who is gil rebollar: from halfway house to council chambers

edited by sarina e. guerra

When I attended #ImperialValleyCollege in 2009, fresh out of high school, it offered me the education I needed to take my first step into Journalism, and also an opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. While attending, I had no idea one of those people would be involved in governing the city of Brawley, let alone be the current Mayor. The most charismatic guy I met while taking IVC’s Theater Arts class, Gil Rebollar, displayed his talents not only as a performer but also as someone who effortlessly connected with me and my friends, always making time to share a laugh. But there was an inner struggle going on with Gil. One that escalated soon after.

The Gil I knew back then was just from my limited perspective. We knew each other for a few months at IVC, and during that time, I saw him as a funny, outgoing guy in Theater Arts. It wasn’t until I saw him running for the school board, becoming part of the city council, and chatting with him years later that I realized how much more there was to his story and how his journey had shaped him into the leader he is today.

But before exploring where Gil is currently, let’s take a moment to uncover the story behind the man in the yellow tie and thrift store sweaters. I met Gil at his family’s restaurant, Brownie’s Diner, for an interview on December 16. I assured him we wouldn’t delve too deeply into our shared history at IVC, though our conversation touched on some of the challenges he faced along the way.

Growing Up in Brawley

If you were to turn the clock back about two decades ago, you’d find Gil visiting his cousins on J Street and his grandma, Mary Brown, on D Street in Brawley. Growing up on the East Side, he was often surrounded by his family, particularly his mom, Juanita, who kept him active from a young age and enrolled him in sports and art classes to keep him busy. “I’m just always on the go because I’ve been on the go since I was little.”

Gil’s first job was at the family’s other restaurant, Town Pump, where he worked as a busboy in sixth grade before moving on to Brownie’s Diner during high school. “I’m really grateful,” Gil said. He credits much of his accomplishments to his love of reading, which his mom instilled in him at an early age. “I like to think I’m smart,” he said, “People have said I’m smart, but it’s only because I read.” Reading two books at a time (non-fiction during the day and fiction at night) has helped shape how he communicates with others.

When asked if he had a lot of friends, Gil jokingly replied, “Of course, I’m a politician.” His natural charm and sense of humor has made him well-liked, and he was generally known as the class clown throughout his school years. Though his mischievous side never led to expulsion, it did result in the occasional phone call home. “Gilly’s not…” he said, quoting one of his teachers, before remembering an important detail about himself. He was raised as “Gilly”, a nickname that still sticks today. Now Mayor of Brawley, he opts to embrace it because he knows it speaks to the small community here that watched him grow. To them, he will always be “Gilly.”

Today, Gil isn’t a fan of the current neighborhood school system because he said it divides the students. In the not-too-distant past, however, he recalled a time when the schools were more unified, despite students and faculty being from different parts of town; a way of life that fostered lasting friendships across would-be barriers. “When I went to Hidalgo, I was with kids from the East Side and West Side. It just mingled us all together,” he explained. Looking back on high school, he added, “I was a good kid up until then, but high school brought…

Like many young people in the valley, Gil felt lost after high school. “I was like, ‘What do I want?’ I didn’t know,” he recalled, mulling over the confusion that led him down a destructive path. Football seemed like his way out, as he was a three-year varsity player who earned first-team honors during his junior year and drew interest from junior colleges and Division III programs. He had also been a multi-sport athlete, dabbling in baseball and even soccer during high school. “I would try different things,” he said. “If I wasn’t 5’7 and like 180, it would have been pretty cool, but size matters when it comes to athletics, and it can only take you so far.”

During his senior year, just before the playoffs, a broken shinbone derailed those dreams. “It happened during practice over Thanksgiving break,” Gil recalled. “It was a routine drill. I came up and tackled someone, which I’ve done hundreds of times before. It was no crazy drill. Just one of those things where things line up.” Instead of undergoing surgery, he chose to let the injury heal naturally. However, managing the pain with medication and living bedridden for a month caused him to fall behind in school, ultimately failing his English class. “Here I am, loving reading, writing, yet I didn’t even pass my English.”

Entering Rehab

By 21, after a second DUI and worsening drinking problem, Gil’s life was spiraling out of control. “I was lost,” he admitted, owning the fact that he struggled with addiction. “That leg break really put me down a path of self-destruction.” It wasn’t until he hit rock bottom that he checked into rehab to find the help he needed. With a daughter on the way and no clear path forward, he knew change was necessary. “My mom told me…

…and I could hear the disappointment in her voice. It wasn’t anger, it wasn’t frustration. Just disappointment.” That was the moment he knew he had to change. “If you really want to change, we’ll get you help but you have to be serious,” his parents told him. And he was serious. Soon, he found himself at a treatment center in Palm Desert.

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Growing Up in Brawley

Entering Rehab

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