HCC professor balances work with motherhood and community activism
Feb 17, 2017
More than a profession, nursing is a vocation that requires a high degree of multi-tasking. A Houston Community College (HCC) graduate and current professor in the Licensed Vocational Nursing program is an inspiring example of that.
Brittani Derbigny teaches morning classes at HCC Coleman College for Health Sciences. On weekends, Brittani leads Fostering the Woman in You, a non-profit organization she founded three years ago. Most importantly, she is the devoted mother of 10-year-old daughter Kailee, who is wheelchair bound. Kailee was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, a joint and muscle condition that restricts movement.
As for her community service, Brittani’s non-profit organization operates at homeless shelters. Aided by a network of volunteers, Fostering the Woman in You provides scholarships and assistance to women by teaching them how to write their resumes, how to interview for jobs and how to maximize the possibilities of achieving their professional goals.
“Servitude has always been a part of my character,” adds Brittani. “I started the non-profit to help underserved women get back on their feet after a crisis.”
For many women, the crisis involves incidents of violence, loss of a job or other traumatic changes. What doesn’t change, however, is Brittani’s desire to be an agent of change.
“When you find a woman in a family who has had a bumpy road, it is usually support, unchained and unmitigated support that she needs to overcome her problems and become a viable, productive citizen,” says Brittani.
Deborah Simmons-Johnson, Director of the Vocational Nursing Program at HCC, who works closely with Brittani, puts it simply. "Brittani Debirgny rewrites her destiny in a positive way, while knowing that humility is power under control".
To learn more about the HCC Licensed Vocational Nursing Program, visit: www.hccs.edu/lvn
To learn more about Fostering the Woman in You visit: www.fosteringthewomaninyou.com/