Culture. Music. Self-expression. Stability.
Those are musician Jarina De Marco’s bedrocks and have remained her priority as she has found success in her creative career.
With Brazilian and Dominican roots, De Marco describes her childhood as culturally rich – but financially, her family lived paycheck to paycheck. Despite what they may have lacked in material things, De Marco recognizes the many gifts her parents gave her through their culture and love of music.
To thank her mom for her support, De Marco used an Ally Bank Saving’s Account bucket to save money to surprise her with a dream vacation – for just the two of them.
Here’s what De Marco had to say about the trip, her upbringing and finances.
Read more: Learn about our buckets and boosters, smart resources to help you save
Growing up, what was life like for you and your family?
We moved a lot before I was six years old – each move was a result of my parent’s exploration of our Taino culture and their love of music. Eventually we found ourselves in Montreal. It was a huge melting pot of people from all over the world. It was this cacophony of sound and culture – and that was the focus – music, art and expression. It was never about whether we should buy a house, have a mortgage or save money. That wasn't what my parents were focused on. They were focused on making art.
We were culturally rich, but we were living paycheck to paycheck. And at times it felt very destabilizing.
How did that culturally rich childhood contribute to the person – and musician – you are today?
My mother was the front woman of her and my father’s band. She had these gorgeous outfits made by incredible designers on the islands. She was ahead of her time and at the cutting edge of fashion – I very much looked up to her and can see her influence in my personal style today. However, it’s not just with fashion, her love and respect for culture and history is powerful. She has been a very important figure in the rescuing of Taino culture, which was thought to be almost eradicated by early colonization. She’s incredibly inspiring – that inspiration is what shapes my every day as well as my music.
How did your childhood experience shape your financial journey?
As I mentioned, my parents’ focus was very much on making art – not as much on saving money. I became preoccupied about that and when I became an adult, I took it upon myself to make sure that while I was honoring that artistic and cultural side, I was also being responsible with my finances – which I had to learn myself. It’s now very important to me to have financial stability for my family – and to pass that knowledge down. It’s taking me a little longer because it was never taught to me. I wish they would teach us that in school. The younger you can get that financial literacy the better.
Why did you want to surprise your mom with this vacation?
My mother is such a special person – she has given me this whole world of knowledge, beauty and art – and it has made me the person that I am today. She inspires me – but not just me – many people. She has helped a new generation of Caribbean people discover their identity of not only being of African and Spanish descent but also Taino. I wanted to give some of that back to her – and for her to be able to take some time for herself.
How did you use Ally’s Savings buckets for this surprise?
I am a very visual person – which is one reason I think the buckets in my Ally app are so cool. It is completely visual. I'm able to see very clearly what my goals are and how I am progressing in achieving them. I have little buckets that say, “New credenza for the living room,” “That dress I really want,” and “Trip with my mom!” I can see the bigger picture of what I want to spend and decide if it's okay to spend a little extra money on something now or if I should wait a little longer until those other buckets are a bit fuller. The visual aspect of it really helps me plan and make sure that my family and I are going to be okay.
