(vehicles driving past) (gentle music) - Everyday is just about the same thing. Everyday I got the same routine. Got to get up, you go to work,
come home, you cook dinner and go to bed and do the same thing. I'm working at Walgreens. I've been working at Walgreens
for about 17 years now. I started off as a cashier and now I'm a Photo Specialist there. When I first started at
Walgreens I was $7.20 an hour. We got a raise like once a year. Could have been somewhere around a quarter to maybe 50 cents for the most. - How're you doing today? - Hi, I'm good, how you doing today? - Huh, trying to stay cool. It's so hot outside. - It is.
(chuckling) It's very hot out there. Then after that, they
raised the minimum wage up. It went up to like $13. After being there for over 10
years, I wasn't even at $13. So, it was like a slap
in all our face to know that like, you've been
there all these years and you're still making
the same thing as people who was just getting hired. It was tough. (computer beeping) (papers rustling) I'm not able to live
off of the minimum wage. I had times where I can
literally get paid that morning and by the afternoon my
whole cheque was gone. I would never want my kids to
see the worries that I have. I'm not gonna have gas for
the next couple of days. I'm gonna have to make this gas that I do have literally stretch. I couldn't take my kids to
McDonald's if they asked for it. I couldn't give them money to
go to the book fair at school because I didn't have it. 'Cause it was either going
towards rent or a certain bill. I barely get by. (somber music) (indistinct chatter) Oh you want some of what? - These. - Oh we don't need a shopping cart, Mommy's just going to get a few things. Oh, grab that one. I would like to see a
change of employment. I got it. But what else could I be doing
with the education I have? All right I need two more. There we go. You can't get hired with
just a high school diploma. I don't feel like I'm smart
enough to go to school but I feel like, if I
wanted something better than a minimum wage job, I have to get a higher education. Oh okay. What did you wanna get? You wanna get candy or you want chips? And it's like, how can you get it? You wanna get one?
- [Jayson] I get two. I got two! - You can't try to work on
yourself and also have a job. And be a parent too so it's something's gonna
have to be pushed aside. Thank you. Who's gonna help with the bag? - [Maya] Me. - Come on, let's go. (water splashing) I'm a single mother of four kids. My son, Malcolm, is 17 years old. And he'll be senior this year. (indistinct chatter) My daughter is Maya, she's 12. My only princess, going to sixth grade. - There go Monkey. - There go my Monk Monk. My chunky boy Joseph,
he's going to first grade. And then I have Jayson, who's four. You want some bacon? - [Joseph] Yeah. - Oh yeah and some cinnamon rolls? - Today, we are celebrating
my dad's 69th birthday. We're going to have a little barbecue for him today at my mom's. - [Malcolm] When are
we going to grandma's? - Like around four. My mum and me, we were having issues. It had caused a little
strain in our relationship and it caused us to
not speak to each other for about two years. This would be the first time that we would be together like this. And I'm a little nervous
on how it might go. I mean I don't wanna ruin, not
on my dad's birthday either. Hi my daddy! Happy Birthday! - I missed you girl. - Hey everybody. How you doing mama? - I'm okay, I'm trying to figure out how to finish up this sauce. - Hi grandma. - Hi baby. How you doing? - [Melissa's Voice] I am a little nervous about how this can go and I hope nobody brings it up because we are all, like, strong and we all butt heads
about every little thing. My mom met my father
when she was about 14. By the time she was 21 she had
me so she had 6 kids by then. - [Jayson] Hi mommy! - [Melissa] Hi baby! My dad, he was born and
raised in Puerto Rico. He came here when he was about 17. He, in my eyes, is the best man I know. He raised us, he was more
of a stay-at-home parent because my, he got to stay more. And my mother worked and he stayed home. He cooked the food, took us to the doctor, took care of my brother who has autism. My mother did her best to
raise us the right way. She didn't wanna shelter us,
she didn't wanna baby us. So, if we had to get out here
on our own, we would survive. (metal clattering) Oh yes, we need the wine. Was she the strict one? Yeah. My mother didn't play. So, you made sure you did
everything by the book. I've never met grandpa before have I? - No, you were a baby. 'Cause he died when you were little. - [Melissa] Was he around? - In my life?
