Cafecito con Estrellita

In this episode of Cafecito con Estrellita, Estrella Serrato interviews Camila Milanes, a first-generation Latina law student who shares her inspiring journey from struggling in high school to thriving in higher education. Camila discusses the challenges she faced as a Latina in law school and her unique approach to studying for the LSAT. She also shares valuable tips on thrifting for professional attire and her future goals in social media and education advocacy.

Takeaways

• Camila's journey highlights the experiences and challenges she faced at home + in school, as a first-generation student

• Higher education is crucial for personal, professional and community empowerment
• Highlights a few law school funding routes
• The LSAT requires strategic preparation and patience
• Thrifting can be a sustainable way to build a professional wardrobe
• Authenticity in social media can inspire others in traditional fields
• Believing in oneself is key to overcoming challenges
• Creating opportunities for others is a powerful motivator

Disclaimer: We are not financial advisors, this episode does not contain financial advice. We are just sharing our experiences.

We also want to highlight that we believe a higher education and the experiences as well as opportunities it provides, should be FREE.

But until that happens, we will continue to be open and transparent about The Student Loan Segments we will continue to include throughout this season.

We can't wait for you to tune in!

Abrazos,

Estrellita

Follow Camila on:

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@camilamilanes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camisgaze/?igsh=MWw0cnNndHE5bzBkaw%3D%3D

Business Website Latina Exec: https://www.lawtinas-exec.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@camilamilanes

In this episode of Cafecito con Estrellita, Estrella Quiroz shares her inspiring journey of studying abroad, overcoming financial barriers, and the importance of cultural experiences. She emphasizes the need for Latinas to pursue their dreams of travel and education, providing practical advice on scholarships, credit cards, and navigating fears. She also shares her experience with taking out student loans. Estrella reflects on her regrets about not documenting her travels and encourages others to embrace opportunities for growth as well as connection.

Disclaimer: We are not financial advisors, this episode does not contain financial advice. We are just sharing our experiences.

We also want to highlight that we believe a higher education and the experiences as well as opportunities it provides, should be FREE.

But until that happens, we will continue to be open and transparent about The Student Loan Segments we will continue to include throughout this season.

Tune in for an honest, inspiring convo that reminds you: That your story and experiences are valid. Your dreams are worth investing in.

Listen now and share this episode with an amig@ who wants to study abroad.

Abrazos,

Estrellita

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• We got an offer
• Reminders for first-gen students
• Perseverance
• Breaks and recovery

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• The Value Of Community College
• Dual Enrollment
• Feeling hopeless, but still showing up
• Tips on how to succeed in community college
• Happy Pride Month

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• USC canceling their main graduation
• Academic freedom for students
• Prepping for our FIRST POP UP
• How time apart can be a good thing for Latino families
• Breaking cycles

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• Graduation season
• Reflecting on past milestones
• Latinas getting into graduate school
• How your self-compassion is your superpower
• Estrellita allergies

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• My immigrant mother's dream
• Honoring stories
• Moving back home with your Latino parents
• Life updates
• Motivation

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• Moving forward with academic setbacks
• My first-gen keynote presentation
• Conference at Stanford
• The types of questions you should ask a multifaceted Latina
• Community college

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• Gratitude for Women's History Month
• Traveling to colleges & universities
• Latinas opening doors for other Latinas
• New FASFA extension May 2nd
• Everything Takes Time

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• Imposter syndrome and inner critic
• "Colleges not Latina ready"
• Going to a conference Sola
• Navigating negative comments about college
• What a college education did for me

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about:

• Transitions from high school to college
• How I navigated a relationship as a first-gen student (spoiler alert, I didn't)
• The importance of Latinas knowing they have options
• Giving yourself grace, for navigating school and cultural expectations

And more

I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you and we have so much to go over!

In today's episode we are talking about:

• Latinas uplifting each other
• How to move away from negative vibras
• When I first discovered I was a first-generation student
• How I navigated different spaces as first-gen
• And more

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week, I have missed you and I am so excited to be back for season 6!

In today's episode we are talking about:

• Finally achieving personal milestones
• Navigating Academic Rejections
• Examples of the first-gen college experiences
• Empowering ourselves through life changes
• The importance of community
• And more

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! I have missed you, which is why I am excited to share with you our BONUS season 5 episode with the trailblazing Author herself, Giovanna González.

Giovanna "Gigi" Gonzaléz, is a Financial Educator, Influencer, Speaker, Founder of The First Gen Mentor®, and a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants. Our author shares with us that, she did everything right. She went to college. Graduated with a “safe” degree. Got a stable corporate job with benefits. 

But she still struggled with money. As the daughter of immigrants, she didn’t get a blueprint on how to navigate finances. Gigi no clue how to pay down my $50,000 in debt and no matter what she did, she always felt like she was one emergency away from financial chaos. 

