This is the 99th article in Bears Doing Big Things, a weekly column celebrating the stories of notable M-A alumni.
Valentina Rivera ’20 arrived at M-A in 2016 for her freshman year, having just moved from Colombia. “I didn’t know any English. It was a big culture shock because I came from a small town, and M-A was such a big change. I loved all the opportunities that were offered,” she said.
In addition to cheerleading, Rivera participated in the Latinos Unidos of M-A (LUMA) and the Intercambio club all four years at M-A. “My sophomore year, I became the president of Intercambio. It was very important to me because that’s the place that welcomed me the most when I first came to M-A,” she said.
As an involved M-A community member, Rivera was also in the AVID program. “I joined my junior year because it’s a requirement to speak English in order to be in the program. I transitioned from ELD classes into normal English classes my sophomore year,” Rivera explained.
AVID helped Rivera navigate the college progress, especially with help from her teacher Rachel Andres. “My main purpose for joining AVID was getting into college. I was new, I didn’t know anything, and AVID offered to walk me through everything. We had so much help from the teachers. I don’t know if I could’ve done it without them,” she said.
“I went to my first Homecoming, which I only saw in the movies, so I felt like such a cool person because we don’t do this kind of thing in Colombia,” Rivera said. “I ended up being so disappointed because the music was so bad for the M-A population being almost half Latino.”
Bothered by this, Rivera decided to speak up. “I talked to everyone but nobody wanted to hear it. I came up with the idea of having a Latin dance, just for Latinos, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to carry it out. I had people back me up, Mrs. Flores and Mrs. Maldonado was eventually able to execute it. I have always been outspoken, so if I see something wrong, I’m going to do something about it,” she said. In 2023, Rivera’s ideas were executed as Sabor Latino.
Following high school, Rivera initially planned to attend the University of San Diego, but financial difficulties led her to De Anza College instead. After two years at DeAnza, Rivera transferred to UC Berkeley. “Going to community college was the best decision I have made because I am in zero debt. In a way I was able to take it easy while also working. It definitely prepared me for UC Berkeley,” she said.
During her time in college, Rivera’s AVID teacher, Rachel Andres, contacted her about AchieveAble, a two year program supporting community college students with guidance on academics, finances, and life planning. “This advisor tracked my process and helped me transfer into UC Berkeley as well as getting scholarships,” she said.
In April 2024, AchieveAble invited her to a dinner event, where Rivera met the CEO of Future Profits, a nonprofit that teaches financial literacy to high school students. “I told him I wanted to do something in the education field so he offered me a job with him as a Future Profits Program Specialist,” she explained.
As a Program Specialist, Rivera works with students at M-A, Sequoia, East Palo Alto Academy, and Tennyson High School in Hayward. At M-A, Rivera works with AVID, ELD Algebra I, and Computer Academy classes to teach financial skills tailored to under-resourced communities.
Rivera spends time in many different environments as she works in four schools. “I love the work environment. It is a great place to work, and all my coworkers are truly inspiring and amazing,” she said.
While her work is very meaningful, it also comes with many challenges. “What I consistently encounter is gaining the attention of certain students. Many students fail to comprehend the importance of learning about finances, as they may not fully grasp its future implications. It becomes a challenge to effectively convey the significance of financial education,” Rivera explained.
“My hope is that my students can build healthy financial habits, feel empowered to make informed decisions about their future, and identify a pathway after high school that leads to economic freedom,” she added.
Rivera’s advice to current M-A students: “No matter where you start from, there is always a way, there is always a resource. Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land among the stars.”
To those interested in working for a non profit: “Take the risk. I never thought I would be working in a non profit so early in my career, however it is amazing and very rewarding. I love giving back to the community that shaped me, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to guide and witness the growth of the next.”
