Entrant's Full Name
Ellie Soltero

Bio
My name is Ellie Soltero. I’m a 47 years old gal from Long Beach, California. I’m a single mother of three sons, ages 24, 21 and 17. I have been employed for 18 years for L.A. County.

Although everything in my life has fallen into place, it has not been an easy road getting there. I’m the only daughter of three children and was raised in a very strict family environment. As a teen I didn’t know how difficult it would be to raise children, let alone as a single parent. I now thank my parents for the family values they taught me.

In my twenties I settled down and started having children, but suddenly my happy home drastically changed into a very difficult time in my life. I became a victim of domestic violence which made me have very low self-esteem. I decided to leave the relationship with my children; it was the scariest time in my life. I had no job, no money and small children to take care of. My parents took me and my children in while I tried to get my life back together. I had low paying jobs that barely paid for child care. I enrolled in a vocational class that gave me a certificate in order to find a better job, but that job also didn’t pay enough and had no medical benefits. I decided to apply for a job with the County of Los Angeles, hoping they would give me a chance without work experience in the office work field. In 1998 they hired me. Though the pay was still low, I was still happy because I now had medical benefits for my children. I worked my way up to the current position I’m in now and I can say that I am greatly blessed. I could have not done it without my supervisor’s support and understanding. She understood my dilemma of being a single working parent. She allowed me time to attend school activities, doctor appointments for my children and even my own. I also thank my parents for being there for me and my boys, for believing in me that one day I would overcome all the difficult times we went through.

Years have gone by and now I have two adult sons and one teenager. Now my elderly parents are in need of my support, even though they’re still very independent. I look after them in case they need something, just like they did with me. After years of hard work and raising my boys I finally had extra time for myself, but the funny thing is I didn’t know what to do with the spare time. I’m not the type of person that know how to relax, I have to be doing something most of the time.

One day I was inspired after seeing so many homeless people. I thought to myself what is going on, there are so many homeless people all over the city, and I wish I could help them because not everyone has support when they fall on hard times. I was amazed of the amount of people that didn’t have a place to sleep. All I could think is that they are someone’s son, daughter, sister, brother, even mother or father. It really saddened me. I don’t judge people; everyone should to be treated with respect no matter what situation they’re in. I decided to research community organizations.

I came across RMD, a group that not only gives back to the community but they also dress in vintage style. I loved their style and thought they looked very classy. As I went through their Chapter profiles, I was amazed of all the beautiful women involved and all the community work they do. I was a little intimidated to contact them. I went on with my routine as always but in back of my mind I was still thinking about RMD. After two months I went back and researched further and discovered that they had a new Chapter in Long Beach California. I couldn’t believe it right in my own city. In January, I decided to contact the Long Beach Chapter and get more information about their organization. They were friendly and informative. They invited me to attend their January Meet and Greet Chapter meeting. I was very excited, I thought this organization was perfect for me and I could do something productive and give back to the community. When I arrived they were very friendly and made me feel welcomed, I sat down and listened to their ideas. I also noticed how they complimented each other and empowered one another. I was motivated and decided to come to their next meeting.

I joined RMD in February 2016. I think I made the right choice. This sisterhood is amazing, being the only girl in my family; I felt I gained many sisters something I always wished for.