By admin 
The Sacramento Bee and Nehemiah Leaders Programs are celebrating this year’s 60 Change Makers. Join them at our gala at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Grand Sheraton in downtown Sacramento. Buy tickets at sacramentochangemakers.com.
Read more Expect scattered Sierra showers as temps start to climb. How hot will it get?
Eugenia “Gina” Richardson came from humble beginnings.
Originally from Chicago, her family had “more months than money,” and relied on food stamps to get by, she said.
Richardson was raised by a single mother and her grandfather juggled multiple jobs to take care of her.
It wasn’t until she saw how her wealthier cousins lived that she was driven to improve her own financial situation.
Richardson started working at the age of 12, selling candy bars. After working job after job in her teenage years, she found a passion for financial coaching.
For the past 20 years, Richardson has worked as a financial educator. She currently serves as the membership market development officer for Golden 1 Credit Union.
“I want to make sure people have a better start, because a lot of times…we’re not learning about finance,” Richardson said. “Money is the most emotional thing that we deal with, so I wanted to help people balance that emotion.”
Read more Week in photos: Plane wash + 9/11 + new supermarket + rodeo
Richardson also hosts her own podcast, Mindfully Rich, which focuses on dispensing financial advice and has more than 100 episodes.
“I wanted it to be my love letter to everyone, giving them the right information because I know the wrong information is out there,” Richardson said. “People are searching and hungry for something that’s right.”
She also wears multiple hats. For the city of Sacramento, Richardson serves as a commissioner for the Sacramento Children’s Fund and supports city programs for at-risk youth.
She is also the director of fundraising for Single Mom Strong, an organization that supports single moms through childcare resources and educational programs.
“I wanted to be a fighter,” Richardson said. “I wanted to be a voice for the middle-class mom who needs a space for her children to go.”
Read more Armed suspect killed in shootout with Placer deputies after all-night Iowa Hill manhunt