Check Out Brittany Foley’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Foley

Hi Brittany, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in the small, close-knit town of Taylor, Texas, a place where the streets hold stories, everybody knows your name, and dreams sometimes feel like they’re just out of reach. My parents, Shumeka Johnson and Larry Foley, gave me the foundation: a love of reading, a heart for service, and a deep belief that doing your best is not just expected, it’s sacred. But the woman who truly shaped me, the soul who breathed resilience and fire into my spirit was my grandmother, Linda Gail Johnson. She was more than my caregiver; she was my compass.

She raised me with a steady hand and an unwavering voice, always reminding me that my life didn’t have to be limited by the zip code I was born into. “Go to school, get an education, and get as far away from Taylor, Texas as you can—there’s a big world out there,” she’d say. Her words weren’t just advice—they were a lifeline. From her, I learned perseverance, honesty, and the power of imagination. Even when we didn’t have much, she gave me permission to dream, and to believe those dreams could take root and grow.

At just 18 years old—five days after my birthday—I gave birth to my son, King. Becoming a mother so young came with its own set of challenges. I was afraid. I questioned everything. But I never questioned whether I would keep going. I held on to my goals with everything I had. I remembered all the places I used to daydream about as a little girl lying on the couch with a book in my hand and the world at my fingertips.

School had always been my sanctuary. I excelled in the classroom, thrived in competitions like Academic Decathlon, and earned awards and scholarships that carried me to college. I attended Huston-Tillotson University, a place that both nurtured me and ignited a deeper fire. I majored in Environmental Studies with a special focus on environmental justice because I saw how environmental harm hits Black and Brown communities first and hardest. I wanted to understand how systems shape our lives, our health, and our futures.

College took me far beyond the borders of Taylor. I even studied abroad in Paris, walking cobblestone streets I had once only seen in books and movies. In so many ways, I beat the odds. But life had more to teach me.

When my Aunt Katara Johnson was murdered in Taylor and her case went cold, my world shifted. The grief in our family was heavy, but what haunted me more was the silence. The lack of answers. The absence of justice. That pain planted a seed—a desire to understand the system that had failed us.

It was Attorney Chris Tolbert, an HT alum, who opened the next door. He gave me my first legal job and introduced me to the ins and outs of law. Under his mentorship, I learned how the legal system worked and how it often doesn’t. I learned how to listen, how to ask the right questions, and how to tell the stories that too often go untold. I found my place in public defense, and now I serve at the Federal Public Defender’s Office, assisting on capital cases. I work alongside clients facing the death penalty—many of them poor, forgotten, and written off by society. My role is to uncover their humanity, dig into the forgotten chapters of their lives, and help build a defense rooted in truth and compassion. Because every person is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done.

Outside of the office, I pour that same passion into my neighborhood. I live and serve in Kansas City, where I’ve made a home and a mission. I sit on the board of the Blue Hills Neighborhood Association and the Kansas City Public School District Advisory Committee. I’ve had the honor of helping parents navigate a complex system, speak up for their children, and claim their rightful place at decision-making tables. One of my proudest contributions has been working with the Kansas City Defender’s mutual aid team, ensuring that our people get their basic needs met, no matter what. My current project is called: Blue Hills: Young and Thriving an initiative that focuses on young parents, both fathers and mothers who want more out their lives, but don’t have the support system around them, this is not a one sized fit all metric, but something that is based on individual needs and goals. The goal is to pair the parents with folks in the neighborhood who have lived experience and created the life they wanted for themselves.

I’m a mother to one beautiful boy and an auntie to many. I’m a community health worker, a bridge between public health systems and the families they often overlook. I’m also back in school, studying social work, with dreams of opening a parent advocacy and consulting firm that centers young families, especially those like mine—resilient, overlooked, and full of promise.

Now, I’m stepping into a new chapter. I’m running for the Kansas City Public School Board to represent the 5th sub-district. I’m doing this for the children who, like my son, deserve to attend schools in their neighborhoods, surrounded by adults who believe in their brilliance. I’m doing it for the parents who feel unheard. I’m doing it because I know how powerful it is when someone finally says, “You belong here.”

I came into this world a premature baby, fighting from the very beginning. I wasn’t supposed to make it this far but I did. And I want my story to stand as proof: that no matter where you begin, no matter how hard the journey, you can rise. With love, purpose, and relentless perseverance, you can turn your pain into power and your story into a legacy.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I had my son King 5 days after my 18th birthday. He was along for the ride as I finished high school and through college. Many classmates held him in college as I did exams. Somehow, he would get sick during big testing dates.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Though the legal field pays the bills right now, my main passion is education and parent advocacy. As a former teenage parent, I know what it feels like to be in a room where people underestimate you, where your voice is dismissed before you even speak. That experience shaped the way I show up in every space. I’m committed to making sure parents, especially those who’ve been overlooked or underestimated, are empowered to speak up for their children and their families.

I specialize in working with parents to help them navigate school systems, understand their rights, and advocate effectively. I train new parent organizations, create resources rooted in accessibility and equity, and work with my neighborhood association to ensure that renters and families with young children feel welcomed and included in local decision-making.

School board work came naturally. It’s an extension of what I already do every day, making sure families are heard and centered.

I’m most proud of how I show up for my community with honesty and heart. This can be with Blue Hills: Young and Thriving or my parent training. Whether I’m mentoring a young mom, speaking at a community meeting, or reviewing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) with a family, I bring lived experience, professional skill, and a deep commitment to justice.

What sets me apart is that I’ve lived both the struggle and the success. I’ve been the student, the parent, the advocate, and now, the leader. I don’t just speak on behalf of others. I build spaces where people can speak for themselves and be heard. I always have room at the table for everyone, there’s never any gatekeeping with me.

We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Most people who know me through my advocacy or legal work are surprised to learn that I started my journey in environmental science. I’ve always had a deep love for nature and how our environment, both physical and social, shapes our lives. I studied environmental science because I wanted to fight for clean air, green spaces, and safe neighborhoods in Black and Brown communities, because it starts there!

That foundation still guides me. Whether I’m building parent training programs or fighting for school equity, I’m always thinking about systems and how to make the spaces we live, learn, and grow in more just, more sustainable, and more healing.

A big one is if I’m not working, I’m probably elbow-deep in making eco-friendly self-care products for my small business, my small business is (Earth Angel by Brittany). My candles are a hit because of the weird names I give them, but my incense was a lit last winter. I pop up in the spring down in the River Market with the Art Garden KC

Contact Info:

• Website: Working on One
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brittanyforkcps/