Closing the Wealth Gap with Financial Literacy

In November, YWCA Boulder County’s Young Women+ Achievement team partnered with Capital One to host three financial literacy workshops.

Three schools and 19 high school students participated in these workshops to learn about budgeting and managing finances.  

According to TIAA's 2020 report on Financial Literacy among women, "many Americans are functioning in today's environment with a poor level of financial literacy. This is more true among women than men, and more true among underrepresented minority women than their white peers.” 

In discussing how racial wealth gaps affect families of color, and how best to address to gaps today, NEA Today recently noted that “decreasing racial wealth gaps will take time, but a key factor is ensuring communities of color have access to financial literacy classes. Having a basic understanding of our financial system, the effects of debt, and how to build wealth, would benefit all students, but especially students of color.”

YWCA Boulder County’s programs are designed to address the current needs of our community while working to change systems for a more just and equitable future for all women and girls.

The students who attended the workshops were thankful for the training and could immediately apply the lessons to their daily lives. "I learned different ways to make money when you’re running short to pay your expenses," one student commented. Another student shared how it will help them today and in the future, "I learned about budgeting and wise money choices."