“Even when I was working two minimum wage jobs, it was hard to support my wife and two daughters – but then I lost one of the jobs and everything changed. We had to move in with my sister’s family. My wife and I sleep on one side of the living room and the girls are crammed in on the other side. We’re doing everything we can to try to get by on my $9 an hour factory job, but it’s been tough.

One of the hardest things is trying to decide how to spend our money. Both my daughters are top students. Our 16-year-old Karla takes Advanced Placement classes, is on Honor Roll, and plans to become a doctor. But we can’t afford internet access, so she has to stay late at school to do her homework and then walk home, which makes me and my wife very worried. Our seven-year-old Daniela is also on Honor Roll. Plus she’s an amazing mariachi singer – but she’s had to give up her music lessons because we can’t afford them anymore. We are now thinking about moving out of California. Even though this is our home, we need to find better jobs and a better life for our daughters.

My family is part of the Lift Up California campaign because we want to stay here and keep contributing to the state we love.”

– Guillermo Alvarado