River Nice on Queer Finance, Mutual Aid, and Collective Transformation

River Nice on Queer Finance, Mutual Aid, and Collective Transformation

In this episode, our guest River Nice and I explore what it means to take control of money while resisting the individualism that capitalism promotes. River shares how their journey began in the tech world, shifted after the 2016 U.S. election, and led to their decision to dedicate their skills to supporting queer and trans communities. With honesty and clarity, River discusses the pivotal moment of leaving the traditional financial advising model to create something rooted in inclusivity and collective well-being.

Money is often portrayed as neutral or purely practical, but this conversation shows how deeply political it is, and how reimagining its role can transform both individual lives and communities. Their analogy of money and gender—both social constructs enforced through systems of power yet lived as daily realities—opens a door to thinking differently about how we relate to financial structures. This episode is not just about personal finance but about imagining alternative futures, where money becomes a tool for collective care instead of extraction.

About River Nice

River Nice (they/them) is the founder of Be Intentional Financial and a financial educator dedicated to serving queer and trans communities. A self-described “spreadsheet brain,” River discovered their calling in 2017 after helping a partner navigate credit card debt from a gender transition. Their own financial privilege and upbringing by a CPA gave them the foundation to demystify money and support others in building confidence and stability.

Before launching their practice, River worked in tech and then under a national broker-dealer, where they earned their Series 7 and 66 licenses. But traditional finance felt misaligned—clients needed education and empowerment more than portfolio management. Guided by conversations with peers like Phuong Luong and the support of XY Planning Network, River took the leap into self-employment, creating an independent RIA by 2019.

Today, River runs group programs focused on financial literacy through an anti-capitalist lens. Their philosophy centers on transparency, inclusivity, and solidarity—whether through reparations-based pricing, teaching creative approaches to credit, or helping communities imagine collective transformation. River’s work continues to challenge the dominant systems of finance while offering practical tools for liberation.

Episode Highlights

• From tech to finance after the 2016 election
• Supporting a partner through transition-related debt
• Shifting from financial advising to financial education
• Choosing values and relationships over profit
• Inside River’s 12-week group program
• Credit scores as a tool for solidarity
• Unique financial challenges for trans clients
• Estate planning as a tool for protection
• Making programs inclusive for neurodivergent folks

Keywords

#QueerFinance #AntiCapitalism #FinancialEducation #TransFinancialPlanning #MoneyAndCommunity #FinancialLiberation #CollectiveCare #MutualAid

Resources

Be Intentional Financial “Financial Activist Playbook” by Jess (Jasmine) Rashid FreeWill

Click here to watch it on Youtube

 

Diana Gisel Yañez is an Investment Advisor Representative of Natural Investments PBLLC. Natural Investments is an independent Registered Investment Advisor. All the Colors is not a registered entity and is not an affiliate or subsidiary of Natural Investments. See our Disclosures and Disclaimers and read our Form CRS.