(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)