Editing Sheila E. (section)

==Early life and family==
Born in [[Oakland, California]], Sheila E. is the daughter of Juanita Gardere, a dairy factory worker, and percussionist [[Pete Escovedo]], with whom she frequently performs. Her mother is of [[Louisiana Creole people|Creole]]-French/African descent, and her father is of Mexican-American origin.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141001025556/http://www.bet.com/b-real/relationships/2014/mothers-day/defined-by-mom-sheila-e.html Leading Women Defined by Mom: Sheila E], BET.com. Retrieved October 1, 2016</ref><ref>[http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/sheila-e-finds-her-own-beat-403 Sheila E. Finds Her Own Beat], ''Ebony''. Retrieved October 1, 2016</ref> She was raised [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Cummings|first=Tony|date=2014-01-01|title=Sheila E: World acclaimed drummer and singer and a witness for Christ|url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/Sheila_E_World_acclaimed_drummer_and_singer_and_a_witness_for_Christ/52881/p1/|access-date=2021-08-23|website=Cross Rhythms}}</ref> Pete Escovedo and his brother [[Coke Escovedo]] were born in Los Angeles, and they were the sons of Pedro Escovedo who had immigrated from Mexico at age 12.<ref>{{cite news |first=Mary |last=Rourke |title=Pedro Escovedo, 96; Plumber Was Patriarch of Musical Family |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-feb-21-me-escovedo21-story.html |newspaper=Los Angeles Times  | access-date=21 May 2024 }}</ref>

Sheila E's uncles include Javier Escovedo, founder of seminal [[San Diego]] punk act [[The Zeros (American band)|The Zeros]]; [[Alejandro Escovedo]], founder of seminal [[San Francisco]] punk band [[The Nuns]]; Mario Escovedo, who fronted long-running indie rockers [[The Dragons (band)|The Dragons]]; and [[Coke Escovedo]], who was in [[Santana (band)|Santana]] and formed the band [[Azteca (band)|Azteca]]. [[Nicole Richie]] is Sheila E.'s biological niece, the daughter of Sheila's musician brother, [[Peter Michael Escovedo]]. [[Tito Puente]] was her godfather.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxiness.com/story/0,2933,110397,00.html|title=Welcome to FOXINESS.COM|website=Foxiness.com|access-date=October 13, 2019}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]). The link is dead and archive.org is hacked right now.|date=October 2024}}

She has publicly stated that, at the age of five, she was raped by her teenaged babysitter, and this event had a profound influence on her childhood development.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/sheila-e-tells-her-loves-being-raped-book-n210591/|title=Sheila E. Tells of Her Loves and Being Raped in Book|website=nbcnews.com|date=September 24, 2014 }}</ref>