Crystal Blackburn

Crystal Blackburn

I am a 27-year-old single mother of a wonderful 5-year-old son. As we all know, young children need a mother’s love, nurturing, understanding and undivided attention to mold them into upstanding and stable adults. It breaks my heart to say that I could not provide this for my child. Not because I did not want to work, but because I came home from work too tired to.

I worked a full-time job as a child care provider where every day I had to go way beyond my job description, some days taking on three positions, yet I was paid under $7 an hour.  At the end of the pay period, I didn’t have enough to make ends meet.  Day after day I came home mentally and physically exhausted.  Having nothing to show for all my hard work left me feeling bitter, angry, frustrated, helpless, but most of all unappreciated.  My son, not knowing what I was going through on a daily basis, just wanted my attention when I returned home and sometimes that was just too hard to give. 

I want to work every day and set a good example for my child. If I’m working a full-time job, and I’m coming home exhausted, I should be paid a fair wage that my child and I can survive on.

My story is not the only one. I have many family and friends who struggle the way that I do. I know a woman who felt like she had to stay in an unhealthy marriage because she was financially dependant on her husband.  When this woman finally got the courage to leave the marriage, she and her children struggled to make it on her pay. Her options were very limited and she soon returned back to her unhealthy marriage.

Low-wage work makes people feel bitter and unappreciated.  It gives people a sense of hopelessness and they get discouraged. I see this all the time. People just give up. We need the raise, and we need respect. Please support this bill.