- [Melissa Yeah. - No. He was never active in my life. - [Melissa's Voice] There was
some information she gave me that I didn't even about. The backstories of her parents. - When they came from Mississippi
in the 1920s, it think. - But they never...
- Papa's Pa was a slave. - I never knew this! This is something new to me! I didn't know she went
into a group home so young. - Like I said I went
into foster care at 11. I had a issue with my father, had beat me up because of
something my step brother did. - Oh wow. - [Melissa's Mom] Do you
remember when we were homeless? - I don't remember when we were homeless. - We were all homeless well... - [Melissa] All six of us? - Yes. - [Melissa] Goddamn! - Well it was situational. I mean, again it goes
back to affordable housing and having options. - So how long were we homeless for? - A little over six weeks. - [Melissa's Voice] I didn't
know like, she had struggles or I didn't know that
we went without things, I didn't know that we were
homeless at one point, I didn't even know that. - Sometimes I may even like, lie to landlords how many children I have. - [Melissa] Damn. - [Melissa's Mom] So that
I can get an apartment. - [Melissa] She carried a lot. She carried a lot. And when I thought my life was hard I'm pretty sure hers was even harder and with 6 kids I couldn't even imagine. So how old were you when you
went back to college mom? - I was 35. - [Melissa] That's what
I said in your 30s. - When you were like 17. - [Melissa's Voice] No matter
how many years it took her, she went back to school,
she got a good job. If she can overcome
things, I think I can too. - Yeah, we've been through a lot. I know we have. - [Melissa's Voice] It
was really, really nice and comforting to be around my family. (gentle music) - [Melissa's Mom] One, two, three! ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ ♪ Happy birthday dear dad ♪
♪ Happy birthday dear grandpa ♪ ♪ Happy birthday to you ♪ (cheering)
(clapping) (indistinct chatter) (gentle music) - I live in a house in Bickerdike. I think I was on a waiting
list for Bickerdike for a good two years
before they contacted me and told me they had something for me. Hey babes. - [Joseph] Mommy. - Come on in. I got into it because my mom was in it. My mom had it first. We lived in it for about 22 years. And I was, I think one of
the biggest blessings I had because Bickerdike has it where, we were renting based off your income. So if we didn't have this I can't even tell you where we would be. Hoo! You ready for Dalia? - [Jayson] Yeah. (gentle music) - I have a day care lady,
her name is Migdalia. You're moving so slow little feet. She's been watching all four of my kids since my oldest was two, he's 17 now. Dalia. Hi! I'ma sit here for like 20 minutes. - Hi! - They call her my surrogate. I had the babies but
she takes care of them. - [Dalia] Jay come here. Where does this go? - [Melissa] Put it where it goes. - [Dalia] Uh huh, okey-doke. Where does this go? Uh-huh. - I appreciate her so much. 'Cause without her, I don't
think I could have kept my job. - Mom, I love you
- I love you too. - [Melissa] Aww, Dalia is your second mom. - Cereal, right? Ah my baby. - [Melissa's Voice] I applied
for a program where the state would pay a portion of the baby sitting and the only job that she
has as her income coming in is whatever she gets
from the baby sitting. - They want this kind. - The Nesquik?
- Yeah, yeah. This one is the real one for
milk and it's a different taste so that's why he likes this one. Maya's over there (chuckling)
that's her favorite corner. - I wouldn't trade her for anything. I gotta go back to work, my break is over. You're gonna be a good boy? - Yeah. - Okay, I'll see you laters. Bye my Maya. - Maya, say bye to mommy! - [Maya] Bye mommy. - [Dalia] Bye.
- Bye babies. I don't want what I have
for myself for my kids. I remember my seven year old telling me when he gets bigger he's
gonna go work at my store. And that's not what I would want for him. And I don't even know if I
can call my job a career. I feel like if I had the proper tools or if I had the proper guidance, would I be somewhere else right now? Probably. (loudspeaker beeping) (Lady announcing over loudspeaker)
It's a playlist series
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XYTIuHE2gc&list=PLs3qXjCE-VeQeBB4vT2a6x0J9SG68zyRA&ab_channel=wttwchicago