When Paramount Vice Mayor Brenda Olmos became president of the California Contract Cities Association (CCCA) in May, she chose “Communities Unidos” (Communities United) as the theme for her presidency. Her installation occurred as more than 600 local elected officials and municipal administrators gathered for the assocation’s three-day annual municipal seminar. CCCA is comprised of 80 member cities, mostly in Los Angeles County, that contract for police, fire, trash, and other services.
Then in June, Paramount residents, like many communities in the region, found themselves at ground zero of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol raids, which ramped up fear and economic hardship throughout the city.
She said she believes her leadership during a time of crisis and community protests has never been more needed: “Many of our community residents are genuinely scared. Businesses have been hard hit because people are afraid to even go out in public. It is very sad.”
Now the focus is on hosting educational seminars and passing out information. “We are educating residents about their rights, knowing what they need to do, who they need to call, and protections against illegal searches,” Olmos said. “There is a lot of racial profiling going on.”
Born and raised in Paramount, Olmos attended Catholic schools from elementary through high school. Always yearning to give back, she then attended nursing school, became a licensed vocational nurse, and later an administrator, earning a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California. She is presently the senior director of operations at Optum.
Olmos was appointed to the Paramount City Council in 2019 and elected the following year. In addition, this year she began serving on the governing board of the South Coast Air Quality Management District, representing the western region of L.A. County.
She is also a May 2023 graduate of WELL’s six-month UnTapped Fellowship Program. Olmos was introduced to WELL through colleagues in neighboring cities, elected officials who explained what WELL was about. At the time, Paramount was building new water wells, and she saw the UnTapped program as the perfect opportunity to understand how the water system works, both statewide and in her region.
Through UnTapped, Olmos and her cohort of WELL fellows gained an in-depth appreciation ofthe importance of access to clean water. “We learned about collaboration and networking with other local elected officials,” she said. “It turned us into a family. I still keep in touch with those in my cohort. And we don’t just talk about water.” Lately, they have also been discussing immigration.
Olmos affirmed her ongoing commitment to smart governance, which she said involves “knowing the right way to stand up for our communities. With WELL, we come together to understand difficulties people face over bad water.” She said she believes the same principle applies to other things as well.
She indicated that her ascendency to the leadership of CCCA also flows from a dedication to preserving local control. CCCA advocates for cities of all sizes and works tirelessly to strengthen local control, she said. Too often, state lawmakers try to undermine city autonomy.
For example, regarding housing, “legislators or the state shouldn’t tell us how dense we can and cannot go in our communities,” she said. “We have to live with infrastructure, parking, and environmental quality. These decisions should be maintained locally as much as possible.”
Olmos called CCCA members “our contract cities family, since this is how elected officials grow and learn from each other. I was mentored by other local officials who showed me the way.” She said CCCA’s three biggest priorities are educating elected officials, advocating for local control, and offering networking opportunities.
“Our cities know the value of collaboration, of smart governance, and of standing together when it matters most. Communities Unidos is not just a slogan—but a mindset. In the face of emergencies, economic pressures, and evolving community needs, our cities have stepped up by locking arms and sharing resources. That unity is our strength, and it’s how we will continue to drive change,” she said.
According to Olmos, WELL works the same way: “You see a lot of cross-over of people who are active in CCCA and are also active with WELL.”
