Story
Justice in Real Life: Tanya J.
Standing up so others don’t have to stand alone.
Tanya Jackson is known around Richmond as “the councilwoman”—not by title, but by spirit.
Born and raised in a public housing project, Tanya doesn’t live there anymore, but she never really left. Her roots and her work trace back to her grandmother, Theresa Hobson, who once led the local tenant association and still lives in the same apartment at age 96.
Conditions have worsened since Tanya was a child. She returns often—visiting her grandmother, delivering donations, and helping other tenants navigate a system stacked against them.
Stories from the neighborhood are hard to hear. A tenant shot while hanging clothes to dry. Children walking the streets with guns, “acting like they’re at war.” Dogs roam freely. Elders like Theresa don’t feel safe enough to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine.
Fear of retaliation keeps many tenants silent, especially when there’s nowhere else to go. That’s why Tanya speaks out. Her voice carries more than a personal mission—it carries a community’s unspoken pleas for safety, dignity, and change.
Legal protections exist for tenants, but without enforcement and support, rights on paper can fall flat in reality.
Virginia Poverty Law Center continues working to protect those rights—ensuring tenants can live without fear of unsafe conditions or retaliation for speaking out.
Justice in Real Life is a photography and storytelling campaign launched by VPLC in 2025. It shares real stories from Virginians facing poverty and injustice, highlighting their struggles and the changes we’re advocating for. Want to tell your story? Contact VPLC Communications Director Connie Stevens, connie@vplc.org.
