Video Related To: Hilda Solis

In her remarks at the National Action Network's 14th Annual Convention in Washington, DC on Thursday, April 12, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis shared her personal experiences growing up in a Teamster household. Solis credited the union with providing her family the security of strong wages and benefits that allowed them to move up into the middle class and fondly recalled when her father became a steward for his bargaining unit at work. "One of the proudest moments I had was when he became the shop steward for his Teamster union and organized immigrant workers who couldn't speak English," Solis said. "He said -- I'm going to stand up for these workers." Solis shared how her father's work helped provide good wages, benefits and retirement plans for workers throughout the community. His job also provided her with the opportunity to become the first of her seven siblings to go to college. Her younger sisters followed in her footsteps, with some even receiving Teamster scholarships. "That's what put our foot in the door to be in the middle class," Solis said. "My father and us, we stood tall -- we were one of the first families in our neighborhood to own our own home. That gave us so much pride -- having a piece of the American Dream."