Raising the minimum wage to $15/hour (at least) is critical to advancing racial equity. Our starter viz illustrates how to use Atlas data and Tableau to create a viz making the case for a $15/hour minimum wage in Dallas. This tutorial describes how you can create this viz for your community using Atlas data and Tableau. 

You will need to access the Starter Viz Workbook and Tableau software, and instructions on how to access both are included below.

Step 1: Download the $15/hour workbook 

[need card here for Starter Viz that downloads the Tableau Workbook when you click on the card]

Step 2: Open in Tableau

Visit our Using Tableau page (link inserted) to access Tableau Public.

Step 3: Customize your own $15/hr viz

Follow the guide below to customize your own $15/hour viz for your community.

1. Adjust for your geography: 

Select your city/county/state in the filter

[screenshot of workbook with arrows/directions for geo change filter]

2. What does the data show?

Review the data for your selected geography and highlight key takeaways from the data that show who currently earns a living wage in your community.

Guiding questions to consider:

• What share of workers earn at least $15/hour? How has it changed over time? Does that trend look different for white workers than for workers of color? 

• Which racial group is the most likely to earn a living wage? Do you observe any differences by race?

• When looking at race and gender, which workers are the least likely to earn at least $15/hour? How has that changed over time?

• Look at immigrant versus US-born workers: do you observe any differences based on nativity?

• Look at ancestry to observe subgroups within each population: do you observe any differences between subgroups? Are all subgroups able to access $15/hour wages at the same rate as the racial group overall? 

• Has higher education attainment changed over time for the overall population? How about within each racial group? Are workers with similar education attainment equally likely to be earning at least $15/hour across racial groups? Do differences in educational attainment explain the different rates?

Consider adding:

Help your audience understand who are the workers that a living wage would most benefit. Interview workers that currently earn less than $15/hour about their experiences and include quotes or insights from those interviews in the viz. 

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3. Help your audience understand the context and why this matters:

In the Tableau workbook, edit the text to include key information that would ensure your audience understands what current wage conditions are for workers in your community, and why a $15/hour or living wage would improve equity and how it would impact the local economy.

Guiding questions to consider:

• What is the current minimum wage in your city/state? What is the current tipped wage?

• When was it last updated? Does it match the living wage needs? (If you are unsure of the living wage for your location, check out the MIT Living wage calculator)

• Have there been any key legislative changes or laws regarding minimum wage in your city/county/state?

• Who comes to mind when most people imagine a worker in your community that would benefit from $15/hour? Is that an accurate profile? Consider including a profile or quote of someone who is a stronger example of the characteristics of a key population who is currently not earning a living wage in your city/county/state.

 [screenshot with arrows/directions for where to edit text for “Why this Matters” section]

4. Include Equity Solutions:

In the Tableau workbook, edit the text to include key information that would ensure your audience understands what specific policies and actions they can support and advocate for that would ensure a living wage for all workers.

 Guiding questions to consider:

• Why would a $15/hr minimum wage improve equity in your city/county/state?

• What can your policymakers do to ensure that all workers are paid a living wage?

• Is there any specific legislation currently being discussed?

• What can businesses do to ensure that all their workers are paid a living wage?

• What do you want your audience to take as a next step to support a living wage for all workers?

• Are there additional resources you want to include to help people learn more or take next steps? Consider including links to resources and organizations.

Consider adding these equity solutions to your viz:

• Raise the minimum wage federally and at the local or state level

• Enact living-wage laws that require government offices and contractors to pay living wages

• Strengthen workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively for a living wage, including passing the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act

• Establish standards to ensure public investments in economic development and infrastructure create living-wage jobs

• Pursue full-employment economic policies that promote hiring, increased work hours,  and living wages for low-wage workers

• At the federal level, institute a federal jobs guarantee, dedicate 1 percent of infrastructure investments to a fund for inclusive job and contracting supports, enact a $15/hour minimum wage for all workers, require paid sick leave and family leave for all workers, and guarantee workers’ right to organize at scale.

[screenshot with arrows/directions for where to edit text for Equity Solutions section]

5. Publish your Dashboard

You can now click publish to see your final dashboard! In the File menu, click on Save to Tableau Public As… Once the workbook has uploaded successfully, you will automatically be taken to your Tableau Public profile page, where you can view your final dashboard. Click on Edit details in the top pop-up banner to edit your title, description, and select settings including if you want to allow others to download and explore the workbook. You can also export the visualization as an image, PowerPoint or PDF file, or use the embed code to embed the visualization on your website. 

Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to publish your workbook.