Real Stories Episode 14: Kenia – A family’s collective strength brings its financial goals within reach.

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A DACA Recipient

Kenia grew up in El Salvador. Due in part to the violence in her native country, her family decided to immigrate to the United States when she was 11. Kenia’s family did not have a legal status and this reality shaped much of her experience growing up.

She eventually became a DACA recipient and this created opportunities when it came to her education. These same opportunities also impacted her finances, at times negatively.

Through it all, Kenia has remained very tight with her family—be inspired as you listen to the sacrifice that each of them has made to support one another.

Original artwork by Kenia depicting her and her family. To learn more about Kenia, please visit www.coffeewithkenia.com.

Special thanks to Andy Manthei and Nick Bechard.

Key Moments

2:55 Kenia talks about her experience with money when she first grew up in El Salvador.

5:35 She becomes very involved in her family’s finances when her family moves to the U.S. due to her parents’ language barriers.

8:29 Kenia shares a meaningful memory from her childhood when the power got cut off.

15:35 She explains what prevented her from being an undocumented “statistic” and how this inspired her to share her story.

17:52 Kenia tells the story of why getting a Sam’s Club membership reminded her father of the sacrifices he made.

23:12 She talks about how paying for college was only possible because of the collective efforts of her family.

25:00 She speaks to the pressure that came along with a full-time job including having to figure out how to get out of credit card debt.

31:33 Kenia talks about how she and her younger sister approach money differently when it comes to saving for the future and helping family in the present.

37:00 She talks about her future plans to move out and her regrets when it comes to not saving up for this earlier.

40:42 Kenia talks about her work as an advocate for latinx immigrant communities.

48:38 She talks about her family’s experience making the leap from renting to owning.

50:47 Kenia talks about her passion for inclusion efforts in the credit union industry.

57:55 Our co-hosts reflect on the lessons learned from Kenia’s story.