Beverly Go: Building Financial Confidence and Long-Term Stability Through NextGen Empower U

Workforce mentorship and financial empowerment transform uncertainty into independence, resilience, and upward mobility.

Impact Snapshot

Industry: Education/Community Engagement
Region: Sacramento, California
Support: Financial literacy training, mentorship, workforce development
Program: NextGen Empower U (2023)
Result: Financial independence milestones including debt elimination, improved credit, and purchasing a car outright

Overview

While working two jobs and attending college part-time, Beverly Go was determined to build a better future—but unsure how to turn hard work into long-term financial stability. Supporting her family while balancing responsibilities at Highlands Community Charter School, Bach Viet Association, and Sacramento State University, she faced the uncertainty and self-doubt many first-generation young adults experience when navigating education, career, and financial independence simultaneously.

In 2023, Beverly joined NextGen Empower U, CalAsian Foundation’s workforce readiness program. Through mentorship and financial literacy training, she gained the mindset and practical tools needed to shift from surviving day-to-day challenges to planning intentionally for her future.

The Challenge

Before joining NextGen, Beverly was:

• Working two jobs while attending college
• Supporting family members as a caretaker
• Navigating grief and personal hardship
• Experiencing self-doubt and imposter syndrome
• Unsure how to reach long-term financial and professional goals

She wanted more than stability—she wanted direction.

CalAsian Foundation’s Support

Through NextGen Empower U, Beverly gained:

• 
  Practical financial literacy tools
• Exposure to wealth-building strategies
• Career and personal development guidance
• A shift in mindset around money and long-term planning
• Direct mentorship from Program Director Jim Tabuchi

One lesson that stayed with her most was the phrase:

“Make money with your head and not your hands.”

For Beverly, that 

 

statement reframed how she thought about work, income, and sustainability. Coming from a background wh

ere physically demanding professions were common, she began thinking about income generation through strategy, investment, and financial literacy rather than labor alone.

The program helped her connect discipline with empowerment.

The Outcome

The results became

 real when Beverly faced an unexpected life challenge: her car became inoperable.

Because she had built disciplined savings habits after completing NextGen, she was able to purchase a car outright—without financing or paying accrued interest. This moment marked a turning point. What once could have been a financial setback became proof of preparation and progress.

Since completing the program, Beverly has:

• Built consistent savings habits
• Eliminated credit card debt and maintains a zero balance
• Improved her credit score
• Strengthened her financial independence
• Continued investing in her education and long-term goals

Most importantly, she shifted from reacting to uncertainty to planning for stability. NextGen did not just teach her about finances—it changed her behavior.

Why This Matters

Beverly’s journey reflects the transformative impact of NextGen Empower U: bridging the gap between hard work and strategic wealth-building. For many first- and second-generation young adults balancing family responsibility, work, and school, financial literacy is not just education—it is liberation. By equipping participants with practical tools and mentorship, CalAsian Foundation strengthens long-term economic mobility across Sacramento County.

NextGen empowers participants not just to survive demanding seasons—but to build futures rooted in intention, independence, and stability.

In Beverly’s Words (Quotes Preserved Exactly)

“My behavior in how I thought about money changed, and I saw positive results from saving money.”

“It is a life-changing program… The keys to a better future can be found in NextGen Empower U.”

“As part of the 2023 cohort, NextGen Empower U and Mr. Jim Tabuchi gave me the guidance I was seeking on how to build a better future. The program placed me in the right direction to change my life circumstances for the better. It provided me with the keys to success for a better future and actions I must take to make it happen.”