By Basant El-Faramawy
Dolores Huerta, the labor leader and civil rights icon who co-founded the United Farm Workers union, died Wednesday at the age of 96. Her family announced her death in a statement released through her foundation, saying she died at home of cancer.
Co-founded United Farm Workers
Huerta spent decades working to improve conditions in the United States’ fruit and vegetable fields. In 1962, she and César Chávez founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America. She served as a key leader and negotiator, helping to organize the five-year Delano Grape Strike and securing the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers.
Iconic slogan and honors
Huerta coined the rallying cry “Sí, se puede!” — “Yes, it can be done” — which became a widespread slogan for social movements. Her work earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, nine honorary doctorates, and induction as the first Latina into the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Schools, streets, and murals across several states bear her name.
Allegations against César Chávez
In 2026, Huerta disclosed that she had been sexually abused by César Chávez in the 1960s, resulting in two children who were raised by other families. She said she kept the secret for 60 years out of fear it would undermine the farmworker movement. The revelation sent shockwaves through the Latino community.
Early life and activism
Born Dolores Clara Fernandez in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico, Huerta was the daughter of a miner and union activist who later served in the state legislature. After her parents divorced, her mother moved the family to California, where Huerta grew up among diverse working-class communities. She became an elementary school teacher in the San Joaquin Valley but left teaching to organize farmworkers after seeing children come to class hungry and without shoes.
Political engagement and later years
Huerta was jailed 22 times for union demonstrations. In 1988, she suffered serious injuries, including broken ribs and a pulverized spleen, when a police officer struck her with a baton during a protest against George H.W. Bush. She later shifted focus to women’s rights, encouraging Latinas to run for office, and campaigned for Democratic presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Well into her 90s, she maintained a busy schedule of protests and speeches on race, poverty, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s rights.
Legacy and documentary
A 2025 documentary, “Seeds of Change: The Life and Legacy of Dolores Huerta,” chronicled her decades of activism. Huerta said she hoped her legacy would be that of an organizer who fought injustice, leaving future generations an inheritance of justice rather than material wealth.
