About

You might have heard my story before, thousands of us live it every day.  As a first-generation immigrant, my family came to the United States from the Dominican Republic completely sold on the “American Dream.”

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We didn’t know then, but the dream required us breaking through multiple glass ceilings.

Life wasn’t sunshine and rainbows. We settled in a one-bedroom apartment and shared our home with the local roaches and mice. My parents tried their best, but the transition wasn’t easy: they worked long hours at physically demanding jobs, adjusted to a whole new culture, learned English, supported our family back in the Dominican Republic, and tried to find resources in a neighborhood that barely had any.

My parents couldn’t thrive because so much of their time and energy was spent trying to survive.

By the time I turned 13, I was already working, using the money I earned from babysitting to help buy clothes and shoes or take a trip to the hair salon. Once I reached high school, I worked to help pay for my school uniforms and a gym membership.

I didn’t realize how bleak our future seemed until I attended college. I was accepted to both universities that were at the top of my admissions list. I received full tuition scholarships from both schools, and I was so excited to begin my college journey.

 

The last task was figuring out how to cover the $6,000 - $8,000 in room and board fees. My parents didn’t have a college fund, savings account, or emergency fund set up for me. We didn’t even know that student loans were available and could be paid off after graduation.

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By this point, you’ve figured out that I didn’t end up going to either of the schools.

My dreams of going to a beautiful school and having the “American” college experience were shattered. My only option now was to attend a city school.

This was a pivotal moment in my life, this was where I could become the statistic: according to the Center for American Progress, “the occupations in which immigrant women are most likely to work closely mirror their top industries: office and administrative support staff; sales and related workers; building and grounds cleaning and maintenance staff; health care practitioners; and health care support staff.”

In other words, a broke 75-year-old door greeter at a big box store, dependent on social security, exhausted from a life of underpaid labor, my dreams and retirement left in the dust. I couldn’t fathom that I was meeting the same fate as my parents — the only difference was I went to college and got a slightly higher paying job. We found ourselves underneath the glass ceilings again, struggling financially and desperately working for a better life.

Here’s where we flip the script.
I met a woman who was selling financial products and solutions to help people achieve financial independence and stability. She was my beacon of hope when I felt like all hope was lost. She opened my eyes to the possibility that money isn’t a source of stress and sadness but a joyful resource. This was the beginning of my financial education.

I unlocked the door to my journey toward financial freedom, and felt like I put decent cracks in that glass ceiling I spent so long chipping away at.

I realized that financial education is the key to financial freedom and breaking through the glass ceilings. From that moment, I promised myself that I would help my family and other families like mine achieve the life of their dreams through financial independence. You deserve to enjoy the returns of a better life — financial freedom, a bright future for your children, grandchildren and beyond, a retirement that takes care of your needs in your elderly years — from all your hard work and sacrifices.

At Volantz Consulting, we can help.