“Both my husband and I work in retail. I’ve worked for...

“Both my husband and I work in retail. I’ve worked for eighteen years at the Macy’s on 34th street. I wake up at 5:30 every morning, make the kids breakfast, and get them to school by 7:30. Then I go to work for six hours, then take my son to therapy, and pick up my daughter from dance practice. We catch the nineteen bus to the two train, and ride it to the last stop. We’re normally home by seven so I have time to eat dinner before going to sleep at nine. I’m busting my hump for these kids. My parents were from the Dominican Republic. My dad only finished the third grade. He’d always tell me to finish school, but it never really went beyond words. He never helped me with my homework. He was always working and he just didn’t know any better. So I’m making sure that I’m involved with everything. I go to the open houses, the meetings, and all the school functions. I’m busting my hump so they won’t have to.”