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The city’s annual prayer breakfast to honor the life of Martin Luther King Jr. on Friday at times turned into an election-year pep rally for Illinois Democrats to push the idea of a minimum wage hike.The invitation-only event ahead of Monday’s King holiday drew more than 700 civic, business and religious leaders to honor the Rev. Willie T. Barrow. The 89-year-old South Shore civil rights activist was given an award to honor her work, including her time as a field organizer for King during major civil rights marches and demonstrations in the 1950s and 1960s.Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin and Gov. Pat Quinn weren’t listed on the program, but both took the stage after guests dined on eggs and sliced melon. Both politicians who are seeking new terms this year tied their support for an increase of the minimum wage at the federal and state levels to King’s legacy of fighting for justice.Quinn said leaders today can’t “forget economic justice,” repeating his call for a $10 an hour state minimum wage standard. The state minimum wage is $8.25 an hour, $1 higher than the federal rate.
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Topic: City's MLK prayer breakfast turns into Democratic rally (Read 429 times)
