small change: Money Stories from the Neighborhood

No matter where you live, the price of buying a home is out of reach for growing numbers of people. Young adults and people living on low and unstable incomes in particular find that they’re priced out of the market. The high price of home ownership is one reason why forming coops is increasingly attractive. A coop or cooperative home is shared housing. Pooling resources to buy makes home ownership a more realistic option. In this episode we talk with Saoirse Maloney, who lives in a cooperative home in Denver. Warning - There is some "colorful" language within the first ten minutes.

Michael Laverdure is from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. He’s a partner with the local architectural firm DSGW and the founder of the First American Design Studio. We met with at his office in Lake Elmo, Minnesota–a small town some 14 miles outside the Twin Cities. He is part of a growing community of indigenous architects from around the world, including New Zealand and Canada. We had a wide ranging conversation with Laverdure about his views on money, his remarkable path to becoming an architect and the significance of home, Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota.

Arielle Grant is the founder and executive director of Render Free. The company is a work space and wellness club for self-identified black and brown women. Render Free disrupts racial trauma by promoting self care and healing through events and community connection. It is housed in a 3,000 square foot welcoming space in the basement of a south Minneapolis Church. Render Free was launched during the early months of Covid. Hardly an auspicious time, but it is still growing its membership. “Don't be afraid to dream really, really big,” says Arielle.

Joyce James is the founder of the Middleburg Institute in Saint Gabriel, Louisiana. The Institute’s mission is to raise the economic, educational and social level of families in low to moderate income communities. We met Joyce while researching predatory lenders. These lenders charge sky-high interest rates on short-term loans and they’re a financial blight on too many people living on low and unstable incomes. Joyce routinely meets with people struggling to make ends meet in small communities around Louisiana. A major topic of these conversations is how people can turn their side hustle into a viable business. Practical money talk are invaluable when it comes to helping people steer clear of financial trouble. But individual knowledge isn’t enough. Policymakers need to reform the payday lending business and the financial services industry to clean house.

Katye Barton, age 47, describes herself as a high-functioning autistic adult with mild cerebral palsy. Katye is focused on improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, with a special emphasis on advocating for better mental health and obesity services. Jessica Wick joined our conversation. She has been Katye’s supporter for about a decade, helping her navigate different situations when needed—like with our interview.  We covered a wide range of topics with Katye, from how she learned to manage her money to the critical role the Special Olympics played in her life. Katye is persistent in her efforts to create a more inclusive environment for people dealing with intellectual disabilities. “We’re not scary,” says Katye. “If you see somebody in the community who was different, looks different, who acts different, go up and say hi.”

Susie Rivera lives in a mobile home with her wife in New Braunfels, Texas, which lies between San Antonio and Austin. She has been a professional caregiver since 1986. She now earns $15 an hour and puts in 72 hours a week. Rivera works through eQuality Coop, the only home care worker-owned and worker-controlled cooperative in Texas. Throughout our conversation, it was clear that Rivera is proud of her work. Caregiving to her is a "calling," not a job. “It's just it's, it's, it's a calling, it's so rewarding to get in there and, and, you know, I've always said this whenever I go and take care of somebody, I said the cavalry's here,” she says. “Don't worry, we'll take care of you.”

Small Change Story - Spurs Bar and Grill: Esperanza Lopez and Stephanie Lopez—mother and daughter—are the founders of Spurs Bar & Grill in Willmar, an agriculture-dominated city in West Central Minnesota. We met with them at their restaurant housed in an historic downtown building. Esperanza and Stephanie didn’t have much money. What they had was a vision and the drive to pursue their idea. The restaurant took them several years to open since they didn’t have much money. They did most of the remodeling and renovation themselves, with the help of a few trusted skilled trades people and by watching plenty of how-to YouTube videos. “To be honest, I quit like 100 times,” says Esperanza. But, she adds, “since we open, we’re living our dream. Yeah, we don't regret it.” Stephanie adds that “it's crazy how she says she's quit 100 times. I've probably quit double that!” But she came to realize that dealing with days when tasks seem overwhelming is part of being a small business owner. Even more important is the realization that “I can't be comfortable with being comfortable,” she says. “You know, it's better to be uncomfortable and push yourself farther.” Theirs is a story about resilience. The energy and fortitude that drove Esperanza and Stephanie to stick to their vision and will their dream into reality.

