378: Fix What’s Broken, Build What’s Next: Financial Resilience, Empowerment, & Rebuilding With Rocío Salceda

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Rocío Salceda, founder of Repair Café El Barrio, for a powerful conversation about what it means to fix what’s broken and build what’s next. Rocío shares her journey of developing financial resilience, finding empowerment, and repairing more than just things—both in her own life and through her work in East Harlem.

At Repair Café El Barrio, neighbors come together once a month to learn how to fix broken items with the help of volunteer repairers, all offered for free or by donation. It’s a space rooted in sustainability, skill-sharing, and community care. As a Spaniard living alone in NYC and navigating a difficult divorce, Rocío also opens up about how finding support through financial education helped her survive—and now thrive—as she pays it forward by helping others do the same.

WHAT ROCIO DISCUSSED:

• The inspiration behind starting Repair Café El Barrio and how it has grown into a movement of empowerment within her community.
• Navigating major life changes, including divorce, both emotionally and financially.
• How her personal finance journey has evolved and the role financial knowledge played in her healing and independence.
• The powerful metaphor of repairing broken items and the parallels between that work and financial resilience.
• The importance of community support in building both financial and emotional stability.
• Small, impactful steps that helped her regain control of her finances and mindset during a major life transition.
• Advice for women who are starting over financially and looking to rebuild their lives.
• How embracing sustainability and a circular economy mindset can also support personal finance goals.
• Maintaining a donation-based model at Repair Café while keeping the mission sustainable and empowering for others.
• The most rewarding moments she’s experienced since beginning this work.

 

HOW TO KEEP UP WITH ROCIO:

• On her website: www.repaircafeelbarrio
• On Instagram: https://instagram.com/rociorsalceda and https://instagram.com/repaircafeelbarrio

 

❤ Subscribe to the Clever Girl Finance newsletter for weekly motiviation: clevergirlfinance.com/subscribe

❤ Get the best-selling Clever Girl Finance Books: clevergirlfinance.com/books

❤ Get access to 30+ free courses, worksheets, savings challenges, and our favorite banking resources: clevergirlfinance.com/course-packages

❤ Read the Clever Girl Finance Blog: clevergirlfinance.com/blog

❤ Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/clevergirlfinance