Yandy Smith has opened up becoming a foster mother to one of her mentees, calling the process “an emotional one.”
The “Love & Hip Hop” star has started the paperwork process of adopting Infinity Gilyard, a teen that she has mentored for the past three years. On Thursday, Smith shared an emotional video of the duo leaving the courthouse after completing one of the steps of the foster care process. Smith has requested to be the sole caretaker of the teen, Madame Noire reports.
“I never know how God wants to use me. Every day I’m learning how to be a better me and this new chapter is going to take a lot of learning. I know there’s a process in everything…this has been an emotional one,” Yandy wrote.
She added: “I’m sharing this with you all because she wanted me to. She wanted mentors out there to know the impact they could have in changing the trajectory of a child’s life.”
Smith will be documenting the process with a new Instagram account dedicated to herself and Gilyard.
As for Gilyard, she has been open about how much her relationship with Smith means to her.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor,” she captioned an Instagram photo of herself with Smith. “It don’t get any better than this. You’ve taught me so much in so little of time & I can’t wait to be a mentor to other young ladies such as myself. I really appreciate all that you’ve done for me!!”