Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights Icon and Farmworkers Union Co-Founder, Dies at 96

Dolores Huerta, a trailblazing civil rights activist, labor leader, and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America, has died in California at the age of 96. Her family announced her passing in a social media statement posted on the accounts of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, confirming that she died of cancer on Wednesday. Renowned for creating the popular rallying cry "Sí, se puede," Huerta dedicated her life to improving working conditions for farmworkers, advocating for women's rights, promoting voting access, and fostering civic participation across the United States.Huerta began her organizing career at age 25 when she served as a volunteer for the Community Service Organization, a Mexican American civil rights group in California. She later partnered with César Chávez to co-found several organizations dedicated to supporting agricultural workers, including the United Farm Workers of America and La Unión del Pueblo Entero in the Rio Grande Valley. Throughout her career, Huerta advocated for migrant laborers working across the nation, spanning from the grape fields in southern California to the orange groves in South Texas. Her early work in southern California focused on helping farmworkers unionize to combat low wages and hazardous labor conditions, including exposure to dangerous pesticides.Beyond her efforts on behalf of agricultural laborers, Huerta played a prominent leadership role in the broader Chicano movement and remained an ardent defender of women's rights and democracy. She frequently highlighted the importance of self-defense, economic independence, and leadership among women, drawing attention to gender equality, equal pay, and systemic barriers facing female activists. Her commitment to civic engagement remained steadfast well into her 90s; in September 2025, she led a voters' rights rally at the Capitol in Austin, Texas, demanding a review of state redistricting maps that she argued silenced minority voices at the polls.Following the announcement of her death, tributes emerged from family members, labor organizers, and elected officials. In a statement posted on social media, her family requested privacy during their time of grief, while noting that many individuals around the world share in their mourning and that plans to celebrate her life and legacy would follow. Tania Chávez-Camacho, president of La Unión del Pueblo Entero, praised Huerta as a unique inspiration for Latina activists, pointing to her lifelong dedication to justice for immigrants, equal pay, and democratic rights. Public officials also recognized her historical impact; U.S. Representative Joaquin Castro noted that her efforts organizing walkouts, boycotts, and nonviolent protests transformed the labor movement and improved countless lives, while U.S. Representative Greg Casar expressed heartbreak, highlighting her decades of work for workers, women, and immigrants.Reflecting on Huerta's resilience, Chávez-Camacho recalled an occasion when Huerta was asked how she managed to continue her demanding advocacy despite exhaustion and burnout, to which Huerta simply replied, "I dance." Despite facing physical hardship, police aggression, and the taxing demands of door-to-door voter outreach and picket lines, Huerta maintained her movement work through her spirit of joy and perseverance. Throughout her public speeches, she consistently urged citizens to hold elected leaders accountable, reminding audiences that public officials work for the taxpayers who pay their salaries. Her lifetime of organizing leaves behind a lasting legacy that continues to inspire collective action and social movement work across the country.