Keep Brianna Housed & Studying at Conn

My name is Brianna Clay and I am a black homeless sophomore at Connecticut College. I was kicked out of my childhood home by my emotionally and physically abusive family last year. While it has been an absolute joy to be a full time student at Conn, that comes with a lot of fees that my minimum wage job cannot begin to pay. I want to major in Art and stay in school, but I cannot do that alone. I want to put my all into achieving my dream to become an animator, but I cannot do so if I am always wondering how I will pay for my next meal or how I will cover the expenses for my next semester.

I am from Chicago, Illinois and my parents sent me off to school in Connecticut with a single scholarship, a couple of suitcases, and a firm handshake. I haven't heard from them or seen them in over a year and they don't support me in any way at all despite me being a first generation college student. Not only did they kick me out at freshly 18, They refused to give me access to my bank account, help me figure out health insurance, and even threatened to charge me if I wanted anymore things from home even though the only money I had at the time was my scholarship. College should be a time of joy and self exploration and I do not want my experience to be defined by my toxic parents cruelty.

Anything donated no matter how small will go towards funding the rest of my semesters here at Conn, buying medication, paying my phone bill, covering housing over breaks, paying for school supplies, and bettering my quality of life. Thank you so so much!