HILDA SOLIS

Fighting for what is right is not always popular but is always necessary.

No family should have to depend on the labor of its children to put food on the table and no person should be forced to work in captivity.

At times you feel like you're the only voice speaking out to improve the working conditions of people, whether it's to be able to collectively bargain, to get adequate pay, to know that you can come home safe out of a coal mine.

My father was a member of the Teamsters Union in California, where he helped to organize better health care for workers. My mother worked for more than 20 years on an assembly line.

My role was to bring about fairness in the workplace. All I did was implement the laws that were currently on the books.

Protecting children and vulnerable workers abroad is a part of our overall efforts here at the Department of Labor.

I saw the prospect of serving as labor secretary as a wonderful opportunity to further the policies that I have been fighting for my whole life, and I had to seize it.

I think President Obama wanted to have the right fit for his different cabinet positions, and I believe that experience is what mattered most to him. In my case, I have been working to improve the overall quality of life for working families for most of my adult life, and I think that experience resonated with the president.

The best advice I can give women at all levels is increase training. There are still areas where we have to break through that glass ceiling.

We need women to go through apprentice programs. I've seen women who did, and who are now highly trained electricians and welders. These are jobs that women are capable of doing.

At times you feel like you're the only voice speaking out to improve the working conditions of people, whether it's to be able to collectively bargain, to get adequate pay, to know that you can come home safe out of a coal mine.

My parents were both union members, and I grew up hearing how important it was to empower workers and have fair labor practices.

No one has the right to threaten the health, education, and well-being of children by involving them in illegal or inappropriate work.

Well, I'll tell you, one of things I'm proud of is for someone from Southern California, who didn't grow up around coal mines, I learned a lot that tragic day we lost twenty-nine miners at Upper Big Branch coal mine.

I want companies who get federal contracts to hire more women and minorities from the local area.

Typically, during recessionary times, particular groups suffer higher rates of unemployment -African Americans, and Latinos, and in some cases other minority groups. If you don't have a high level of training or education you're going to fall into that category.

The best advice I can give women at all levels is increase training. There are still areas where we have to break through that glass ceiling.

I think President Obama wanted to have the right fit for his different cabinet positions, and I believe that experience is what mattered most to him. In my case, I have been working to improve the overall quality of life for working families for most of my adult life, and I think that experience resonated with the president.

My father was a member of the Teamsters Union in California, where he helped to organize better health care for workers. My mother worked for more than 20 years on an assembly line.

I would hope more people would have optimism about where the Latino has come. How we have emerged, and that there will be more women, women of color especially Latinas who will get involved.

People have to be reminded that unions played a very historic role in our economy.

My role was to bring about fairness in the workplace. All I did was implement the laws that were currently on the books.

We need women to go through apprentice programs. I've seen women who did, and who are now highly trained electricians and welders. These are jobs that women are capable of doing.

Young people need the hands-on training that comes with a summer job. They need to know how to dress for success and nail job interviews. But most of all, they need mentorship, guidance, and inspiration.

Protecting children and vulnerable workers abroad is a part of our overall efforts here at the Department of Labor.

In my teens, I worked as an aide in my community supervising and mentoring youth in various programs and delivering lunches to needy students.

I saw the prospect of serving as labor secretary as a wonderful opportunity to further the policies that I have been fighting for my whole life, and I had to seize it.

No family should have to depend on the labor of its children to put food on the table and no person should be forced to work in captivity.

I grew up in a modest neighborhood just outside of Los Angeles. It was an industrial community of blue-collar, working people... some of the hardest-working people I've ever met.

My parents raised me and my six siblings with little money... but lots of love.

At the same time as we are closing our borders we are sending mixed signals to countries where we are helping the rich, and the poor will cross the borders to come here.

Fighting for what is right is not always popular but is always necessary.

Justice is not available to all equally; it is something that many of us must struggle to achieve.

Justice is not available to all equally; it is something that many of us must struggle to achieve. As an elected official, I know that fighting for what is just is not always popular but it is necessary; that is the real challenge that public servants face and it is where courage counts the most. Without courage, our action or inaction results in suffering of the few and injustice for all.

My niece was a sexual-assault victim. My sister is a survivor of domestic violence. We have more shelters for animals than for battered women. That's not the message we should be sending.