Editing Victoria Rowell (section)

== Early life ==
Victoria Lynn Rowell was born in [[Portland, Maine]], on May 10, 1959. Her biological mother, Dorothy Rowell, was of English descent and a ''[[Mayflower]]'' descendant, and her birth father, whose surname was Wilson, was of Jamaican descent.{{Citation needed |date=March 2024}} Rowell knew very little about her father. Dorothy, who suffered from [[schizophrenia]], took a taxi to a hospital to give birth to Rowell, leaving a son and two small daughters unsupervised. When she was 16 days old, Rowell, along with her two sisters, Sheree and Lori, were surrendered to child services.<ref name="boston.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/05/05/role_models/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010133054/http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2007/05/05/role_models/|url-status=dead|title=Role Models, Boston Globe, May 5, 2007|archivedate=October 10, 2012}}</ref>

While living in Maine with foster parents Agatha C. and Robert Armstead,{{Citation needed |date=March 2024}} Rowell, then eight, began ballet lessons. She became a member of [[Sigma Gamma Rho]] sorority, an African-American Greek-lettered sorority. After dancing with the American Ballet Theater II and the [[Juilliard School]] of Music Dance Extension program with [[Antony Tudor]], Rowell accepted guest-artist teaching posts in [[New England]].<ref name="diagnosismurder.co.uk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.diagnosismurder.co.uk/vr.shtml|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317022221/http://www.diagnosismurder.co.uk/vr.shtml|url-status=dead|title=DiagnosisMurder.co.uk &#124; Victoria Rowell|archivedate=March 17, 2012}}</ref>