"Good afternoon. My name is Tracey Everett, and I am certified nursing assistant who cares for the sick and elderly at Guilderland Manor Nursing Home. In addition to caring for people in need at work, I am a mother raising 5 children at home.

I’ve been at my job for 13 years. It took me all these years – and just recently, thanks to my union collective bargaining agreement – my wage rate increased to $15. That raise has been important – it has helped me put food on the table for my family, and there is not much more important than that. But even at $15, I cannot afford family health insurance and we receive our health care through Medicaid.

So for my family, we are still at poverty level, even when I’m working 2 or 3 extra shifts a week to make sure I can pay all the bills. When your wages allow you to pay the bills, you actually get to spend more time with your children.

I’m lucky that I have a strong support system that helps me with my children. What about so many of my co-workers who make $10 an hour and don’t have that kind of support? How can they afford child care? How can they afford health benefits? How long is it going to take them to come close to $15 if the legislature doesn’t raise the minimum wage by April 1?

And this is very important to me. If so many parents are forced to work extra shifts, or 2 or 3 jobs --- who is raising the children? Poverty is the biggest health hazard to our children and we can’t lift our children out of poverty unless parents make livable wages that allow them to provide for their children.

If I didn’t have to work so many hours, in addition to spending time with my family, I would work more with the groups in my community that are trying to create more programs for children. I am going to continue to speak for children who don’t have the power to speak for themselves. And right now, I am speaking out and letting everyone know that raising the minimum wage is all about making things better for our children and the future. Please join me in fighting for 15! Thank you."