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Interviewee: Solini Chan Shue

Interviewer: Steven Payne

Summary by Ellie Harkins

August 19, 2022  

Not only did Solini Chan Shue’s Bronx loyalty shape her into the person she is today, but her involvement with the Jack and Jill of America organization gave her and her family a sense of deep community. Solini Chan Shue was born and raised in the Bronx and lived in the same apartment until her twenties. Her childhood was filled with hip-hop music and friendship from the rest of the building and the surrounding families on the block. She describes how much communal admiration was and still is valued, as Solini goes back to reunions for her building to this day. Various family members and friends even grew up on the floors above and beneath her own family. Her parents were extremely influential in cultivating Solini’s sense of service and her giving back to the community that raised her. 

Growing up in the Bronx had its challenges, especially during the crack epidemic, which readily shifted the atmosphere. Even her own building was torn down by the sale and use of drugs. Solini Chan Shue’s older sister lost her battle with drugs, which inspired Solini to become a policewoman later on after her scholarly development. Her educational journey kept her close to home through public schooling before she eventually moved to Sacred Heart. For high school, Solini was then sent to the High School of the Humanities in Manhattan. The distance was quite a journey, but the education allowed her to experience a diverse educational environment. Immediately following her graduation, she began working at a hair salon before starting at Bronx Community College. Following her father’s stroke and her pregnancy, at the age of twenty, Solinin had dropped out of school in order to pursue a career in the NYPD full-time. 

Disciplines

African American Studies | Public History

Abstract

For many years, organizations such as Jack and Jill were the least of Solini’s concerns as she worked multiple jobs, working hard to support her family. Until she was about 30, when she was introduced to the organization through a neighbor, and was instantly intrigued by the service for the Bronx community. This was yet another opportunity Solini took in order to participate in community service. For her, the most impactful forms of service she participated in were the Black College Tour and her work with formerly incarcerated women. Through the Black College Tour program, high school students toured historically Black colleges and universities and learned about the institutions’ history and culture. For formerly incarcerated women, Jack and Jill of America hosted a social event featuring talks and meals. Overall, Solini describes her time at Jack and Jill as an incredible opportunity to not only give back to the community that helped raise her but also to take pride in it. The chapter did so much good and highlighted the good that has always been rooted in the Bronx community.

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