Episode 36. First Gen Struggles: Perfectionism, Imposter Syndrome & Mental Health | Natalie Torres-Haddad of Financially Savvy Latina

In episode 36, we’re talking with Natalie Torres-Haddad, MPA, AWA, from @financiallysavvylatina. We are SO excited to be releasing this episode for you this week—we talk all kinds of relevant info, but our focus around mental health seems so important to highlight right now during BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month.

Natalie Torres-HaddadMPA, AWA is a two time TEDx Speaker known for her talks The Foreign Language of Financial Literacy and The Confidence Gap. She is an international Award-Winning Author, a bilingual podcast host of Financially Savvy in 20 Minutes, international keynote speaker and educator. Her activities have been featured in Forbes, The Huffington Post & The LA Times.

Natalie is a first generation College Graduate from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in Finance and International Business with a Masters in Public Administration from California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

Natalie focuses on helping those in debt work towards financial independence. Born in El Salvador and raised in Inglewood, CA during the LA Riots, she quickly understood that the lack of higher education opportunities combined with financial illiteracy was rampant in her community, and stifling people’s access to basic human rights.

She started investing in real estate at 24 and began advocating for financial literacy and female empowerment for equal pay. Her challenges dealing with student debt led to Natalie suffering from depression. This experience has influenced her to advocate for mental and financial health to be taught in all schools and work environments.

You can follow Natalie on Instagram.

Episode 36 Highlights:

• The experiences of being a first-gen in multiple ways (including our Education fields, families, and workplace)
• The PTSD that can come from growing up in divested, minority communities
• The severe impact our financial lives can have on our overall well-being, and how this can impact people at any age
• Our misinterpretation of the word “humble”—women of color often diminish what we have accomplished and the challenges we have overcome to get to where we are, but it’s because we are raised to think that we need to be calladas, to be quiet about our successes for the sake of others
• The difficulties in becoming profitable as a creator and entrepreneur. Here, Natalie is talking specifically about women of color who are made to feel bad for charging for their services and expertise.