Fuentes, Sonia Pressman

Lawyer and feminist, Fuentes worked at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 1965-1973, some of this time as chief of the legislative counsel division. She was a founder of the National Organization for Women, Women's Equity Action League, and Federally Employed Women, and has lectured widely on women's rights.

From the description of Papers, 1965-1990 (inclusive). (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232007571

• 1928 - 1936 : Berlin, Germany Berlin Land Berlin Berlin Born in 1928 in Berlin, Germany, to Hinda and Zysia Pressman, who were originally from Poland but had lived in Germany about 20 years. She had one older brother, Hermann, born in 1914. Antwerp, Belgium Antwerpen Antwerpen In 1933, leaves Germany with parents to escape Nazis and join Hermann, who had moved to Antwerp, Belgium some months earlier New York New York In April 1934, emigrates with family to New York and arrives May 1. Settles in Bronx. Woodridge, New York Woodridge In 1936, leaves Bronx for Woodridge, New York, in the Catskills
• 1941 - 1946 : Monticello, New York Monticello In 1941, leaves Woodridge for Monticello, New York in the Catskills In 1946, graduates as valedictorian, Monticello High School (Monticello, New York)
• 1946 - 1950 : Attends Cornell University and graduates Phi Beta Kappa with B.A. in liberal arts
• 1954 - 1957 : Attends University of Miami Law School and graduates summa cum laude and first in her class in 1957; soon after, passes Florida and D.C. bar exams
• 1957 - 1959 : Works as law clerk and then attorney with the United States Department of Justice, Office of Alien Property, under Attorney General's program for honor law graduates
• 1959 - 1965 : Works for National Labor Relations Board On March 26, 1963, testifies in Congress before House Committee on Education and Labor in favor of Equal Pay Act, on behalf of Washington, D.C. chapter of American Civil Liberties Union
• 1965 - 1972 : In 1965, begins work at Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as first woman attorney in Office of the General Counsel; later becomes chief of the Legislative Counsel Division of the General Counsel's Office. Responsibilities include enforcing Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. Drafts lead EEOC decision, which determines that practice of airlines to terminate employment of stewardesses when they reach age 32 or 35 or marry, is discriminatory and violates Title VII. In 1965-1966, meets Betty Friedan in EEOC's General Counsel's office and suggests to her that what this country needs is an organization to fight for women like the NAACP fights for African Americans. On October 29-30, 1966, attends organizing conference for National Organization for Women (NOW). Meets in Washington, D.C., apartment of Mary Eastwood with Mary Eastwood, Phineas Indritz, and Caruthers Berger to draft letters to EEOC demanding that action be taken in various areas involving women's rights. In 1968, becomes co-founder of Women's Equity Action League (WEAL) and Federally Employed Women (FEW) In 1970, marries Roberto Fuentes; daughter Zia born in 1972 In November 1972, due to Fuentes' illness, Catherine East delivers Fuentes' testimony on EEOC's experience implementing sex discrimination prohibitions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 before a select committee of United Kingdom's House of Lords. Anti-sex discrmiination legislation subsequently passes in England.
• 1973 - 1981 : Stamford, Connecticut Stamford In 1973, leaves EEOC and begins work as senior attorney at headquarters of General Telephone Electronics Service Corporation (GTE) in Stamford, Connecticut Tokyo Tokyo Tokyo Racecourse Ark Hotel Tokyo Smile Hotel Tokyo Nihombashi Hotel Jal City Haneda Tokyo Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington H Tokyo Heliport Le Meridien Pacific Tokyo Tobu Hotel Levant Tokyo Day Nice Hotel Tokyo Tokyo Electron America Emergency Response Team Tokyo Slough Tokyō Heiya Tokyo Tower Century Hyatt Tokyo Dai-Ichi Tokyo Seafort Tokyo Twin Parks University of Tokyo Hilton Tokyo Narita Airport Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology Tokyo Prince Hotel Tokyo Conrad Tokyo Fukuoka, Japan Fukuoka Fukuoka-shi Fukuoka-ken Fukuoka Thailand Kingdom of Thailand Singapore Republic of Singapore Indonesia Republic of Indonesia Philippines Republic of the Philippines France Republic of France Germany. Federal Republic of Germany In 1974, gives talks on women's rights in Tokyo and Fukuoka, Japan, and meets with leaders in various fields as American specialist on women's rights for United States Information Agency. In 1977, travels to Thailand,Singapore,Indonesia, and the Philippines for three weeks in same capacity. In 1978, goes on USIA speaking tour to France and Germany. Fairfield County, Connecticut Fairfield County New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan Co-founds the organization Women In Management (WIM) in Fairfield County, Connecticut and serves on board of directors of Woman's Place in New Canaan, Connecticut On March 27, 1980, she and Roberto Fuentes divorce, after being separated since end of 1978
• 1981 - 1984 : Euclid, Ohio Euclid Leaves GTE Service Corporation at end of 1981 and commences work with TRW Inc. in Euclid, Ohio, in 1982. Responsible for corporate equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. In 1984, leaves TRW Inc.
• 1986 - 1993 : In 1986, begins work in Legislative Counsel Division, Office of the General Counsel, at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Washington, D.C. In March 1988, HUD selects her for Legis Fellows program, government-wide program to give federal employees congressional experience; works for Senator Howard Metzenbaum on Senate Subcommittee on Labor, and Representative Nancy Pelosi. Fuentes, Mary Eastwood, and Catherine East arrange all-day reunion of NOW founders held on October 24, 1986, in Washington, D.C., to celebrate 20th anniversary of founding of NOW. During meeting, those present recount how they became involved in women's rights and became co-founders of NOW, which comments are taped. In 1990, becomes member of Board of Trustees of National Woman's Party. Becomes charter member of Veteran Feminists of America (VFA), 1992. In 1990, diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoes treatment. In March 1993, participates, as the representative of the American Cancer Society, in the First International Conference on Women's Health in China. In 1993, retires as federal government attorney and subsequently embarks on new careers as writer and public speaker
• 1996 - 2000 : In 1996, Betty Friedan presents her with Veteran Feminists of America Medal of Honor at VFA program in Washington, D.C. In 1999, receives Women at Work Award given by Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) in Washington, D.C. Also, her memoir, Eat First -- You Don't Know What They'll Give You: The Adventures of an Immigrant Family and Their Feminist Daughter , is published by XLibris. In 2000, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees creates Gallery of Prominent Refugees, which includes Fuentes, to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Inducted into the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in Annapolis.

Additional biographical information and current activities of Sonia Pressman Fuentes are available on her web site: www.erraticimpact.com/fuentes/.

From the guide to the Papers of, Sonia Pressman Fuentes, (inclusive), (bulk), ca.1929-2009, 1955-2009, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)