World · North America · 1 hr ago
Dolores Huerta, influential United Farm Workers organiser, dies at 96
Dolores Huerta, a leading US labour organiser, has died aged 96.
She helped build the United Farm Workers (UFW), a union formed to improve conditions for farm workers in the United States.
Huerta organised boycotts that pressured California grape growers, including campaigns targeting supermarkets that sold their grapes.
The UFW’s president, Cesar Chavez, was its public face, while Huerta served as vice-president and was a key organiser.
Her slogan “Sí, se puede!”
became “Yes, we can”, later used by Barack Obama in his 2008 presidential campaign.
Huerta also disclosed that Chavez had raped her and described a harsh, male-dominated culture within the union.
Her organising helped make farm workers’ rights a national cause, and the sources do not describe any next steps.
Dolores Huerta, an influential organiser of the United Farm Workers, has died aged 96.
Huerta helped build the union and organise boycotts that pressured California grape growers and supermarket chains.
She co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with Cesar Chavez and Gilbert Padilla in 1962.
The association joined Filipino workers in the 1965 Delano grape strike, and later became the United Farm Workers.
Huerta’s battle cry, “Sí, se puede!”, was adapted as “Yes, we can” and became Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign slogan.
- Who
- Dolores Huerta, United Farm Workers organiser and trade union leader.
- What
- She has died aged 96.
- When
- Not stated.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Huerta helped organise what became the Agricultural Workers Organising Committee.
Huerta, Cesar Chavez and Gilbert Padilla started the National Farm Workers Association.
Huerta and the association joined Filipino workers in the Delano grape strike.
Barack Obama used the English adaptation of Huerta’s battle cry as his presidential campaign slogan.
- Age at death
- 96
- Co-founders of NFWA
- Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez and Gilbert Padilla
- NFWA formed
- 1962
- Delano grape strike
- 1965
- Huerta’s battle cry
- Sí, se puede!
1 source
What people are saying
To take on agriculture, which to this day is still a powerhouse, that took a lot of guts
building the movement and securing farm workers’ rights was my life’s work