Esmeralda Quintero

𝗠𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: Both of my parents immigrated from Mexico as teenagers. They didn’t have much, but what they did have was grit. My dad was in construction, my mom working flexible jobs so she could stay close to us. Eventually, she became a foster mom, and our house was always filled with kids—many of whom came from homes filled with struggle, instability, and deep financial stress. It didn’t take long for me to realize: 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴. It influences safety, peace of mind, opportunity, even emotional well-being. At 12 years old, I was cleaning houses with my mom and working on construction job sites with my dad... saving every dollar I could. I wasn’t just learning the value of hard work. I was making a vow: I would never feel powerless because of mone...