From host and Certified Financial Planner Carl Richards:

"On this episode of 50 Fires, I spoke with author and professor J. Dana Trent about growing up as the daughter of drug-dealing parents, and what you're going to hear, I guarantee, is something you've never heard before. She was a preschooler the first time she used a razor blade to cut up weed and fold dime bags for her schizophrenic father, who she refers to as 'King', and that's just the beginning.

One of the goals of the 50 Fires Podcast is to expose ourselves to different perspectives about money by hearing the stories of guests who've had experiences that are unlike our own, and the stories that Dana tells in this episode, as well as in her new memoir Between Two Trailers, have had a profound impact on how grit and resilience have impacted my own relationship with money.

In her efforts to overcome such an unpredictable childhood, Dana emphasizes the importance of fostering connections, asking meaningful questions, and being vulnerable in order to create a sense of belonging in an often lonely world.

I highly recommend that you go on a little walk or cozy up in your favorite chair as you listen to this episode, and if it's helpful, below are some questions that I asked Dana that might spark some insights about money of your own."

Cheers,

- Carl

Questions From Carl's Conversation with Author J. Dana Trent:

1. What helps to calm your nervous system when you find yourself stuck in a state of fight or flight?

2. How do you avoid conflating self-worth with net worth?

3. What do you consider your obligation toward those who have less material wealth than you do?

4. What do you make of the prosperity gospel, the idea that God rewards the faithful with material wealth?

5. How do you resolve financial conflicts in marriage?