In the story of Seattle’s $15 an hour minimum wage fight, there is much to be learned. Most notably, momentum shifted when working people were seen as people, not just workers. They’re seen as our neighbors first, not activists. Instead of talking about their jobs, they’ve talked about their lives, their families, their struggles, and their aspirations. The debate became focused not on the workplace itself, but rather on Seattle’s communities and economic future. The result has been new perceptions of who low-wage workers are, what they deserve, and whether they matter.