At the time, Shirley and I were both over 65, living on Social Security, and raising three grandchildren while Shirley was undergoing cancer treatment. We told the County we couldn’t afford to pay these fees. The County’s response was to put us on a $25 per month payment plan, which was still difficult to manage. After doing our best to make the monthly payments for more than a decade, we still owed thousands of dollars.
After struggling with this debt for so many years and still owing so much money, I went to the juvenile courthouse and started knocking on doors asking for help. Eventually, I met a public defender who helped us arrange a hearing, at which a judge ruled that we no longer needed to make payments due to our financial circumstances. This is when we learned that state law required the County to consider our financial circumstances before requiring us to make payments, which they never did. Nor did they tell us that we could have asked a judge to review our case to decide if we could afford to pay the fees. Instead, we were told to make payments, even though we couldn’t afford them. And we lived with the stress of this enormous debt for years.
Freeman v. County of Riverside
Even though we no longer had to make payments in our case, we chose to join a lawsuit to represent other parents and guardians who, like us, were pursued by the County for years even though they couldn’t afford to pay. We were hesitant—it was hard to revisit our struggles, and we worried about how it might affect our reputation. But Shirley and I believe in “love thy neighbor” and wanted to stand up for others.
Felecia Phillips Ollie DD (h.c.) is the inspiring leader and founder of The Equality Network LLC (TEN). With a background in coaching, travel, and a career in news, Felecia brings a unique perspective to promoting diversity and inclusion. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English/Communications, she is passionate about creating a more inclusive future. From graduating from Mississippi Valley State University to leading initiatives like the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program, Felecia is dedicated to making a positive impact. Join her journey on our blog as she shares insights and leads the charge for equity through The Equality Network.