So she turned to money books to learn how money worked.

But what Gigi found was that most personal finance books are written by white male authors. Although they were helpful, they often made her feel overlooked and invisible. 

They didn't speak to her Latino money values or talk about how to manage money with family in mind. Those books didn’t represent the money experience growing up as a First Gen Latina who isn’t just responsible for her own finances, but also the financial wellbeing of her family.

Gigi's book Cultura & Cash is a culturally relevant money book that covers:

• How the First Gen starting line is different than our peers and what we can do to catch up and and take charge of our financial journey.
• How our cultura shapes our money experience, and how to unlearn immigrant money habits that keep us broke.
• How to confidently manage your money by implementing my First Gen Five framework, with a focus on peace of mind funds, budgeting, debt repayment, credit building, and long-term investing.
• How to factor financial support for family, how to set financial boundaries with loved ones, and how to prepare to help your parents with retirement.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are well! I have missed you! It makes me so sad to say, but this is our FINAL episode for the year. But you best believe I will be back late January. So we will be reflecting on the year, and I will be sharing some chisme on when I had my first ever in person event, and practically no one showed up. I am so grateful that you are here.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are well! I have missed you! With 2023 coming to an end, it's time to reflect back and plan for our growth. And let me tell you, personal growth is so HARD, but 100% worth it. Keep going.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are well! I have missed you. In this episode I talk about why the holidays didn't always feel festive to me, even though they should have been. One of those reasons being I needed to learn how to implement boundaries, but you best believe I am learning. Learning is always good!

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well, I've missed you! I am just being honest over here, I have been guilty of putting school and work as a TOP priority. So much that I have let my close loved ones down. The reality is, too much of anything, is never a good thing. Always remember do what you have to do to grow, while also making time for you and those most important to you.

Support Palestine + Others Here:

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! I've missed you! Now, I am not going to lie, things have been hard. With everything going on in the world, and with the support Palestine needs, I have been researching and learning, a lot. I am not an expert by any means with what is going on. However I know we have a voice, that can make a change. Together we are the change.

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! I've missed you, and we have so much to talk about in today's episode. I don't know about you, but I have had instances in the past where I felt like my dreams, got lost in the dreams of others. With being first-gen not only do we carry our own stories, we also never really forget the stories of those who came before us. So as we try to honor ourselves + them, it can sometimes feel like a lot to navigate.  I am so happy you are here, I appreciate you, keep going I am so proud of you.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! I've missed you and we have so much to talk about today. Can you believe I was flown out by iHeart Radio + Kellogg's to Miami for Fiesta Latina? Ni yo me lo puedo creer, but I am grateful. Also, what is the difference between a scholarship and grant? Well, we are going to find out. I am so happy you are here, I appreciate you, keep going I am so proud of you.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! I have missed you! In today's episode we are talking about the progress I have made in my writing for my upcoming book, social anxiety in networking + professional settings, and the gratitude I have for you. Working on impactful work + research can often times, feel lonely. But when we come together to share our lived experiences, it truly makes an uplifting difference. Thank you for sharing this space with me, I am so proud of you.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! I have missed you. A friendly reminder that Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month, is not OVER! It has been an impactful experience for me to work with universities + organizations + brands, in honor of our cultura. However, I will continue to amplify the fact that our representation, MUST be honored all year round. Also, my imposter syndrome, has not been kind to me this month. So I decided to do something about it, which you will hear about in this episode. I am grateful for your presence, and representation. Keep going.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! I have missed you and oh my goodness we have a lot to talk about. Our topics in this episode will focus on Latine/Hispanic Heritage month, weight gain, the 6% increase of tuition cost in for California State University Students.... for the next 5 years. With everything happening in the world I always want you to keep in mind that you are representation. If anyone could do it, it's you! Keep going, I am so proud of you. Once again, thank you for sharing this space with me.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! I've missed you, and am excited to talk about so many things with you. All things academia, how to literally BRAG Better, about yourself, taking the first step to healing, and reminding you, it's never too late to go to therapy! I am so happy to share this space with you. Keep going, I am proud of you.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! Today we are going to be talking about so much! Such as, being able to talk about ourselves and OUR accomplishments, with full confidence. As well as scholarships, dissecting the phrases "you sound like a white girl" just everything in between! I appreciate you for being here, your presence is valuable. Thank you for sharing this space with me. Abrazos.

