Pronouns: She/her/hers/ella
Brenda currently resides in Riverside, California, unceded ancestral land of the Tongva, Payómkawichum, Cahuilla, and Kizh peoples. Professionally, she works as project director of a federal college access and retention grant that serves students from historically oppressed communities. Additionally, she teaches university-level courses in counseling and diversity.
As a daughter of Central American immigrants, Brenda was raised to value community and service to others. At 6-years-old, Brenda’s mother exposed her to curanderas (healers who use folk remedies) in Tijuana, Baja California. These experiences sparked her curiosity and lifelong spiritual journey. Currently, she is studying intergenerational trauma and somatic storytelling. Nature has been, and continues to be, central to her spiritual sustainability practice. Brenda views storytelling via podcasting as a continuation of the oral traditions practiced by her Maya ancestors.
On weekends, Brenda can be found in the mountains (hiking/backpacking) or ocean (paddle boarding) as she co-creates stories alongside Mother Earth.