Wielding signs under the blazing July sun, 200 people rallied at Bayfront Park Tuesday afternoon to encourage Congress to increase the federal minimum wage.
Members of local advocacy group 1Miami were joined by other supporters and minimum wage workers to argue against keeping wages low in a time when cost of living continues to increase. The minimum wage in Florida is $7.67 per hour, slightly higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, last adjusted in 2009.
If minimum wage kept up with inflation, according to 1Miami, workers would be earning $10.55 per hour.
"Their fight is our fight, their struggle is our struggle," 1Miami director Eric Brakken told the crowd gathering around the Challenger Memorial.
Before the downtown rally, participants and political candidates took a bus trip through the city to visit Miami neighborhoods and businesses who would be impacted by a minimum wage increase by Congress. With more money in workers' pockets, they were told, more money goes into the economy.
At Bayfront Park, the group shared stories of living paycheck to paycheck or being taken advantage of by their employers. Bread and roses lay on the ground to recall the Lawrence Textile Strike of 100 years ago, which helped pave the way for setting minimum wage, and establishing work hours and better workplace conditions.
Joe Garcia, a Democratic candidate for Congress, promised the crowd, "We're going to invest in America, not offshore jobs."
Party colleague and attorney Jose Javier Rodriguez, who is running for state representative, sued Gov. Rick Scott last year when Scott wanted to decrease minimum wage to keep with the state's deflation.
"That's not how our constitution was written," Rodriguez told HuffPost.
Check out seven people we met at the rally -- and find out why they turned out to protest:
Why are you fighting to increase the minimum wage?
Marcus Edgerson(01 of18)
Open Image Modal"[The minimum wage not being increased] affects me by not being able to take care of my family."A Walmart cart collector, Edgerson is a former Marine and father to a newborn child. He said that as a veteran, he is disappointed that after serving his country he is living in poverty. He makes $7.70 an hour. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
Alison Austin(02 of18)
Open Image ModalJaimie Mancham-Case(03 of18)
Open Image ModalFrantz Maurose(04 of18)
Open Image ModalHenry Urbina(05 of18)
Open Image Modal"I make too little and it's not enough to pay the bills. I support the union because only when we come together can we make changes."Urbina is a janitor at a luxury high rise in downtown Miami, he said through a translator, and his hourly wages vary from $7.67 to $8.50. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
Andrea Muñez(06 of18)
Open Image Modal"The cost of living in Miami is increasing all the time along with food prices and gasoline, so when salaries remain stagnant it's difficult for people to survive."Although she is not personally affected by minimum wage, Muñez came out as a resident in support of those who are. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
Eric Brakken(07 of18)
Open Image Modal"Miami really is a tale of two cities: people here make a lot of money, but the majority of Miamians are making minimum wage... In order to make our city a better city we need to raise minimum wage here."Brakken is the executive director of 1Miami, an activist group that organized the rally. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(08 of18)
Open Image ModalEric Brakken, executive director of 1Miami, speaks to the crowd. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(09 of18)
Open Image ModalA pile of loaves of bread and roses. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(10 of18)
Open Image ModalThe crowd at the "Raise My Wage" rally. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(11 of18)
Open Image ModalThe crowd at the "Raise My Wage" rally. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(12 of18)
Open Image ModalThe crowd at the "Raise My Wage" rally. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(13 of18)
Open Image ModalFormer restaurant worker Frantz Maurose speaks to the crowd. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(14 of18)
Open Image ModalA woman hands out roses at the rally. (credit:HuffPost Miami)
(15 of18)
Open Image ModalThe crowd at the "Rage My Wage" rally. (credit:Richard M. Gibson)
(16 of18)
Open Image ModalThe crowd at the "Raise My Wage" rally. (credit:Richard M. Gibson)
(17 of18)
Open Image ModalA group marches through Miami. (credit:Richard M. Gibson)
(18 of18)
Open Image ModalA group marches through Miami. (credit:Richard M. Gibson)