THE GREASE
TRAP
“Tonight, let’s declare that in
the wealthiest nation on Earth, no
one who works full-time should
have to live in poverty,” he said.
Political opponents and some
business leaders protested that
businesses would have to lay off
workers in order to absorb the
higher labor costs. At the same
time, some liberals raised concerns that the president’s proposal didn’t go far enough, suggesting
that workers would need at least
$15 an hour to escape poverty.
For Barrera, escaping poverty
would mean moving out of the
windowless room in his uncle’s
HUFFINGTON
05.12.13
basement, where he’s been living free of charge for nearly a year.
“Look at that,” he said one recent day as he showed a reporter
around the space, flicking his hand
in embarrassment at a threadbare
Scarface pillowcase. “I’ve had that
since I was in high school.”
He pointed to the South American blanket on his bed. “Lama
hair is the warmest,” he explained.
Barrera’s parents are Ecuadoran
immigrants, and there were nights
in the unheated basement when
he felt very grateful for the traditional wisdom of the Andes.
The room smelled of mold and
dampness. There were no closets
and no television. Barrera sold his
TV to a friend. He said he rarely
Barrera
holds up a
picture of his
grandparents
he keeps in
his room at
his uncle’s
house in
Queens.