Brooklyn Rivera is trying her best to bring home the massive grand prize of Big Brother Season 26, and there are a few facts that fans should know about her.
Big Brother is one of the most popular and longest-running reality shows in the world, but Season 26 upped the ante by including one of the biggest cash prizes ever featured in reality TV — $750,000.
For such a large amount of money, the premise of the show is simple. Contestants are completely cut off from the outside world in every way, with one contestant being "evicted" each week. The last one standing in the house is the winner.
5 Interesting Facts About Big Brother's Brooklyn Rivera
Brooklyn Rivera Started Out as a Dancer
Brooklyn Rivera is the living definition of a woman of many talents. At just 18 years old, Brooklyn began dancing professionally, with her career only going up from there.
In an interview with Medium, she revealed that her first job as a dancer was at a Busch Gardens amusement park. There are two Busch Gardens parks in the United States, but Brooklyn worked at the original park located in Tampa, Florida.
After dancing at Busch Gardens, Brooklyn went on to dance for multiple professional sports teams including the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning and the ECHL's Allen Americans:
"I started my professional dance career at Busch Gardens Amusement Park when I was 18 years old. I went on to dance for the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning and the ECHL Allen Americans."
In the interview, Brooklyn also detailed how dancing "helped mold [her] into the person [she] is today:"
"Being a professional dancer truly helped mold me into the person I am today. It taught me self-confidence, poise, and grace."
On Brooklyn's official about page on her pageant coaching website, 17:20 Coaching, she also revealed that she "was a 4-time ECHL Champion Ice Angel dancer with the Allen Americans Hockey Club," and sang the National Anthem for the Atlanta Braves:
"I performed in Tampa Bay’s Busch Gardens Amusement Park, danced for the Stanley Cup Champions Tampa Bay Lightning, and was a 4-time ECHL Champion Ice Angel dancer with the Allen Americans Hockey Club. Recently, I sang the Nation’s Anthem at Truist Park for the MLB World Series Champions Atlanta Braves."
According to the site, she also "performed as the main eventer" on stage in Las Vegas, Nevada:
"[I] performed as the main entertainer on the iconic International Theater stage at the Westgate Las Vegas."
Brooklyn Was Mrs. America in 2021
Since Brooklyn Rivera runs a pageant coaching business, many would expect her to have a background in pageants.
While that is true, she didn't just compete in pageants but won some of the most illustrious ones in the world.
For example, according to Brooklyn, she "won multiple titles, including Mrs. Texas 2020 and Mrs. America 2021," and even competed in the Mrs. World pageant that same year:
"I won multiple titles, including Mrs. Texas 2020 and Mrs. America 2021, and represented America at the 2021 Mrs. World pageant, placing as a Top 15 finalist."
In her interview with Medium, the 34-year-old Dallas, Texas native elaborated on what got her into competing in pageants, stating that she first "[applied] to compete for Mrs. Texas" in 2019:
"In 2019, I was introduced to the Mrs. America Organization and decided I would apply to compete for Mrs. Texas. The pageant encouraged me to champion a cause that I was passionate about and that is when I became an advocate for the 22Kill Organization (now renamed ONE TRIBE FOUNDATION)."
Brooklyn expanded on what made her want to compete in pageants and why advocating for veterans in that way is important to her:
"As a veteran wife and stepmother to an active duty Marine, the mental health of our nation’s veterans is a priority of mine and pageantry gave me a platform to speak about it."
Brooklyn also talked about what competing in and winning these pageants means to her, specifically talking about how she can make a difference in the world and "bring awareness to causes [she] truly [believes] in:"
"Having the title of Mrs. America is so much more than a sparkly crown and sash. This title has given me a microphone that the entire nation can hear. As Mrs. America, I am able to bring awareness to causes that I truly believe in."
