Virtual portraits made using a projector and video conferencing
Ymilul Bates, in her home in the San Francisco Bay area, has paid thousands of dollars since her son, Azrael Vargas, was charged with theft last fall. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Brandi Reals in her kitchen in Knoxville, Tennessee. Reals’ youngest son, Chayse Jackson, is incarcerated in Florida. “I didn’t have a job at the time. I was at the lowest place in my life already, so that was a big kicker,” Reals says. “There was just nothing I could do, not financially.” (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Allie Reyes in her room in Dover, New Hampshire. Reyes, who is transgender, was arrested in 2015 after a fight with her mom, who petitioned to transfer her daughter’s care to the state, Reyes says, because of their poor relationship. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Milan Nicole Sherry, who co-founded House of Tulip, the first homeless shelter for transgender people in New Orleans, says her advocacy is rooted in personal experience. Unable to find a job after running away from a toxic home life in her teens, Sherry turned to survival sex to live. “I realized that a lot of guys desired to be with me, and they were willing to exchange money for a certain service.” (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Nicole Hingle at her home in Chalmette, Louisiana. Hingle’s son, J.H., 18, is incarcerated at Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center in Covington. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Drew McElraft, 20, and her brother, Seth Jackson, 25, at their mother's home in Knoxville, Tennessee. Their brother, Chayse Jackson, 18, is incarcerated in Florida State Prison in Raiford. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Jacqueline Rodriguez was 12 when she was sent to a California juvenile hall, where she was isolated because she was the youngest girl there. “It was sad to me that I couldn't graduate eighth grade,” she recalls. “It was sad to me that I couldn't go to any dances. I couldn't spend time with my friends.” Now 24, Rodriquez is attending UCLA this fall. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Kevin Alderman reminisces about his nephew, Tristin Alderman, who was incarcerated several times as a juvenile and later convicted of murder and robbery and sentenced to life in prison. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Will Lewis holds his daughter, Carmen, in his home in Riverdale, Georgia. “I want to be instrumental in her life in every way I can be, because I know I didn't get that,” Lewis says. “I had football games, award ceremonies … I looked up (at the stands) and nobody that I knew was there and everybody else’s family was cheering them on. It was very discouraging.” (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Aliyah, a 17-year-old transgender girl from Santa Clara, California, whose last name is not being made public, founded an organization that helps queer individuals in the Middle East access aid and asylum. “I don’t care if I live in a dirt shed for the rest of my life,” she says. “Like, this is what I want to do with my life.” (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Shannon Rees of Myrtle Point, Oregon, worries about her 14-year-old daughter’s mental health since her incarceration in July 2019. “She doesn't deserve to be in there. I feel like there's more damage and trauma that she's exposed to with the kids that are in there with her,” Rees says. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Tyus Reed, shown at his workplace, Williams and Associates in Tacoma, Washington, credits his decision to become a peer support coordinator at Wraparound with Intensive Services to his mentor, Evelyn Clark, whom he met while he was incarcerated for a gang-related drive-by shooting when he was 17. (Portrait taken remotely by Michele Abercrombie / News21)
Michele Abercrombie | Visual Editor
Michele Abercrombie is a photo editor based in New York City.