Denise Pieratos, along with her sister Tracey and her two daughters Dani and Nikki are creating Harvest Nation, an innovative company with ambitions to transform agriculture in Minnesota. Members of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, we met with Denise and Dani at their home on the Bois Forte reservation in northern Minnesota.  Worried about global climate change, sustainability and healthy diets, Harvest Nation plans on growing crops and fresh produce year round at an indoor aeroponics farm that would initially supply the reservation and nearby community. (Plants are suspended with aeroponics so that roots are free hanging and exposed to air; roots are misted at certain intervals with a nutrient-water mix optimal for the type of crop being grown.)  Entrepreneurship is never easy. A classic bootstrap startup business, they’re building Harvest Nation on the side,  putting their own money and time into it. These remarkable native women confront additional barriers to funding: They’re native; they’re women; and they live in a rural area.  “I think the challenge is what we've faced all our life. We do not look like the face of American business,” says Denise. “We don't.” 

Systemic racism and stereotypes about lower income individuals denies them access to mainstream financial institutions. Yet they need money to buy a home, start a business and live. A time-honored way to provide loans is with lending circles. A group of people, often with close cultural ties, work together to provide members with the money they need to achieve their goals. For additional resources, visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/11/30/money-lending-circles

Too much financial commentary assumes people earning low wages aren’t smart with money. Wrong, deeply wrong. Necessity forces many to be savvy money managers. There are also societal, financial and government institutions that have erected barriers to progress. Ultimately, people want the opportunity to help themselves. They want to live with dignity. For additional resources, visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/11/16/money-dignity

In every conversation we asked, “What did you learn from your parents about money?” Everyone’s initial response? Nothing.  Yet as our conversation continued, something wonderful happened. Each person started sharing stories about what they learned from their parents actions, not words. We heard about work ethic, religious practices, side hustles and other practices that help shape how they thought about money.   We tend to think of traditions as stories that are passed down or understandings shared among family and community members. The  reality is that traditions are rooted in actions. This seems to be especially true when it comes to learning about money. Some of these lessons we heard about are hard and some are heartwarming. All of them shaped how they made choices with their finances. For additional resources, visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/11/09/money-tradition

A classic personal finance question: Is that a want or a need? The framing of the question suggests needs are necessities and wants are luxuries. Yet no one we interviewed for the podcast talked about luxuries. They said they wanted opportunities to take care of their families and to do better. Jennifer Garbow is an Ojibwe from the Bois Forte Indian Reservation. She’s also a financial educator for the University of Minnesota teaching to tribal communities. We met her in Bemidji, Minnesota, a college town a few hours north of the Twin Cities.  We asked her what people don’t understand about money? For additional resources, visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/10/26/money-needs-wants

Personal assets include your talents and the skills of people you trust. Making use of personal assets is a creative way to solve many money problems. For resource links visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/10/19/money-personal-assets

People with disabilities must navigate a complex system of government benefits and support. Many work, although many more would like to be employed. The disabled also confront limitations created by misperceptions about what people living with disabilities are capable of and have the desire to do. For resource links visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/10/12/money-and-disability

The pandemic has affected everyone. But some individuals and families have been hit much harder than others, especially minorities and low-wage workers. Everyone we interviewed for the podcast had a story about how the pandemic impacted them. For resource links visit https://www.smallchangestories.org/episode/2020/10/05/money-and-covid19

Many people with low and unstable incomes start a business. Their entrepreneurial drive is rooted in community and the need to put food on the table. Of course, you need money to start a business. Money is a tool--a powerful tool. But money is far from the most important ingredient. Opening a business takes an idea, a passion and, as we find out in this episode, community. Additional Resources: An ecology of knowledge, advice, and support for would-be entrepreneurs exists in Minnesota and elsewhere. The organizations listed here offer a wide range of support and services for anyone looking to start a business. Each one of these links offers a variety of additional links and opportunities for the entrepreneur-to-be to explore. WomenVenture Meda – Metropolitan Economic Development Association SCORE – retired executives counsel small business owners Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) Southwest Initiative Foundation African Development Center of MN Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Development Centers: SBDCs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance.

small change: Money Stories from the Neighborhood is a podcast and learning platform highlighting smart, practical and collaborative money skills developed by people living with lower and unstable incomes. Hosts Chris Farrell and Twila Dang talk to community members who are redefining wealth and poverty, the value of community and the purpose of money. Money wisdom taught by the true experts – people who have learned from experience. From MPR News.