The White House released today the bios of those asked to attend the State of the Union Address in First Lady Michelle Obama’s box.
The list included Amber Morris, a Virginia Beach resident who responded to the White House’s call in December asking Americans “What does 40 mean to you?†by saying, “Forty dollars a pay check means that I’ll be able to pay my bills, but most months it’ll be a tight squeeze. It means that I’ll have no spending money which means I can’t do my part in encouraging my local economy. Forty dollars a paycheck may not seem a lot, but it could mean a steady job for me and my coworkers or unemployment.†Ms. Morris graduated from Northeastern Law School in 2008 and found herself unable to find a job in her field. She was working for a non-profit in Boston, but after they lost funding she found herself unemployed in 2009 and forced to move back home with her parents. She’s since found work as a waitress in a local restaurant and although it’s less than ideal, she feels “lucky to have paycheck†to help pay student loans and help save up for the Virginia bar exam.Â