Dinero Es Poder

The War on Women’s Wealth Is Here—And We’re Fighting to Win!

March 28, 2025

Welcome to the newest edition of Riqueza Weekly, a newsletter created for the people by the people, or what we like to say pa la gente. RQZA Weekly, is your go-to source for the latest in money, power, and cultura. As we welcome our newest arm Riqueza Media, we wanted to have a place to chismear pero con educación. Our people need the education to understand what is going on around the U.S. y en todo Latino América. Lo que pasa acá, nos afecta allá y viceversa. Expect to read content on business, finances, economics, higher-ed, policy and everything in between.

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This week, we’re talking about:

  • 💸 The Wage Gap Is More Than Just Paychecks – How unequal pay is robbing Latinas of millions in lost wealth over a lifetime, and why we need to take control of our financial futures.

  • 📉 Big Companies Backing Away from DEI – How the rollback of diversity programs is hitting Latinas the hardest, making it even more difficult to close the wage gap and secure leadership roles.

  • 🏡 Latinas Healing Financial Trauma – How spaces like Raíces of Wealth Circle are helping Latinas heal generational financial wounds and build wealth as a community.

  • 💼 Latinas Leading in Cannabis & Tech – How Latinas are sparking change in industries like cannabis and tech, breaking barriers, and reshaping the future of business.

  • 🧠 Sexism & Alzheimer’s Risk – How living in a sexist society may increase women’s risk for Alzheimer’s, and what this means for the health of Latinas.

  • 🚀 Women Angel Investors Are Changing the Game – How women investors are flipping the script, funding businesses that reflect nuestra cultura, and creating wealth pathways for Latinas.

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The Rundown: Business, Economics & Finances

The Wage Gap Is More Than Just a Paycheck—It’s a Lifetime of Lost Wealth

Women earn just 85 cents for every dollar a man makes—but the gender wage gap isn’t just about unequal paychecks. It’s about the invisible load women carry every day. From unpaid caregiving and housework to limited access to leadership roles and flexible work, women—especially Latinas—are navigating a system that consistently undervalues their time and talents.

And the higher the education level, the wider the gap. Latinas with professional degrees lose over $2.9 million over their lifetime. This isn’t just an income issue—it’s a wealth issue. When women are paid less, they invest less, save less, and retire with less.

Why It Matters

Big companies like Meta and Walmart began backing away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments even before Trump’s push to dismantle these programs. For Latinas—who hold just 5% of mid-level management roles—this means even fewer opportunities to move into leadership and widening the wage gap. Right now, Latinas earn just 57.5 cents for every dollar a White, non-Hispanic man makes. At this rate, pay equity for Latinas won’t happen until the 2200s. Yes, read that again.

It’s time to stop depending on jobs that refuse to pay us what we’re worth and start taking control of our financial futures. That means building emergency funds, maxing out that 401(k), investing while paying down debt, and joining spaces like Riqueza that educate, support, and empower la comunidad to build riqueza. Because closing the gap isn’t just about demanding higher wages—it’s about reclaiming our financial power.

The Receipts: Policy & Immigration

A trailblazer, a leader, and an inspiration.

Paying Tribute: Mia Love’s Legacy

Mia Love, the first Black Republican woman, daughter of Haitian immigrants, elected to Congress, died of brain cancer at 49. A trailblazer and visionary, her impact on American politics resonates far beyond her years. As Gov. Spencer Cox (R-UT) said, “a true trailblazer and visionary leader.”

Deportations Under the Alien Enemies Act: A Nazi-Level Low

A federal judge refused to lift an order blocking the Trump administration from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members. During an appeals court hearing, one judge pointed out the grim reality: “Nazis got better treatment” under the Act than the people who were recently deported.

Why It Matters:

The Alien Enemies Act is a relic of wartime xenophobia, and its reactivation under Trump signals a dangerous escalation in his anti-immigrant agenda. The legal battle rages on, but for many, the damage has already been done.

Greenland: RSVP Denied

Greenland isn’t rolling out the welcome mat for Trump’s entourage. On March 21, Second Lady Usha Vance and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz landed in Greenland, where they were met with an icy reception. Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte Bourup Egede called the visit part of a “very aggressive” US pressure campaign to take over the island—and they weren’t even invited.

Why It Matters:

Trump’s obsession with acquiring Greenland has long been a geopolitical sideshow, but this latest stunt underscores the administration’s disregard for the island’s sovereignty. While the White House claims a “vested security interest in the Arctic,” Greenland’s leaders aren’t buying it.

