Sheena R. Rue was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York.  As a child, she lived in the Bedford Stuyvesant and Clinton Hill areas of Brooklyn.   She became pregnant at 14 years old and gave birth to her fist child at 15.  By the age of 18, Sheena had two children and began living with friends and family. Sheena chose to leave her mother’s home (at 15 years old), dropped out of high school, and was a recipient of public assistant.  This made life for her and her two children difficult and unpromising.  She had support from various family members, but what good was that support when she wouldn’t listen to anyone.

One day it all came together.  Sheena realized she could not allow her children to go through a life a suffering because she had made wrong choices and decisions.  In September 1993 Sheena enrolled in a GED program.  The following year, she obtained her GED and registered for college. In January 1995, Sheena entered John Jay College of Criminal Justice.  She graduated with an A.A.S in Police Science in 1998 and a B.S. in Criminal Justice in 1999.  Sheena was determined to correct the mistakes she had made.  In September of 1999, she became employed with the NYC Department of Education as a Teacher.  Sheena went on to receive her Master degree in Education in 2003.

In 2006, she decided it was time to take it a step further. Sheena entered into a PhD program where her studies are Human Services/ Criminal Justice and plans to complete the program by 2010.  Sheena has also completed the Big Brothers Big Sister’s Mentoring Supervisor Certificate Program in May 2008.Sheena R. Rue beat the odds.  She did everything society said she was incapable of doing.  Of course, she didn’t do it alone.  There were people that believed in her and assisted her along her ways. It wasn’t until she believed in herself that it all became possible.  Sheena has strong spiritual beliefs that her life happened for many reasons.  The most important reason she believes was in preparation for My Sisters’ Keeper.  She believes through the many blessings and favors of the LORD, she will be able to accept the challenges of assisting many young moms with becoming successful and be being able to walk with their heads up.She believes all teen mothers have the same chances of success afforded to them as anyone else, but it takes determination, persistence, patients, faith, support, and much more.  She also believes in second chances and gives her young girls the support they need.

When a young mom realizes she has love and support and knows that she will not be judged for the choices of having a child in her teen years, she can and will move mountains.  Sheena will always be there to listen to the cries and pains of her young mothers.  She will offer much comfort and advice to them as well.  Sometimes just knowing you have somebody there to listen and that understands where those pains are coming from makes a great difference.

Sheena thanks GOD for her life.  She has no regrets.  She also thanks those who were there and stood by her side through it all (and it was a lot), the two best babysitters in the world (Toni and Ronnie), but most of all, she owes it all to GOD.  HE loved her when she didn’t and couldn’t love herself.