Naman Shrestha
Lifetime’s ‘Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story’ is based on the harrowing early life of Monique Smith, who was subjected to abuse from her mother for several years. A part of the network’s “Ripped from the Headlines” lineup, the drama film follows the titular character as she feels out of place in her own home and endures abuse, only to find out that she was taken away from her birth mother and family when she was just a kid. Although the movie dramatizes the true events for entertainment purposes, the essence of Monique’s story is kept intact.
Monique Smith Reportedly Endured Years of Abuse in Her Childhood
Raised in West Baltimore, Symbolie Monique Smith’s childhood was filled with beatings and abuse at the hands of her mother and a couple of her uncles (now deceased), who she claimed raped her for several years. According to her, the woman who raised her used to beat her for no reason. After being subjected to various traumatic instances by multiple people in her family, Monique escaped to Florida at the age of 18 and got involved in sex work. Eventually, she began a new life, got married, and later got divorced when things didn’t seem to work out. In her late 20s, she realized something was suspicious when her mother refused to provide her with her birth certificate. After digging deeper into the matter, Monique was told there were multiple inconsistencies in her documentation.
Soon, around the age of 30, her entire world turned upside down when she learned that the woman who raised her was not her birth mother and had abducted her from New York when she was one. In order to enroll her in school, the woman had submitted fake documents. Thanks to a detective from Maryland and a genetic genealogist, CeCe Moore, the details of Monique’s blood family and her origins came to light. Her birth mother’s name was Margaret Conyers, who reportedly had seven children by seven different men and had died of a drug overdose at the age of 34. Soon, Monique, who was born Simboli Ruffin and became known as “The Longest Living Jane Doe,” connected with her long-lost sisters, one of whom had been searching for her.
Monique Smith Wears Many Professional Hats
While growing up in Baltimore, Monique Smith attended Walbrook High School before attending the University of Baltimore. Through her educational background and experiences, she managed to carve out a successful professional life for herself and her family. In 2011, she published her first book ‘I Am The Ancestor: Before I Die I Must Tell My Story,’ based on her life story. A few years later, she wrote the sequel to it, ‘I Am The Ancestor Volume II.’ Her debut book was archived via #StoryCorp at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Besides being an author, business advisor, and life coach, Monique is a well-established speaker who talks about her experiences and significant subjects. In 2019, she served as the executive director of her documentary short film titled ‘The Longest Living Jane Doe,’ which allowed her to amplify her story and raise awareness about human trafficking and child abuse. As per reports, she was also employed at Bird of Paradise Events. From what we can tell, the Baltimore resident has also served as the President/CEO of The Ultimate Concierge, LLC.
Monique Smith Continues to Raise Awareness For Missing Children and Human Trafficking
Being an abducted child herself and given her first-hand account of abuse, Monique Smith has not shied away from raising her voice against human trafficking and child abuse. In her quest to do so, she has worked with The Center for Missing and Exploited Children and even launched Known as Monique in 2013, through which she hopes to minimize the chances of child abductions and maximize the chances of missing children being found. Apart from that, she also works towards providing education and resources to bring an end to child abductions altogether.
On May 5, 2018, she hosted Maryland’s First Annual Missing Person Day with NamUS, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force. Monique also proves to be an asset for several non-profit organizations, like the Angels of Addiction’s Street Outreach Ministry and Loving Arms, LLC, who share the same goals as her. For National Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January 2025, she partnered with the Founder of Your Infinite Paths Foundation and held a successful screening of her documentary, ‘The Longest Living Jane Doe.’
Monique Smith Leads a Busy Life But Makes Time For Her Loved Ones
Despite having an early life packed with trauma and abuse, Monique Smith managed to overcome all the adversities life threw at her and became the empowered and successful woman she is today. After receiving her passport, she made plans to travel with her blood family members for the first time in 2024. When asked if she had been in contact with anyone since childhood, she told A&E, “I’m not really close with that family, except for one person who raised me. For that person, it was a shock to learn that their biological father, their biological relatives, (committed) these horrendous acts of harm against me.” When it comes to her relationship with her long-lost six sisters, Monique has met with all of them. Talking about their bond, she stated, “We all know each other. We can reach out to each other.”
On February 22, 2025, she attended the Black Wall Street EXPO along with several other literary experts. Describing her experience, she said, “The Insights Shared Were Game-Changing, Empowering Writers to Finally Release The Story Within Them. HUGE Takeaways From This Panel Discussion! Money Saving Gems Dropped!!” Mother to Julia Harrington and a son, Monique recently had a live interview with Tailiah Breon on Fox 5 Atlanta, where she opened up about how the Lifetime film highlights important themes that are integral to her life mission.
Monique has advocated for missing children and raised awareness for the cause for multiple decades, and she only plans to march forward with full force. After all, as explained to People in 2023, her mission is to have a world wherein “Everyone should be a social responsibility agent, period. It’s just like when you travel, you see a bag, what do you do? You alert authorities that there’s a bag that was abandoned somewhere. So, let’s do that when it comes to missing children. We’re in this together… We want people to grow up and have healthy lives, enriched lives, be productive on their own terms, not under the hands of someone else.” Considering how far she has come in life — personally and professionally, Monique serves as a beacon of resilience and an inspiration to many, and we wish her all the luck in her future endeavors.
Read More: Not My Family: Monique Smith True Story, Explained
