About the Author: Speaking the Language of Money
A Latina’s Journey to Financial Empowerment
By Olga Camargo
I was 14 the first time I tried to translate the “language of money” for my mom. We were in a small bridal shop in Chicago, and the bank and insurance people were talking fast, using words I had never heard at home. I did my best to translate, but inside I was terrified that I might get something wrong. My mom trusted every word I said, and I knew it wasn’t fully accurate. That day, I realized how dangerous it can be when families are forced to navigate critical financial decisions in a language—and a system—they don’t yet understand.
I promised myself two things in that moment: I would learn this language of money, and I would come back for people like my mom—and for mujeres like us. Today, as the author of Rise: Embrace the Future You Can Build! and its Spanish counterpart, Sube: Abraza el Futuro que Puedes Construir!, that promise guides everything I do.
RISE and SUBE are beginner’s guides to 401(k)
and 403 (b) plans, but they are really about dignity and possibility. I work with Latinas of all kinds—students, single moms, professionals, small business owners, janitors, cafeteria workers—women who carry families, workplaces, and communities on their backs. Many of them feel intimidated by retirement forms, enrollment portals, and acronyms that no one has ever explained in plain language. Too often, their children are pulled in to translate concepts that even adults in the room don’t fully understand. No niña or teenager should carry that burden.
That’s why it was non-negotiable for me to create the books in clear, practical English and Spanish—not as a “nice-to-have,” but as equal tools. Language should never be a barrier between a Latina family and its financial future. When I walk into a school, a university, or a workplace and say, “Vamos a hablar de dinero en inglés y en español, sin pena,” I see shoulders drop and faces soften. The conversation shifts from shame and confusion to curiosity and control.
In my workshops, we do more than define 401(k) and 403 (b) plans. We talk about what it means for a Latina to retire with choices, not just obligations; how to see an employer match as “dinero gratis” that you’ve earned; and how even small, consistent contributions can change the story for your children and grandchildren. I’ve seen women who once felt invisible in financial meetings start asking confident questions about vesting, fees, and beneficiaries—sometimes in Spanish, sometimes in English, often in a beautiful mix of both.
My journey—from that bridal shop to the boardroom, from first-generation student to Accredited Investment Fiduciary and author—has taught me something important: technical information alone is not enough. Representation matters. Culturally grounded, bilingual education matters. Seeing your name, your story, and your language reflected in a finance book matters.
I wrote RISE and SUBE for every Latina who has ever sat quietly in a financial conversation, afraid to ask a question, and for every daughter who has tried to translate without really understanding. You are not behind, and you are not alone. You can rise, you can subir, and you can build the future you and your family deserve—on your terms, in your language, and with your full power at the table.
Olga Camargo, AIF®, is CEO & Chief of Financial Empowerment at Prosperity Rise Mindset and Founder of SHENIX®, a fintech platform advancing culturally relevant financial leadership and closing the wealth gap for women. She partners with C-suite leaders, boards, universities, and nonprofits to design bilingual (English/Spanish) financial leadership programs that strengthen people, performance, and long-term organizational health. Learn more about Prosperity Rise Mindset at https://prosperityrisemindset.com/.