She also revealed how pageants have given her a platform to inspire and help people "of all ages:"
"I also have the unique opportunity to touch lives of all ages. I have spoken to five-year-olds on how important self-love and words of affirmations are and I’ve led a workshop for women older than I am on how to have work/life balance. Not many 'titles' in life afford you these types of opportunities. Being Mrs. Texas and Mrs. America are important tiles to me because they are important to so many others. I value the titles and work every day to uphold the brand and everything it stands for."
Brooklyn is a Big Advocate for Veterans
As previously mentioned, Brooklyn discussed how she got into pageants partly so that she could be an advocate for veterans.
On her about page on her coaching website, Brooklyn detailed some of the experiences she has been a part of in terms of raising awareness for military veterans, including a partnership with The Warrior's Keep Foundation:
"I am an activist for One Tribe Foundation and currently partner with The Warrior’s Keep Foundation. I also had the privilege of emceeing the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention DFW METRO Out of the Darkness Walk, which raised over $250,000."
Brooklyn also described some other events she has "participated in" over the past few years:
"I traveled across the US to speak out for our military’s mental health needs. My family and I have also participated in the last four national Memorial Day marches with Carry the Load and raised over $10,000 to help veterans and first responders receive non-traditional therapy."
In her interview with Medium, Brooklyn also explained how she particularly is "an advocate for" United States veterans' "mental health needs" and actively tries to play a part in "[combatting] the suicide rate" among the country's veteran population:
"When I was crowned Mrs. Texas and Mrs. America, my platform was raising awareness for Veterans and their mental health needs. I am an advocate for the 22Kill organization (now renamed ONE TRIBE FOUNDATION) and have worked for 3 years to help combat the suicide rate in our nation’s veterans and first responders."
It is also worth noting that Brooklyn "also [advocates] for the Victoria's Voice Foundation," which, according to her, "helps raise awareness and prevent opioid addiction:"
"As Mrs. America, I also advocate for the Victoria’s Voice Foundation which helps raise awareness and prevent opioid addiction in our youth."
Brooklyn Has Her Own Coaching Business
As previously mentioned, Brooklyn Rivera also runs her own business, which specializes in pageant coaching and is named 17:20 Coaching.
At 17:20, Brooklyn "[offers] personal one-on-one coaching" to anyone interested in competing in and winning pageants:
"At 17:20 Coaching, I offer personal one-on-one coaching to prepare you to meet your most challenging pageant goals. I will work with you to evaluate your areas of opportunity and will guide you to help you reach your maximum potential."
However, it is also important to mention Brooklyn's other areas of expertise.
According to her coaching website, she has experience "as an accredited childbirth educator," has been the "operations manager of a multi-million dollar global eCommerce boutique," and even more:
"I have experience as an accredited childbirth educator, corporate director of education for a renowned international modeling and acting school, and operations manager of a multi-million dollar global eCommerce boutique."
Brooklyn Joining Big Brother Has Been a Dream of Hers
As of writing, Brooklyn Rivera is still going strong on Big Brother Season 26.
Although she has not performed exceptionally well in any of the competitions thus far throughout the season, she is still remaining afloat which means that she could very well walk home with the grand prize.
In a preseason interview with Global TV, Brooklyn explained how she decided to compete on Big Brother, specifically going into detail about how she is a fan of the show and how past seasons and competitors motivated her:
"Being a competitor on 'Big Brother' has been a dream of mine for years now. Every time I watch the show, I look at it and go, 'I could do that,' and I'm really tired of looking at people that can't, especially the moms. I'm like, 'Put a mom in the house that can actually win.' So, instead of being frustrated behind the screen, I said, 'Why the hell not play it myself?' So, here I am, ready to play, and ready to win."
How to Follow Brooklyn Rivera Online
For those who want to keep up with the personal life of Big Brother Season 26's Brooklyn Rivera, she can be found on Instagram (@mrsbrooklynrivera) and TikTok (@mrsbrooklynrivera).
Big Brother Season 26 is streaming on Paramount+.
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