Growing up in a low-income household was very difficult for my family to gain economic security. My mother’s main concern was ensuring her jobs would last because she had no other choice or savings to fall back on if she was not employed. My mom’s jobs were enough to get my brother, her, and me through our present situation, but there was no ability to save for the future. Living paycheck to paycheck becomes a disparity for low-income families like mine, which I am reminded of as I navigate my life even more now that I am attempting to become financially independent from my family.

I grew up knowing that rent, food, and bills were the most critical needs to be met. Anything that did not fall in that category became a luxury and a symbol of where I stood in society. I never felt anger for my mother when she could not buy me a game or book I wanted; though she never spoke of finances with me as a child, it was apparent what I should prioritize in our survival. None of this is to say I was miserable or had a sad childhood. On the contrary, I had the most pleasant and happy childhood, even without my future secured. These two things can coexist, but that does not compel me to believe they should.

My upbringing heavily set up the path I am on now at college. I do not have economic security. I am not in a condition where I am capable of holding a full-time job and being a full-time student that could even afford to pay for my education; I fund my education through loans; I have 12k in student debt, and one of the unfortunate things to acknowledge is that I am on the lower end of student loans. I still plan on pursuing a Master’s degree, offering less financial aid, so I expect my loans to increase as I continue my higher education required to achieve the career I want. Economic security has never been a point of stability in my life, yet ironically its lack thereof has been a common theme. I am working hard each day to end this financial burden on myself and my family so we can no longer be in survival mode and enjoy life more without this feeling.

Economic security is a path created for us before we’re conscious. More resources should be available to guide us as we navigate the realm of becoming financially independent and understand that this is a marginalizing, systemic issue that goes beyond our capability and should be remedied.

Thania is a 20 year old graduate student at San Diego State University currently pursuing her Master’s in Social Work. She completed her Bachelor’s in Social Work at California State University, Long Beach. Her primary passions are advocacy in the health care sector and strives to bridge the gap between low income individuals and equitable healthcare accessibility.