By Kevin Hendricks — Dolores Huerta, the New Mexico-born icon of the 1960s labor movement with an enduring legacy defined by the phrase “Sí, se puede,” has died. She was 96.
Huerta’s family confirmed her passing Wednesday on her verified Facebook and Instagram pages.
“We ask for privacy as we grieve this incredible loss to our family,” the post stated. The family said it will share plans to celebrate her life and legacy.
A daughter of Dawson, New Mexico
Huerta was born April 10, 1930, in the small Colfax County mining ghost town of Dawson. She later moved to California, where she co-founded the farmworkers union that became the United Farm Workers alongside Cesar Chavez. A former teacher, she turned to organizing after seeing farmworkers’ children come to class hungry and barefoot, according to the New Mexico Public Education Department.
She never strayed far from home. Huerta reappeared in Albuquerque at annual celebrations in her and Chavez’s honor and showed up for other social movements and protests, even into her 90s.
A legacy that evolved
The movement’s legacy has shifted in recent months. In March, Huerta came forward with allegations that Chavez sexually abused her. That launched an ongoing push to rename places bearing Chavez’s name, including in Albuquerque.
Huerta’s own legacy has held firm. President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. Albuquerque also carries her name on Avenida Dolores Huerta and Dolores Huerta Gateway Park.
New Mexico leaders react
“Dolores Huerta fought for working people everywhere but she was a New Mexican first,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. The governor noted she signed the 2023 law making April 10 Dolores Huerta Day in New Mexico.
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich wrote that New Mexico “lost one of our own, and America lost a giant.” U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján called her “a bright, shining beacon in the darkness.”
U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández recalled Huerta’s advice: “You should dance in your 20s so you can march in your 90s.” U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury called her “a real life super hero,” and U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez said she gave voice to people too often denied a seat at the table.
House Speaker Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque, called Huerta “the godmother of the farm worker movement.”
Both candidates for governor weighed in. Democrat Deb Haaland called Huerta “a true servant of the people.” Republican Gregg Hull called her “a daughter of New Mexico whose lifetime of service touched countless lives.”
Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Sara Attleson said Huerta served as her “personal North Star” throughout her years as a labor activist.
Remember Dolores Huerta:
- Dolores Huerta Foundation: doloreshuerta.org
- Memorial and celebration plans: The family says details will follow on Huerta’s verified Facebook and Instagram pages.