Solis donated the $25,000 award to local environmental groups and, after some debate, decided to keep the second part of the prize, a silver lantern worth $10,000, as the California Fair Political Practices Commission ruled that accepting it would not violate the state's conflict-of-interest laws. Became the first woman to win the Profiles in Courage Award from the John F. On election night, Martinez blasted his rival as "obnoxious" and soon afterward switched to the Republican party. First elected to Congress in 2000 after defeating incumbent Matthew Martinezĭuring a bitterly fought primary campaign. In 1994, became the first Latina elected to the California state senate, where she successfully pushed through legislation to increase the minimum wage from $4.25 to $5.75 an hour. Reportedly lost 20 pounds while canvassing for her first seat in public office during her 1985 campaign to join the Rio Hondo Community College Board of Trustees. Served in the Office of Hispanic Affairs under the Carter Administration and later in the Office of Management and Budget while earning a master's degree at USC in 1981. ![]() As the third of seven children, Solis served as a role model for her younger siblings by becoming the first person in her family to attend college, at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Solis' mother, a native of Nicaragua, worked on an assembly line while her father, a Mexican immigrant, worked as a steward for the Teamsters union. Born in 1957 to Juana and Raul Solis, who met in citizenship classes in California. Solis might very well agree with the "unyielding" part: she told the Los Angeles Times in 2000 that compromising "just to keep things moving along" is her least favorite part of the job. But some Republicans have taken issue with her legislative approach, deriding her as an unyielding advocate of environmentalists and labor groups. ![]() The four-term Congresswoman has spent the better part of two decades championing workers' rights, including the Employee Free Choice Act, a new bill that would make it easier for workers to organize. When President-elect Barack Obama tapped California Democrat Hilda Solis to be his administration's Labor Secretary, union leaders across the country rejoiced.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |