Cecilia Jimenez: Living wage seekers

Recently, thousands of men and women in hundreds of cities across the country protested to demand a starting wage of $15 an hour and the right to stick together so their voices can be heard.

I’m proud to support them because too many of my friends and neighbors right here in our community aren’t getting a fair shake. That’s because the economy is rigged in favor of the wealthy and not working for the rest of us. It’s plain wrong that the people who make our food, care for our loved ones, teach our children and stock the shelves at the stores where we shop are paid so little and scheduled for such few hours that they can’t afford the basics.

Every job should earn our respect, and every person should get a fair return on the work they do. We’re all just trying to get by, pay our bills and take care of our families. We all are worth more than the CEOs say.

That’s why I’m joining my voice with theirs. Even if corporations continue to ignore our call for $15, it would be a mistake for elected officials to do the same.

This story was originally published November 9, 2015 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Cecilia Jimenez: Living wage seekers."