Meet Giovanna “Gigi” Gonzalez, a financial educator and author of Cultura & Cash, a practical and jargon-free money guide to help first gen Latinx tackle their finances. 

Giovanna is a Mexican-American financial professional turned influencer and financial educator for first gen individuals looking to take control of their finances. She is a trailblazer who grew up straddling two worlds in a border town, with one foot in Mexico and the other in the US. “Gigi”. After a decade-long career in corporate America, Gigi amassed a large following online providing financial tips, and 3 years later, she published her first book: Cultura & Cash. 

Here is what we talked about: 

• Bicultural Roots & motivators: Giovanna’s unique upbringing and how it shaped her money mindset, and the practical way her parents used to encourage her to pursue higher education. 
• Community College Gateway: Accessing higher education via community college: The pros and cons.
• Harmful stereotypes in the Corporate world: Overcoming stereotypes in corporate environments where her passion was misinterpreted as anger.
• Financial Awakening: Despite doing everything ‘right,’ the struggle with living paycheck to paycheck prompted a deep dive into self-education on finances.
• Cultural Financial Literacy: Recognizing the need for a cultural perspective in financial education that takes into account the unique challenges of first gen individuals from collectivistic cultures.
• The ‘First Gen Five’ Method: The five pillars of financial education that can help you move the needle from financial chaos, to stability and even financial independence. 

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• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/latinx-can/id1524232753 
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/latinx-can-1354080