaning. Sit back and be blessed

Carla always wanted to be a mother. She was already a corporate executive at a Fortune 100 company and a loving wife, who lived with her husband and two dogs in a beautiful house in Charlotte, North Carolina. Although her dogs were her "babies," Carla desperately wanted to have her own children. It's not that she couldn't get pregnant. She struggled to carry full term. Carla and her husband spent thousands of dollars on fertility treatments. The countless efforts to get and stay pregnant grew more exhausting and expensive. Their attempts ultimately proved futile, ending their four-year marriage and Carla's quest to give birth. Still hopeful, Carla became a foster parent in 2010 to a baby boy born two months prematurely. However, at six months old he was returned to his mentally ill, drug-addicted birth mother, a child abuse victim who struggles with untreated trauma. Carla, finally a mother, had no idea that her relentless quest for motherhood would lead her on an eight-year, unconventional journey to rescue the child she now calls her son. Carla is an author, speaker, and child and mental health advocate. She penned her memoir, Journey to the Son, to prompt discussions about the lasting, often perilous, impact of trauma many children suffer as victims of abuse when placed in unsafe environments. In conjunction with serving as a child and mental health advocate, Carla works as Head of Technology for a global financial services company in Charlotte, North Carolina. Before landing her current position, Carla worked for the same company as a senior technology manager, supporting human resources, law compliance, and internal audit departments. Prior to moving to Charlotte in 2005, Carla worked in Washington, D.C. for more than a decade as a federal employee for the Federal Bureau of Investigations and U.S. Senate. She also served as a government consultant with expertise in strategic communications, project and program management, and change management. Since her relocation to North Carolina, Carla has been active in the Charlotte community. She is a co-mentor for her company's IT Women's Council Mentoring Group Program. She was also the inaugural chair of a new Employee Resource Group as well as a board member for Girl Talk Foundation, Inc. In addition, Carla is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Carla earned her B.A. in sociology from Indiana University in Bloomington. She also earned an M.S. in human resources management from American University in Washington, D.C. and another in organizational development from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, Carla has obtained a graduate certificate in change management from Johns Hopkins University as well as professional certifications in project management and information technology infrastructure library foundation.