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Last year in May, I received my Bachelor of Arts in Media Communication. The last semester of my senior year was stressful, as every class I was enrolled in had to move online. Oh, not to mention, I was an essential worker, working full-time hours while being a full-time student.

We're still in the middle of a pandemic, it has been over a year now and many Americans still have to scrap for chump change in order to keep their bills paid. We live in a country where the government thought a one-time payment of $1,200 was enough to keep families satisfied. Not to mention, many working-class families lost their jobs and millions of people weren't approved for unemployment benefits. Y'all ex-office holder, the orange guy, thought COVID-19 was a hoax and decided to wave it off as if it was the flu 2.0. We're not far from reaching 500,000 deaths from COVID in America alone. As many of the individuals who are a part of the higher class got to work from home, essential workers didn't have a choice but to go to work every day.

That “burger flipper” and “grocery store worker” are the reason you and your families ate during this pandemic.

So, yes, they deserve a raise. For me, it’s the fact that people with degrees are mad at essential workers because they’re underpaid. At this point, if you feel like a McDonald’s worker getting paid the same salary as you is “unfair,” that sounds like a personal problem. We’re all trying to survive in this country, but it’s unfair that many citizens have to choose between buying groceries and paying their bills — even with two jobs.

It’s disgusting that many citizens have to get two or more jobs just to “get by.” There’s no way people should have to work over 40 hours to make a somewhat decent amount of money, while corporations make billions.

I must admit, when I was younger, I didn’t think people who worked at fast food restaurants deserved higher pay. I thought it was a simple job and all they do is “flip burgers,” as a lot of childish people like to say. Yet, as I grew up and learned more about life, I noticed that these people work their butts off. I don’t even think I can fathom the thought of working in a hot kitchen for eight hours while being insulted by customers.

For those who are saying, “they should’ve gone to college and done better with their lives,” are you serious? I have a degree and am fully aware of how you can be successful without one. I went to college solely because that’s the path I chose.

News flash, college is not for everyone. There are people with degrees out here struggling as well. Be humble.

If you don’t think these people deserve a live-able wage, I’d love to see some of y’all do their jobs. I bet you'd fold.

To the people who think life will be expensive if minimum wage increases, what y’all think it is now? The price of rent increases almost every year, whether people have money or not.

Give them their coins.