Beenie at Fourteen

Beenie hates her mother. The fights are constant with Doll as the family becomes homeless again after a fire with little brother Jamal staying in the city and Beenie moving to the suburbs with her father Ruben and husband Marcus. New neighbors, a doctor and professor husband, move in across the street. At the neighborhood potluck, Beenie mentioned seeing a young girl; the doctor insists there is no girl, only their boys away at school. Under the cover of night, persistent Beenie confronts the girl, Ninah, who reveals she was sold to the doctor. Ninah’ s refusal marriage to an elderly man forced her to flee after her father gave the choice of drowning in the river to save the family from shame or be sold to the highest bidder. When Ninah reveals bruises from the doctor, Beenie decides to help her. Enlisting BFF Tiki, the girls hatch a plan to free Ninah from her abusive enslaver. BEENIE AT FOURTEEN is a coming-of-age story about a girl who bridges the tribulations of the inner city and the opportunities of the wealthy suburbs and who finds warmth, family, and friendship even in dark circumstances. A story with a diverse cast and a focus on the trafficking of girls and the effects of poverty.