We Are The Village, is a reminder to girls like myself; young, scared and about to take on the world of teen momhood!  My name is Remington Steele, I was born in Kansas City, Missouri and I was 15 years old when I found out that I would be delivering a baby just after my 16th birthday.  I remember waiting until I got to the end of the hallway to slide down to the floor and cry while telling my friend who went with me to the hospital, that I was indeed pregnant.  Being in a low-income family, I qualified for government assistance that included medical care and parenting classes.  Because I was getting ready to be a teenage mother, I was encouraged to join the Teen Moms Program that offered us weekly get togethers, parenting classes, career counseling, and mentoring.  I had never heard of a mentor before then and if I can be honest, I only really started going for the free food and social time!  Quickly after finding out I was pregnant I was removed from the cheerleading squad at high school, my friend, that went with me to get the test, mother no longer would let her be my friend; on account that I was a "bad influence", and everyone around me was telling me how I was “too young”, “making a bad decision”,  “ruining my life”, and the good ole comment; “I’ll never become anything” pretty much daily.  Becoming isolated, depressed, and stressed because I was a high-risk pregnancy, I welcomed the weekly event.  The Teen Moms Program sparked something in me back then, and I knew I wanted to be a part of this mission in my future. I was given a mentor by the name of Jamezetta, she worked at a local school, and she had two sons.  I never asked her why she volunteered to spend time with me.  I always assumed it was because she didn’t have any daughters.  Now, I get the feeling that it was her duty.  She didn’t offer me much knowledge on what to expect as a new mother, but I never felt alone in my pregnancy because of her.  She had become my best friend.  She would pick me up and we would be gone all day!  I looked forward to the weekends because of her!  She would come and hang out with me at my house for hours or sometimes we would go to the movies, or just driving around and talking.  When I got my first apartment at 18, she was there too!  And she remained my mentor until I was no longer a teenager and had to graduate from the program at 20 years old.

Throughout my experience as a young mother I dealt with depression, death, murder, military, PTSD, college, marriage, divorce, sexual abuse, mental/emotional abuse, suicide attempts, relocation and more.  Over the years I read about women who cannot afford to work, because they cannot afford childcare.  I read about girls dropping out of high school because they don’t have anyone to watch their children. I am extremely thankful I had my mother, my village.  I knew of other girls in my pregnancy school who didn’t have a mother like mine, one who didn’t work and could watch their child(ren).   Sadly, I read about girls who couldn’t take the loneliness of single parenthood, so they took the lives of themselves and their children.  Those types of articles paralyzed me with grief and gratitude because that could have been me.  It should have been me.  But a friend called to invite me to Denny’s the night I was alone in my car about to drive my son and myself off an overpass.  It takes a village to raise a child, so why don't we become that village, for one another.

My Mission for We Are The Village- Teen Moms is to strengthen familyhood with teen moms by motivating growth, healing, support, love, and community. Learning to become slow to anger, teaching self-respect, acceptance, and unconditional love through actions of reparenting, self-parenting, and single parenting. Building a Village leading in mindfulness, spirituality, and awareness.  Remembering that children are still people, parenting consciously, allowing for healthy communication, where reaching out to others is the norm.  Nourishing education on forgiveness, addiction, ego, judgement, karma, PTSD, “the inner bully”, depression, and the coping tools to overcome them all!

We Are The Village- Teen Moms is a safe place where specifically teen moms, however, teen moms and dads of all ages can receive and give motivation, ask parenting and life questions, gain knowledge, mentorships, break generational curses, gain coping tools and, learn to parent holistically. 

It is my mission to offer teen moms and mentors the resources, knowledge, support, encouragement, and guidance to navigate life, parenting, and healing. 

R.