Emely Soliz

When one thinks of important female figures, they picture Rosa Parks or Hillary Clinton. I, instead, think of my aunt Soñia Solis. Soñia Solis is not only my aunt, but she was one of the first females in my family to vote. She was 24 years old when she first voted in the elections of 2000. George W. Bush was her candidate of choice because she believed that he would make great decisions that would lead our country to a better future, not only for herself, but also for her children. With her accomplishments in mind, I hope to vote just as she once did because every vote makes a difference and every voice deserves to be heard.

To begin with, my aunt Soñia Solis was born into hardworking middle-class family in the year 1977 in central Mexico in a town called Durango. Her father and mother are named Rafael Delgado and Yolanda Delgado. Her household was built hand made by her father. Her household consisted of 10 individuals, this included her four sisters, three brothers, and her mother and father. Her family then moved to Nuevo Laredo also located in Mexico for a certain amount of time for them to then move to America for a better future. She lived in Nuevo Laredo for a decade. During that time, she attended an elementary school, which was named Benito Juarez, where she completed only up to fifth grade.

After a decade, her family decided to move to America in a small town in Laredo, Texas as permanent residents. In the year 1990, she attended D.D Hachar for her to repeat her fifth-grade year due to her moving into a new country. In the year 1991, she attended Cigarroa Middle School. she began with remedial classes due to her struggle with the English language, she mentioned that she would often get bullied due to not being able to write, speak or read the English language. However, by the end of her middle school years she was in advanced classes as in Pre - AP classes. She accomplished this due to her hardworking dedication to learn the English language. In addition, in the year 1994, she attended Cigarroa High School, where she participated in various extracurricular activities such as volleyball, and track. In the year 1997, my aunt graduated high school early at age 17 because she was extremely advanced with all her credits she graduated with high academic grades.

In the year 1998, she attended Laredo Community College to pursue a degree in the medical field, she aspired to this degree because she found anatomy fascinating. Throughout that year, she married her high school sweetheart, his name was Mauricio Solis. My aunt’s maiden name was Soñia Delgado; when she married it was changed to Soñia Solis. In that same year, she became an official American citizen, she then decided to vote in the presidential election because she was now able to vote. When she was a resident, she was not able to elect the nation’s future president. She voted for George W. Bush Because she believed he would provide a great future for the United States America. She cared because she wanted to elect someone that would provide a better future not only for herself but for her family.

Harriet Tubman was born into the world of enslavement in the year 1822 in Dorchester county in Maryland. Harriet’s originally name was Araminta “Minty” Ross. Harriet changed her name in honor of her mother, and her last name when she married to a free colored man in 1844 named John Tubman. Harriet Tubman was a strong black woman who fought for her freedom and the freedoms of others, she would undertake any measures to succeed. She is known as America’s Joan of Arc, she was a political and social activist, an abolitionist, advocate for women’s suffrage, and a civil rights activist. Harriet Tubman is known for freeing hundreds of colored individuals under an underground railroad during the time of slavery and her patriotism in the union army of America.

To begin with, as I previously mentioned Harriet was born in the world of slavery in 1822. In 1825, Harriet started worked for households, then began working for the fields she was assigned to. The beginning of her years of slavery in Maryland were traumatic. Harriet grew sickly due to working hard labors. In addition to that, Harriet was almost killed by a hit in head of an iron weight object by a ruthless over-seer, intending to hit another fleeing slave. This caused Harriet to suffer from headaches and seizures all her life. To continue, Harriet Tubman’s owner passed away and left financial debt, the slaves including Harriet were sold in 1849. During that same year on September 17, Harriet escaped from the plantation she was sold to. Harriet traveled to Pennsylvania, which was a free state using the underground railroad, using her connections through this railroad, she guided her first family in their journey to freedom in December 1850.

As time went by, the Civil War began, Tubman worked as a cook and nurse in South Carolina. Harriet Tubman began to serve as a spy and was the first woman to lead a civil war assault in River Raid where around 700 slaves were set free. Around that time, President Abraham Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation which meant to set slaves free from the confederacy. In 1865, Harriet returned home to Auburn, New York after the end of the Civil War. However, in 1869 Harriet married Nelson Davis, he was 22 years younger than her, he then passed away on October 18, 1888. In 1889, Harriet contributed to women’s suffrage. In 1898, Harriet gave speeches in Boston, New York, and Washington to white women and black women. Harriet Tubman died at the age of ninety-three in 1913 of pneumonia, she was buried at the Fort Hill cemetery in New York, Auburn with military honors.

Moreover, the beginning of the Women’s Rights Movement began in 1848, when small groups of women who worked individually joined together in the National Women’s rights convention in Seneca falls, New York. These women listed rights that women disliked at that time, such as the right to own property, to attend college or enter professions that were male dominant–such as the law. After the Civil War ended, more women’s rights groups emerged. In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton created the National Women Suffrage Association, they wanted to amend the constitution to include women’s right to vote. With this in mind, Harriet Tubman’s supporters during the years of the underground railroad were involved in the women’s rights movement. Harriet believed in equality of all individuals no matter the color, race, or gender, which made Harriet sympathetic to the movement. Tubman was not a leader but was a strong supporter. Tubman would give speeches in Boston, New York and Washington as I previously mentioned about her favor in women’s suffrage rights and, about her own life experiences as a female slave and as a person who freed hundreds of enslaved. However, Harriet Tubman was most interested in the rights of African American women. In 1896, she was invited to the National Association of Colored Women as a guest speaker. To continue, Tubman’s speeches were very well known and always left people wanting more.

In summation, Harriet Tubman undertook severe measures to achieve her freedom and the freedom of other African Americans and she was involved in the women’s rights movement because she believed all are equal whether one is white or black or a man or a woman. Harriet believed in justice for all individuals.
 

With this in mind, I truly admire my aunt’s motivation in succeeding and her political decision, because as I previously mentioned, she was the first of my family members that elected a great president. Her political decision changed my way of thinking towards electing presidents.

According to her, she was well informed on the president that she elected, she was positive that he would contribute to nothing but the greatness of America. My aunt also made me realize that I should take advantage that I’m an American citizen and that, I don’t have to undergo though the process of being a permanent resident that is not able to vote. My aunt has encouraged and influenced me to vote, to make my voice be heard as hers was. This being said, I am motivated to follow her footsteps such as in her political decisions and her mindset in succeeding in our nation. Therefore, I now believe that voting is important because as I mentioned every vote makes a difference in our nation’s future. On the other hand, Harriet Tubman was another hardworking woman who was determined to succeed just as my aunt. This woman was also very much involved in political issues such as she fought for her people, and woman’s rights. Harriet Tubman was also an influence for me to fight for what I think right.

All in all, my aunt Soñia Solis is an important female figure that has influenced my mindset on political decisions and on life itself. When I will be eligible to vote I will follow my aunt’s way of electing a great leader that will lead our country into a better nation.