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! Today we are talking about, how important you are as a person. No degree, institution, job title, or anything in between could ever devalue your worth. Yes, you have put in the work and earned many titles for yourself, but they don't overshadow the beauty of your soul, tu alma. We are also going to be discussing the new SAVE Plan,  Saving on a Valuable Education — that will keep the monthly student loan payments small (as small as $0) without increasing interest rates. Which of course, will have us talking more about the consequences of student debt for our Latine/x graduates. Remember you got this, I am so proud of you, keep going.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! In today's episode we are breaking down what it means to invest in yourself. Whether it be through education, starting a business, or any other big goals you want to accomplish for your life and career. Also, we are going to be talking about, what it means to end a toxic generational cycle, and how we can do it together. I am so happy you are here, keep going.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! We have so much to talk about in this episode, starting off with some life updates and finally living ONE of the dreams that younger me, had always envisioned. On another fun note, today July, 12, 2023 marks another HUGE day for Latinas showcasing representation. Mildred García is the first Latina to lead the nation's largest public four-year university system. According to the LA Times "García, who is currently president of the American Assn. of State Colleges and Universities, will become the 11th Chancellor and first Latina to lead the CSU 23-campus system." I appreciate you very much mi gente, and I am happy you are here.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! We have so much to talk about, my home office is done and now we talk about a very important topic, the overturn with Affirmative Action by the Supreme Court. As I am sure you can assume, I completely disagree with it. On a lighter note, I have been sharing more resources and scholarships on my socials, which I find very exciting because the more support I can give, through my knowledge, the better. I am so proud of you and keep going.

"Navigating an academic system that was not designed with keeping, us, in mind… 
Affirmative Action, has given many underrepresented students, the opportunity to be in spaces, places of knowledge, that could truly make a difference in their lives & future generations.
Now, more than ever, we need your representation. Continue to study, pursue your career goals, open doors for others, and never stop, because we are the change our communities deserve (Estrella Serrato)."

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! It has been a while but I hope you forgive me, because this move has been so crazy. But it is something that Cafecito con Estrellita has needed for a while, but had to finish her program, first! We will be talking about health updates con mi abuelito, sister appreciation, the fear of change, failure, and everything in between. I am happy you are here, keep going.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! As always we have so much to talk about and you read that title correctly, no more machismo or marianismo. This conversation was inspired by a recent Tik Tok video about Latinas graduating from a university and most of the hate comments were from men. I will also be sharing my life updates, as I always do. I appreciate you being here, abrazos.

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing good this week! In today's episode we get deep and talk about the importance of pouring into ourselves. It is great that we know how to love the people who are important in our lives, but it is important that we give ourselves the self-love we deserve. I am so happy to share this space with you and I look forward to having this conversation with you.

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! Today we are talking about so MANY things aside from education. But most importantly, highlighting the strengths that Latina moms have. I know for a fact I would not be the Estrellita that you all see today if it wasn't for my mom and the way she raised me. There were ups and downs but I am happy to be where and who I am today! I appreciate you all so much.

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week. We have so much to talk about in this episode! We go from honoring amazing academic moms, our first-gen milestones, and the tough yet beautiful conversations about career changes. Which can be heartbreaking, especially when you have worked so hard to get your dream position, to then only realize, it's not what you wanted. Trust me, I have been there and so have others, but we are powering through it all, in community.

Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well! In today's episode we cover a little bit of everything. From resume tips, to my personal experience with Bloom nutrition powder, and my book proposal updates. Life has so many ups and downs but it is important that when we share a communal safe space, it won't feel so lonely. I appreciate you and am so happy you are here.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! In today's episode we are reminding ourselves of how powerful we are. You've done an awesome job going after your goals, healing, and quite honestly being a human being. I also have many updates to share with all of you, good and informative noticias. I appreciate you so much for being here, keep going I am proud of you.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! On today's episode we are highlighting the fact that YOU as first-gen have so many amazing options to choose from. Whether you are a recent graduate or not, you have come far in your journey and it is no secret that you will continue to prosper. Of course, I understand que a veces the path to success can feel lonely. But I want you to remember you are never alone, we are here, together.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! In today's episode I will be talking about my grad photoshoot I recently had for my credential graduation. I almost wasn't going to do it, but I am glad that I got out of my own head and took my pics. Always remember that you are worth celebrating, every milestone and accomplishment no matter how big or small. I am proud of you.

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week!! We love that it is mental health awareness month because your mental health is important. In today's episode we talk about imposter syndrome and how it isn't out fault that it affects us so deeply. But it doesn't mean we have to let it control us forever. You deserve to be happy and to fully understand that you are worthy of good things. I am proud of you!

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Hola mi gente, I hope you are doing well this week! In today's episode I really wanted to share the most recent life realizations I have had, regarding my life. As someone who has been trying to chase her school dreams while pleasing those around me as much as I possibly could, life hit me in the face. And I am alright with admitting it to all of you, because I know I am no longer in such a heavy mental space. I hope this episode allows you to reflect back on your own personal life, so that you can continue to build yourself a wonderful one. I am proud of you.

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