Raised in Los Angeles, Sierra Luchien (above) experienced the challenges of the foster care system firsthand. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice“I want to give people what I didn’t have when I was younger,” Sierra Luchien, 39, founder of  Greater Opportunity Regional Center (G.O.R.C), said. “The love, the guidance, the sense of belonging”. As the founder of G.O.R.C, Luchien dedicates her life to creating opportunities and resources for foster youth and underserved communities. Her advocacy extends through her nonprofit work, writing, and public speaking, all of which aim to foster empowerment and systemic change.“I wanted to start the organization because I grew up in foster care,” she said. Her early years were marked by a tragic loss when her brother, Carlton Luchien, passed away unexpectedly at just six months old. “His heart stopped, and he stopped breathing in my arms,” she recalled. The death of her brother, followed by accusations against her mother, led to the eventual placement of Luchien and her siblings in foster care.Raised in Los Angeles, Luchien experienced the challenges of the foster care system firsthand. As a teenager, she struggled with the trauma of her brother’s death and her feelings of abandonment. “I was placed in foster care, and you’re not able to grieve,” she said. “Instead of us grieving and being able to have that plethora of outlets to say, ‘Hey, let’s go to counseling,’ nobody cared.” Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta VoiceLuchien said the lack of emotional support led her down a rebellious path, eventually turning to the streets and becoming involved in gang life. She said, “I started gangbanging with the Rolling ’60s in California. It wasn’t just about terrorizing; it was more like brother-sisterhood, a way to get things we didn’t have at home.”While in foster care, Luchien found solace and wisdom from a woman she called “Grammy,” who helped her learn to love herself. “She taught me how to love myself,” Luchien says. “And that’s when I realized I could take what she gave me and give it to others.” This epiphany laid the foundation for G.O.R.C.Despite her struggles, Luchien was always an academically driven individual. “I was one of those kids that was always smart,” she recalls, “but I felt like the world was looking at me differently. While other kids dreamed of playing with toys, I was thinking about survival.” Her will to survive showed in everything she did, from excelling in schoolwork to hustling for money on the streets.“I started working when I was 12,” she recalls. “I went to get a work permit to work at a local pizza shop.” This drive to earn was born out of necessity, but it also shaped her future ambitions, “My drive to learn was always about how I could make things better for myself and my community,” she says.Luchien’s commitment to fostering change culminated in the founding of G.O.R.C. She was inspired by the challenges she faced as a teenager in foster care and noticed a significant gap in services for older youth, “I wanted to create an organization that expanded services for teens,” she says. “I wanted to have a foster-to-adopt system where people could walk through the process step by step.” Luchien has now seen to the placement of 150 children in her care. In addition to providing shelter, G.O.R.C. addresses other pressing needs, such as food, clothing, and scholarships. “It wasn’t just about housing; it was about empowering people with the resources they need to thrive,” Luchien explains. Her ultimate vision for the organization is ambitious, “I want to take this thing bigger than me. I want it to be global, to provide jobs and generational wealth long after I’m gone.”This vision began to take shape when G.O.R.C. was officially recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in early 2024. “That was the year we officially came into our own,” she says. “It took a long time, but it was worth it.To learn more visit:https://www.greateropportunityregionalcenter.com/The post Empowering foster youth: Sierra Luchien’s mission with G.O.R.C appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.