Esta Soler

Esta Soler (born June 26, 1947 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, US) is an American activist who founded the social justice organization Futures Without Violence, and serves as president of FUTURES.

Early life

Soler was born in Bridgeport in 1947. She graduated from Simmons College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968, then obtained her master's degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut.

Advocacy

Soler became interested in anti-violence advocacy after heading a speech from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Bridgeport. In 1971, she became a social worker in San Francisco, assisting women in a drug treatment program. Solar learned that many of the women with drug dependencies had also suffered domestic abuse, and that trauma from that abuse was a leading contributor to their addictions. She also learned that law enforcement did not take domestic violence seriously, and frequently did not arrest the abusers. Soler established the Family Violence Prevention Fund in San Francisco in 1980 to develop responses to domestic violence nationwide.[1] Soler has served a consultant and/or advisor for the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Aspen Institute, and the Soros Justice Fellowship Program. Soler's work to prevent violence against women was featured on MAKERS, an interactive video and documentary project launched by AOL and PBS.[2] Soler delivered a TEDTalk charting 30 years of tactics and technologies—from the Polaroid camera to social media—that have shaped the movement to end domestic violence.[3]

Recognition
  • Koret Israel Prize in 1995
  • Kellogg Foundation National Leadership Fellowship 1998
  • University of California Public Health Heroes Award in 1998
  • Honors from the Center for the Advancement of Women
  • Leadership Award from the Coro Center for Civic Leadership
  • Mathew O. Tobriner Public Service Award from the Employment Law Center in San Francisco .
  • Honorary doctorate from Simmons College
  • UCSF in 2016. [4]

Public service

Soler serves on the boards of the Blue Shield of California Foundation and the Center for Family Policy and Practice Soler was a member of the Violence Against Women National Advisory Council under Health & Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and Attorney General Janet Reno.[1]

References
  1. Lev, Rachel (2003). Shine the Light: Sexual Abuse and Healing in the Jewish Community. UPNE. p. xvii. ISBN 9781555535346.
  2. "Esta Soler, Founder, Futures Without Violence". Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  3. "Esta Soler, Violence and abuse prevention expert". TED Conferences LLC. Retrieved 5 September 2016.
  4. "UCSF Medal". Office of the Chancellor. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
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