40 Years, 40 Faces: Brianna

Richmond, Virginia

Brianna is a Richmond area native, born and raised in Chesterfield, with an older sister and half-brother. Family members raised Brianna after she was placed in foster care as a child. The family received a stipend from the Virginia Department of Social Services for Brianna and her siblings’ care while they were in school. The stipend was also to be used for Brianna’s continuing education when she enrolled at VCU. Brianna graduated with a major in criminal justice, interned with juvenile probation, and is now a mental health specialist using her skills to intervene in juvenile cases, so they never reach probation; however, unaware that her foster family received financial help to support her while in college, Brianna took out student loans to cover living expenses in addition to tuition. She has now sought assistance from Virginia Poverty Law Center’s family law attorney to assist with resolving the family dispute.

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“40 Years, 40 Faces” was a 2018 photography and storytelling project marking VPLC’s 40th anniversary. Photographer Glen McClure and writer Marshall McClure documented Virginians impacted by VPLC’s work, using portraits and interviews to highlight resilience, dignity, and the ongoing fight for justice.