Who Is She?

Hi, I’m Shaniqua, better known as Nikki, and I am the founder of Bella Lives, LLC. At the age of 16, I was overwhelmed by fear as I learned I was pregnant. So many questions went through my mind, and I had many decisions. Do I terminate the pregnancy? Do I have my baby and give it up for adoption? Do I keep it and raise the baby myself? No matter my decision, I knew my life would be forever changed.

After considering the alternatives, I knew the decision was too great for me to make alone, so I turned to “The Crisis Pregnancy Center of Staten Island” in Staten Island, NY. As a scared teen, the center embraced me and helped me weigh my options. There were so many resources that I had no clue about, from maternity homes and different adoption methods to pre- and post-abortion counseling and, finally, assistance with parenting and obtaining the necessary items should I choose to parent my child.

Fast forward several months later, I gave birth to my first daughter. Weighing in at 5lbs 2oz and just over 15 inches, she was taken straight to the NICU to begin the fight for her life, and that is where Bella Lives came from. Bella is the Italian word for beautiful, and that was the only word to come to mind as I held my tiny baby. While I knew we had an uphill battle and would face several challenges, her life was worth it. As I kissed her head, I promised her a beautiful life. Not a life filled with perfection, but a life in which we would grow together and find BEAUTY in every situation.

Twenty-two years, two additional daughters, and a degree in Human Service Counseling with additional certification in Advanced Behavioral Health Counseling later, the idea of bella lives for my children still rings true. While life may not be easy, and in fact, there are times when we feel we can’t make it one more moment, if we hold on and find the beauty in a single moment, we will have enough to keep striving. I believed with everything in me that we deserved a bella life, regardless of our past, and now it is my purpose to help you too because everyone deserves bella lives. Yes, even you!