Marielle Segarra is the new host of Life Kit.
Courtesy of Marielle Segarra
hide caption
toggle caption
Courtesy of Marielle Segarra
Marielle Segarra is the new host of Life Kit.
Courtesy of Marielle Segarra
At Life Kit, we are all about growth and progress – both for our audience and for ourselves. So please join us in welcoming our new host Marielle Segarra to the Life Kit neighborhood! A regular host has long been a goal for our show, and we’re excited to have Segarra leading the charge as we enter our next chapter.
Segarra joins NPR from Marketplace, where she covered money, finance and how the economy is connected to our daily lives. Over the years, she has reported the lack of paid family leave in the United Statesthe role of makeup during a pandemic and the overwhelming experience to return to the office in August 2020.
Her interests include yoga, running in her neighborhood park, and finding new ways to connect with her Puerto Rican, German, and Polish ancestors. She is based in New York.
I spoke to her about her hopes for this new role, her self-care routine, and our shared love of Gilmore Girls. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What do you like most about Life Kit?
Life Kit is honest and vulnerable. Every episode feels like a kindness. The hosts tell you: you are not alone. We’ve taken the time to figure out how to help you. We support you.
That’s a nice way of putting it. Favorite episodes?
Lately, episodes that have helped me to be more present in my body. THE episode on how to take a break from the internet reminded me that it’s good to be away from my phone and sometimes unavailable.
The interview with Jenny Odell on how to pay attention to your surroundings was helpful to listen to before leaving for my recent trip to Paris. This episode inspired me to absorb what was in front of me with all my senses, then let that lead me to new places instead of settling for a map or a schedule. I was able to appreciate the experience more deeply.
Segarra comes to NPR from Marketplace and hopes to continue covering money and finance topics as the new host of Life Kit.
Brandon Watson/NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Brandon Watson/NPR
You’ve been reporting on money, finance and economics for more than a decade. How has this rhythm changed your attitude on the subject?
This has helped me make the most prudent financial decisions possible without having a lot of money. Suddenly I could speak the language. Things like my health insurance plan, for example, started to make more sense to me.
This is one of the reasons I love talking about money. Now that I have the keys to this locked door – and I’m coming from a place where I didn’t understand it – I want to help people.
Is there anything from this world that you hope to bring to Life Kit?
I would love to do a personal finance series to help people pay their credit card bills or do their own taxes for free using IRS forms, not services like TurboTax or H&R Block. When you fill out your own tax forms, you begin to better understand how our tax system works and how to save money in the future.
Many of our episodes center around topics related to self-care. What are your rituals to fill your cup?
I actually have a morning ritual that involves an ancestral altar in my bedroom that I’m looking at right now. There are (photos of) different family members, the perfume cap from my grandmother’s perfume bottle. Every morning I say hello to (my ancestors). I say their names. My family helps ground me and doing this ritual helps me come back to myself.
Any life hacks you’ve been loving lately?
Bring zippered bags when traveling. You’ll definitely use them – for that apple core or your wet socks in the rain or any other unexpected item that might need to be contained in plastic.
“As a child, I asked questions,” Segarra says of this photo of her as a child.
Photo courtesy of Marielle Segarra
hide caption
toggle caption
Photo courtesy of Marielle Segarra
What were you like when you were a child? Did you always want to be a journalist?
I was definitely that kid who recorded herself giving fake (news) shows. I won this essay writing contest when I was in fifth grade and received a gift certificate to (electronics store) PC Richard & Son. So I bought a small tape recorder and used it to record interviews with people.
I also watched a lot of Gilmore Girls and I thought Rory Gilmore was the best.
I also loved this show. Rory was a great writer and eventually became a journalist.
I thought I would join my college newspaper like she did, but instead I joined the alternative rock radio station and that is how my audio journey began.
And now here you are at NPR! What career advice helped you get to this point?
Be yourself. Write as yourself, bring your authenticity when appropriate, and bring your ideas to the table, even if they make you feel a little vulnerable.
Tune in to Life Kit on Monday to see Segarra’s first episode. And join us in welcoming him to the team. Send him a message by email lifekit@npr.org with the subject “For Marielle”.
The digital story was edited by Malaka Gharib. We would like to hear from you. Leave us a voicemail at 202-216-9823or send us an email to LifeKit@npr.org.
Listen to Life Kit on Apple Podcasts And Spotifyor sign up for our newsletter.
