U.S. Leaders and Activists Honor Labor Icon Dolores Huerta After Her Death

Dolores Huerta, the civil-rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) and helped organize the 1965 Delano grape strike, died at age 96 on Wednesday. Across the United States, lawmakers, union officials and community leaders praised her decades-long work for farm-worker rights, immigration reform and gender equality.

“From the fields of California to the halls of Congress and the White House, Dolores dedicated her life to ensuring that every voice – especially those too often silenced – was heard,” said Hector Sanchez Barba, president of the voter-mobilization group Mi Familia Vota. UFW president Teresa Romero added, “Dolores fought for farm workers to the very end of her life. The greatest possible tribute to her life is for her work of organizing to continue.”

California officials also commemorated Huerta. Governor Gavin Newsom called her “the best of us,” while former House speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Dolores was a dear friend, and we all responded to her rallying cry, ‘Sí se puede,’ which inspired generations of Americans.” Senator Alex Padilla emphasized that “the best tribute we can pay is to carry on the work, which means standing with workers, defending civil rights and organizing for a more just California.”

National figures joined the remembrances. Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris noted, “I was blessed to know Dolores for many years and proud to organize alongside my dear friend to champion working families and immigrant rights.” Senator Xavier Becerra, a former California attorney general, said, “Dolores never let us forget where she came from. Sí, se pudo.”

New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez highlighted Huerta’s impact on labor and immigrant advocacy, stating, “She continued to fight for the idea that when ordinary people come together, they can change the course of history.” Former labor secretary Hilda Solis recalled Huerta’s mentorship, noting that she “remained a constant in my life” and “stood with workers fighting for their rights.”

Huerta’s legacy also includes recent efforts to rename streets and replace murals that once honored co-founder César Chávez, following her disclosure of personal abuse by Chávez earlier this year. Actor Rosario Dawson, who portrayed Huerta in a 2014 biopic, described her as “a mentor and a beacon of light.”