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FORTUNE.COM// JA N.1 .19I STARTED IN RESIDENTIAL TRASHin 1998, riding on the back of garbage trucks
in eastern Michigan when I was 22. Eventually, I went to get my commer-
cial certification and started driving. Last fall I moved with my girlfriend to
Georgia. With five kids in the house, we thought our money would go fur ther. I
transferred to a driver position serving affluent communities like Alpharetta.
But the pay was less than two-thirds what I had been making. I bring home
$188 a day. We’re struggling. It takes three of my checks for us to meet the
rent. This was like setting me back 20 years.—AS TOLD TOGRACE DONNELLY
Looking for opportunity, finding littleWalter Ware, 40,
relocated for a better life—and found it just didn’t add up.
VIEWRashidaTlaib
Democratic
Congresswoman-
elect for Michigan’s
13th Congressional
DistrictThe rate at which
leaders roll over
and beg corpora-
tions to set up
shop is alarming.
Just four years
after Detroit’s
bankruptcy,
we’ve had two bil-
lionaires and one
megacorporation
ask for millions of
dollars in public
money for private
developments.
So more work-
ing-class commu-
nities are creating
community-
benefits move-
ments requiring
corporations
that want public
handouts to
enter into legally
binding agree-
ments demanding
sustainable re-
sources for host
communities.
From capitalizing
housing trust
funds, which
allow low-income
people to fix
up and stay in
homes, to creat-
ing job training
programs in
schools, these
economic stimuli
will give families
the opportunity
to thrive.PHOTOGRAPHBYMELISSA GOLDENTLAIB:^CAROLYN^ KASTER—AP/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK