Becoming the Difference - Bren’s Story

The youngest of four children born into a lively Mexican-Italian household life for Brenda, or “Bren,” was never what you would call “dull.” Stable? Yes. And also full of the joys of youth. Growing up in the largely working-class neighborhood, she would run around and play outside for hours, safely and energetically developing a unique zest for life. 

This was common for children of the time. Today, her and her friends’ playful, active games are in marked contrast to those of today’s youth, many of whom have swapped their gift of boundless energy for non-stop gaming, web surfing, and channel-hopping. Back then, Bren and her siblings were dedicated to getting the most out of their days, fueled by the same freshly cooked food that fed many other blue-collar families of the time. 

Unfortunately, that all changed when Bren hit her early teens. 

That was when the family she had come to rely on so much began to change. As her father lost his job and began to struggle both emotionally and financially, Bren, as a child, could only sit back and watch. Try as she could in hopes the family would stay together, eventually her mother’s only option was divorce. And though Bren survived this rocky time, it left an indelible mark on her that she will never truly forget.

Today, Brenda Rivera-Billings serves as the Executive Director and Principal Health Education Practitioner for ÖKOLOGIE, a San Francisco-based hybrid social enterprise that combines the benefits of a charitable-nonprofit 501(c)(3), with the social change directives of a low-profit public benefit L3C. The organziation’s social and charitable mission is to democratize public health education while empowering those in underprivileged communities to overcome the debilitating effects often associated with ageism, environmental racism, and discrimination based on sexual orientation.

However, the great thing about life is that it is always changing. 

The years passed. Brenda grew up, met a man, married, and embarked upon her career. All was well enough for a while. However, Brenda found herself looking to reclaim that zest for life she had known as a child. She wanted more for herself. In quick succession, she sold off her interest in the fledgling Silicon Valley-based business and began paving a path toward a new, remarkable goal: obtaining her fitness and nutrition certifications.

And so, an altogether new journey began.

Brenda expanded her studies, earning first a Bachelor’s degree, an MSc, MPH, and a DrPH(c). Never one to forget where she came from, the majority of her casework focused on the health and environmental factors affecting minority communities in San Francisco’s Bay View Hunter’s Point region. Community – the way Brenda saw it – was more than just a place. It was a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself. 

When the time came to get her master’s degree in public health, Brenda found herself needing to choose a community-based agency for her practicum. To the surprise of no one, she chose the Community Living Campaign (CLC). In her six months with the CLC, she developed a fall prevention program which she presented at the Cayuga Community Connectors, and worked with CLC Executive Director Kate to produce an evaluation of the community connectors’ program. Community, once again, called to her. 

In addition to her professional experience, Brenda is also a founding board member of HCAA, a non-profit organization founded in cooperation with the City of San Jose. Among its many goals is to improve legal rights education, reduce inner-city blight, increase volunteerism, further encourage urban renewal.

Since making her big career change, Brenda has received the Community Living Campaign Good Neighbor Award. Among other things, the award seeks to honor dedicated neighbors who volunteer their time to help seniors and people with disabilities get the resources and support they need to age and thrive in their own homes and neighborhoods. She recently completed her Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) with distinction and MPH degree from Walden University and graduated with honors from Touro College. Additionally, she holds a degree in Humanities / Art History from CCSF and honors certificates in both Nutrition Counseling and Multimedia & Digital Arts from SJCC.

Brenda has been on an incredible journey, and she wants to share the path with others. Not only can she help you make a difference, but you, like her, may find that you become the difference that changes your life.

Bren through the years….