Throughout her career, Hilda Solis has been a champion for social, economic and environmental justice, advocating for the most vulnerable communities in Southern California. She made history in 1994 as the first Latina elected to the California state Senate.
For the past 10 years, Solis has served on the LA County Board of Supervisors, representing the 1st District. On this week’s “In Focus SoCal,” Renee Eng sits down with Solis to discuss her LA roots, being selected by a president and the issues she’s focusing on in her last term on the Board of Supervisors.
Raised in La Puente, Solis talked about the values she learned from her parents early in her life.
“They were both immigrants — one from Mexico, and one from Nicaragua. Raising their children, and really wanting to be the best parents, and wanting so much opportunity for their children. And always reminding us that the United States is one of the greatest countries in the world. And there is so much opportunity here. And you have to understand that, be thankful and take advantage of and seek out those opportunities. And that was something that was always a part of our family system, our values.”
Solis attained a bachelor's degree in political science from California State Polytechnic University, and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California. She moved to Washington, D.C., to work with the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs during the Jimmy Carter administration, and in the civil rights division of the Equal Opportunity Program at the Office of Management and Budget.
She returned to California in 1982, and became director of the California Student Opportunity and Access Program, to help disadvantaged youth prepare for college. She was elected as a trustee of Rio Hondo Community College, and also joined several local chambers of commerce, women's organizations and Latino organizations.
In 1992, she was elected to serve in the California Assembly, and two years later she became the first Latina to serve in the California Senate. In 2000, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
In 2009, Solis became the first Latina to hold a cabinet-level position, serving as the U.S. Secretary of Labor in the Obama administration. She reflected on her experiences and accomplishments during her time in the U.S. Cabinet.
“It really gave me an opportunity to travel the entire country in many ways and work very closely within then-Vice President Joe Biden on the recovery and implementing what they would call then The Recovery Act — The Stimulus Plan,” she said.
She added that she was particularly inspired by the work that was done to help people working in the devastated automobile industry.
“You could not imagine going in there and talking to people who have lost their livelihoods and to see their communities devastated. And then trying to come forward, giving them hope. But also infusing funding, and programs, and getting the right leadership there to help the communities,” she said.
In her last term, Solis continues her work as an advocate, serving the diverse communities of LA County. She shared a few key initiatives that she has been working on, including plans to turn the Puente Hills Landfill into a regional park that has been 30 years in the making.
“It's finally coming through, and I'm knocking on wood because I'm happy that it's coming full circle. That this landfill has now been closed, and it has been turned over to the Parks and Recreation Department,” she said.
“It’s going to help provide economic opportunities," she added. "But also, health-wise for people that live around that area, there will be bike trails, equestrian trails… there will also be an education environmental justice center.”
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