We all want to provide for our families and look to a better future.

When people are doing well and have the resources to thrive as well as survive, our economy does better, too. For too long, Virginia policymakers took the low road, working to keep wages down and limit help for families who are struggling to make ends meet. They justified this through anti-Black racism, and these low-road policies continue to keep people who are Black, immigrants, and women from getting by and getting ahead. It doesn’t have to be this way. By coming together, people in Virginia have succeeded in setting Virginia on a path to a $15 minimum wage, removing some racist exemptions from the minimum wage law, and strengthening cash assistance for struggling families. We can build on these accomplishments to advance policies that create economic opportunity and allow families to thrive.