I was a teen mum at 16 and everyone said my son would end up in prison – I proved them all wrong with my career
A WOMAN who became a teen mum has revealed some of the stigma she and her son faced.
Cierra Norris, from the US, took to social media to let people know she proved the haters wrong.
The now 33-year-old, has hit back as she proves being a teen mum didn't mean her life or aspirations were over.
Cierra had her son at the age of 16 she revealed, but it didn't stop her from pursuing her dream career.
In a recent social media clip she said: "POV: You had him at 16; everyone counted you out."
In the video she and her son were in a restaurant as they had an adorable cuddle and she played with his hair.
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But she was able to defy the path people had laid out for her, becoming one of the top criminal defence lawyers in Chicago.
She continued: "I read a statistic while i was 16 & pregnant that said he had a 90% chance of going to prison because he was the product of a teenage black single mum.
"And well I said, “cool, but you MUST get through me” - let the odds be forever in your favour b***h."
The statistic pushed the mum to follow a career in law, to not only provide better opportunities for her son, but to make a positive impact on society.
She worked multiple jobs as a waitress to put herself through school while looking after her son.
Cierra opened her own law firm at the age of just 27, , which specialises in civil right cases.
People were quick to praise the mum in the comments section of the post.
Between 2007 and 2021, the under-18 conception rate in England and Wales decreased by 68%, from 42 per 1,000 women to 13 per 1,000 women.
This resulted in 13,131 under-18 conceptions in England and Wales in 2021.
"You’re a stranger to me but I feel super proud of you! What an amazing woman you are!" penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: "As a teen mum, I thank you for pushing through to accomplish your dreams. You’re an inspiration to many of us."
"I got pregnant at 18 and everyone said your life is over…I’m now a nurse practitioner keeping those same people and my daughters healthy! Props to you,” claimed a fifth.
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Someone else added: “You are inspiring in so many ways."
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