Cathy Cena & Geneviève Kyle-Lefebvre Today on Faces: Tri-Cities co-authored stories, Geneviève Kyle-Lefebvre and Cathy Cena had the pleasure of sitting down with Billie Sinclair, a single mother turned financial educator whose journey from welfare to the stock brokerage floor embodies the power of determination and solidarity. The conversation opens with Sinclair’s admiration for the project’s inclusive artwork, a motif that, in her words, “represents the woman flow.” She explains that she joined the Faces book because it felt “affordable, beautiful, and community-centred,” adding that each step has confirmed she “made the right choice.” That spirit of openness fuels her belief in storytelling as a catalyst for social change. “Everyone sharing their stories makes a huge impact,” she says, dabbing at tears. “Resilience is a big theme for my life, and these stories show we can get through anything together.”

Sinclair’s own history is proof. After the sudden collapse of a marriage that once included five investment properties, she found herself raising children in subsidized housing and relying on government assistance. Rather than retreat, she immersed herself in the tenant committee, organized holiday programs, and built a network of mutual aid. “Stability matters,” she reflects. “You can rebuild a great life if you accept help and then pay it forward.” That philosophy now drives her work in personal finance coaching. Drawing on early training at Merrill Lynch, she counsels women before debt becomes crisis. “Empowered women empower women,” she declares, urging anyone who feels overwhelmed to seek advice early. Her mantra echoes Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s line that anchors her chapter: “Women belong in all places where decisions are made.”

For Sinclair, those places include household budgets as well as boardrooms. Beyond her practice, she leverages the BC Women in Business Facebook group to stage networking nights that pair Kate Spade bag raffles with small-scale fundraisers. Each event spotlights a different grassroots charity, proving that collective generosity can ripple across many causes. “I want them to win,” she says of the women she mentors and the organizations she supports. By the interview’s close, Sinclair’s message is unmistakable: the Tri-Cities thrives when stories intersect, resources are shared, and women lift each other higher. Her life stands as a roadmap for turning hardship into community-wide momentum, reminding us that hope grows wherever resilient voices are welcomed to the table. Tri-Cities Community Television is a volunteer-run media group based in the Tri-Cities region. Our mission is to support community-driven video content and independent local news stories.