Budgeting as Activism and Owning Your Time as True Wealth with Miriam Zoila Pérez

In this episode, our guest Miriam Zoila Pérez and I dive deep into the emotional, cultural, and political layers of money, especially through our experiences of Latine children of immigrants. Miriam is a queer Cuban-American writer, activist, and budget coach whose career spans reproductive justice, feminist blogging, and Latinx music podcasting. Together, we reflect on how money influences our sense of belonging, our family legacies, and our everyday choices.

About Miriam Zoila Pérez

Miriam Zoila Pérez is an award-winning queer Cuban-American writer and activist whose work explores the intersections of race, gender, and health. A graduate of Swarthmore College in Anthropology and Spanish Literature, Pérez has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, and Colorlines, and delivered a TED Talk—viewed over a million times—on how racism impacts maternal health. They are the author of The Radical Doula Guide and have contributed to several acclaimed anthologies, including Not That Bad, edited by Roxane Gay.

Pérez is also the co-host of the bilingual Latinx music podcast Radio Menea and recently ventured into young adult fiction with their debut novel, Camila Núñez’s Year of Disasters (2025). Their activism has spanned over a decade in reproductive justice and digital communications, and more recently, they’ve brought their values-driven approach to money coaching through YNAB, working with clients from diverse backgrounds to build financial clarity and empowerment. They currently reside in Washington, DC, nurturing a love for houseplants and cultural storytelling.

Episode Highlights

00:02:08 Meeting Miriam Zoila Pérez and celebrating frikitonas
00:03:38 How activism led Miriam to financial coaching
00:05:08 Navigating a multifaceted career: writer, activist, doula, and podcaster
00:08:28 Family history: wealth, exile, and class shifts between Cuba and the US
00:21:48 Budgeting with YNAB: who Miriam works with and why
00:27:09 Wealth hoarding vs. purposeful financial planning
00:35:28 Practicing generosity: how Miriam approaches giving
00:41:58 Managing finances as a self-employed creative
00:47:08 Choosing time freedom over wealth accumulation
00:50:38 Retirement planning, financial literacy, and the flaws of the 401(k) system

Keywords

#MiriamZoilaPérez #MoneyAndSocialJustice #QueerLatinxVoices #ReproductiveJustice #YNAB #FinancialEmpowerment #LatinxIdentity #BudgetingWithValues #GenerationalWealth

Resources

Miriam Zoila Pérez website
YNAB Coaching with Miriam
Instagram
Camila Núñez’s Year of Disasters
Radio Menea Ep 125: Frikitona
Resource Generation

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Diana Gisel Yañez is an Investment Advisor Representative of Natural Investments PBLLC. Natural Investments is an independent Registered Investment Advisor. All the Colors is not a registered entity and is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Natural Investments. See our Disclosures and Disclaimers and read our Form CRS.