Higher- Ed, Higher Stakes: Academia & Education

End of an Era: Trump’s War on the Department of Education

On March 18, Trump signed an executive order to gut the Department of Education (DOE), checking off a major campaign promise and advancing a conservative fever dream decades in the making. The move strips the DOE down to its skeleton, transferring key functions to other agencies and throwing the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio into chaos.

Why It Matters:

  • Power to the States: Trump claims the DOE is a breeding ground for liberal ideology and wants to hand control back to the states. But states already dictate curriculum and graduation requirements—so what’s really at play here?

  • A Skeleton Crew: The DOE is already down to 2,183 employees, half of its original workforce, raising concerns that critical services will be paralyzed. Experts warn that the dismantling could leave 50 million public school students in limbo.

Who’s Left Holding the Bag:

  • Civil Rights in Limbo: Without federal oversight, civil rights enforcement in schools could shift to the Justice Department, disability rights to Health and Human Services, and student loans to the Treasury—agencies with no track record of managing these critical functions.

  • Pell Grants and Loan Forgiveness in Jeopardy: Borrowers seeking forgiveness could find their applications stuck in bureaucratic limbo. One expert warned that moving student loans to the Treasury hands the portfolio to people “even less qualified” to run it.

Public Opinion? Not So Fast:

Two-Thirds of Americans don’t want the DOE dismantled. But Trump’s move shows that public sentiment doesn’t always translate to policy.

Student Loans, Meet the SBA (Yes, You Read That Right)

A day after signing the order, Trump handed over management of the government’s $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration (SBA)—yes, the same agency that oversees small business loans. And to add insult to injury, the administration announced that the SBA will cut 40% of its workforce.

What It Means:

  • Chaos Incoming: The SBA isn’t equipped to handle the complexity of managing millions of borrowers. Expect confusion, delays, and a backlog of forgiveness applications that could leave borrowers in limbo for years.

  • Special Education and Nutrition on the Chopping Block: Trump plans to shift special education matters and school nutrition programs to the Department of Health and Human Services, raising alarms about whether these critical services will receive the attention they deserve.

Columbia’s $400M Surrender: Academic Freedom for Sale

Columbia University accepted Trump’s draconian demands to restore $400 million in federal funding, making sweeping changes that silence dissent and undermine academic freedom. The deal, finalized on March 20, forces Columbia to:

  • Ban Face Masks: Aimed at silencing pro-Palestine protesters.

  • Empower Campus Police: Giving 36 officers arrest powers on campus.

  • Overhaul Middle East Studies: A blatant power grab to reshape the curriculum and muzzle critical scholarship.

Why It Matters:

Columbia’s compliance sets a dangerous precedent, signaling to other universities that federal funding can be weaponized to control campus discourse. This isn’t just about Columbia—it’s about the future of academic freedom in America.

Pa’ Que Sepas: Noticias

Wealthy Beyond Money: Community y Cultura

Latinas are healing generational financial trauma. More spaces like Raíces of Wealth Circle are being created by Latinas for our comunidad. A space where juntas we heal generational financial trauma, honor our ancestral roots (the good and bad). All while we individually and collectively build generational wealth.

Women angel investors aren’t just writing checks, they’re rewriting the rules of power, wealth, and who gets to win. With the women wage gap, it is now up to women to flip the script by putting capital into women owned businesses. Instead of waiting for seats at someone else's table, women are building their own and funding businesses that reflect nuestra cultura, values, and hustle. By backing Latina-led startups, these investors are creating wealth pathways, shifting power dynamics, and fueling a cycle of generational prosperity. It’s not just about dinero—it’s about disrupting systems that were never built for us and making sure we rise together.

@christinathemetamaven

Entrepreneurship is fun, but it’s venture capitalist time.😇 Listen to my latest episode VC for La Cultura! 💃🏻✨🧡 #venturecapitalist #ventur... See more

🌎 Indigenous Women at the Frontlines – Indigenous women have long led the fight against the destruction of our lands, protecting sacred sites and natural resources from corporate greed and government overreach. Now, with Project 2025 looming, their communities face even greater threats. This far-right agenda not only slashes vital programs like welfare, education, and reproductive rights—it also pushes for the expansion of extractive industries, further violating tribal sovereignty. From the Amazon to Standing Rock, Indigenous women continue to resist, reminding us that the fight for land is a fight for life.

Rulebreakers: Voices of Resistance & Change

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