5 Latina Finance Experts Increasing Financial Literacy Among Communities of Color
The lack of generational wealth and access to information regarding finances are just some of the hurdles the Latino community faces
Photos courtesy of K.Perez and K. Chesnok
The lack of generational wealth and access to information regarding finances are just some of the hurdles the Latino community faces. Financial literacy is therefore lacking which is detrimental as families struggle with debt, an inability to save, and predatory lending. When it comes to inequality in wages, Latinas have to work for nearly 22 months to make what white men make in a year, typically earning only 55 cents to every dollar a white, non-Latino man earns. The combined lack of information around finances and a system that works against us means it’s that much harder to make more money and save it.
With the advent of social media, there are now plenty of resources online courtesy of financial experts specifically working to help communities of color. Access to information is crucial to improving financial literacy so we’re highlighting some Latina finance experts you need to follow asap. Katia Chesnok, founder of Economikat, Kara Pérez, founder of Bravely Go, and Jannese Torres-Rodriguez, creator and host of the Yo Quiero Dinero podcast are sharing financial advice and, more importantly, doing so in an accessible way. Read on to learn more about these finance poderosas along with a few more and follow their work on social to make sure you have all the tools necessary to make money moves.
Katia Chesnok, Economikat
Dominican-American Katia Chesnok is a nationally recognized money expert, financial educator, entrepreneur, founder, and content creator of Economikat. She also regularly contributes financial articles for HipLatina and all her work is centered around providing the tools for Black/Latinx communities to build wealth. She previously broke down how to set financial goals for this year, investing basics, and things to know when doing your taxes.
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Kara Pérez, Bravely Go
Kara Pérez is the founder of Bravely Go, a financial platform focused on feminist economics and inclusive personal finance. In addition to the regular video content she puts up on Instagram on topics including building wealth and money mistakes, she also offers money coaching sessions. You can sign up for four weeks of coaching or a two-hour deep dive that includes a personalized budget assessment and financial goal-setting. If you’re curious but don’t want to commit just yet she also offers a one-hour session to answer questions you may have. We chatted with Kara about financial planning for this year during an IG Live.
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Jannese Torres-Rodriguez, Yo Quiero Dinero podcast
https://www.instagram.com/p/CMP9RAonhHc/
Jannese Torres-Rodriguez hosts the podcast Yo Quiero Dinero talking with experts about all things related to finances discussing topics including FIRE ( (Financial Independence/Retire Early). “I’m on a mission to educate Latinas on topics like running a successful small business, investing with a purpose, and generating sustainable, generational wealth,” she writes on her website. She began her journey toward financial freedom in 2014 and now plans to retire from traditional 9-5 work by age 45 thanks to the multiple streams of income from side hustles.
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Beatriz Acevedo, Suma Wealth
Latina entrepreneur Beatriz Acevedo is the CEO and co-founder of SUMA, a digital platform teaching the Latinx Community how to build and sustain wealth. It’s focused on financial inclusion using digital media, fin-tech, and virtual experiences to inform and empower the Latinx community. Their Dinero Toolkit (written in Spanglish) offers advice on topics including renting versus buying a home and paying off credit card debt that includes calculators to help you figure out the actual math involved.
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Ramona Ortega, My Money My Future
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_P1LctAyFP/
Ramona Ortega is CEO & founder of My Money My Future, a financial tech company geared toward Millennial women and communities of color. Among the services they provide is an investing bootcamp that teaches finance vocabulary and how to diversify your portfolio and make passive income among other financial freedom tools. They also have an app that includes budgeting and a list of tools that are suited for your financial goals.
