Dolores Huerta, the pioneering labor organizer whose rallying cry “Sí Se Puede!” inspired generations, is being mourned by political leaders and Hollywood figures following her death at 96.
Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, helping build a movement dedicated to improving conditions and protecting the rights of migrant farm laborers.
Her decades of activism brought greater attention to the harsh realities faced by workers in America’s fruit and vegetable fields and helped secure important gains for agricultural employees.
“We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today,” her family said in a statement provided to CNN.
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama were among those who paid tribute soon after news of Huerta’s death emerged, with Obama describing the longtime activist as his “hero.”
Obama presented Huerta with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 2012.
Dolores Huerta, the influential labor organizer whose “Sí Se Puede!” slogan galvanized supporters, has died at the age of 96
Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez to campaign for migrant workers’ rights
“Dolores Huerta was a hero of mine,” Obama wrote. He recalled that when she helped establish the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, many people dismissed the idea that poor and politically powerless farm workers could be organized.
Yet Huerta proved them wrong. She helped thousands of agricultural workers living and working in brutal conditions find their collective voice and fight for dignity, fair treatment and a better future.
Obama also highlighted the personal obstacles Huerta faced, including sexism and abuse within the movement she helped build. Earlier this year, she spoke publicly about alleged abuse by Chavez and others. He noted that Huerta created the phrase “Sí, se puede” — “Yes, we can” — long before he was often associated with it.
“Michelle and I are thinking of Dolores’s family, the people whose lives she changed and everyone who found inspiration in her example,” Obama added.
Actress Eva Longoria remembered Huerta as a mentor and role model whose influence reached far beyond her public reputation as a political icon.
“I can’t believe she’s gone. I can’t imagine a world without Dolores Huerta in it,” Longoria wrote.
She described Huerta as her teacher and an extraordinary example of compassionate leadership, saying the activist showed her that a purposeful life is rooted in service and that courage means standing up for others, even when doing so is difficult.
Former President Barack Obama honored Huerta with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012 and later called her his “hero”
Longoria said Huerta demonstrated how conviction, compassion and an unwavering commitment to justice could enable one person to change the world.
“Dolores dedicated her entire life to fighting for people, lifting up voices that had been silenced and reminding us that we all have a responsibility to leave the world better than we found it,” she said.
Although Huerta’s death leaves a profound absence, Longoria said her work would endure through the people she inspired, the barriers she challenged and the generations she encouraged to stand up for what is right.
“I will miss her wisdom, her strength, her spirit and, above all, her humanity,” Longoria wrote.
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“How lucky we were to have her. How lucky I was to learn from her.”
She ended her tribute with a message in Spanish: “Gracias, Dolores. Por todo. Sí, se puede. Siempre.”
America Ferrera, who portrayed Chavez’s wife, Helen Chavez, in the 2014 biographical film, also offered her “deep love” and condolences to Huerta’s family while honoring the activist’s extraordinary legacy.
Eva Longoria described Huerta as a mentor, teacher and powerful example of service rather than simply an “icon”
America Ferrera, who played Helen Chavez in the 2014 biographical film, shared condolences and praised Huerta’s enduring legacy
Ferrera said Huerta lived a long and purposeful life, continually showing up to fight with love and celebrate with joy. She urged people to carry that legacy into their daily actions and to the ballot box, adding that Huerta would have expected nothing less. “Sí Se Puede!!!” she wrote.
California Governor Gavin Newsom also honored Huerta, calling her an emblem of the state and the nation’s highest ideals.
“Dolores Huerta represented the best of us,” Newsom said. He credited her determination, passion for justice and commitment to overlooked communities with helping shape California and the United States.
Newsom said Huerta’s advocacy for gender equality, workers’ rights and civil rights opened doors for future generations and showed what could be achieved through perseverance and compassion.
“Her legacy lies not just in the accomplishments she achieved, but in the people who follow in her footsteps, take up the mantle and keep creating a better world,” he said.
Huerta’s family announced her death in a statement obtained by CNN, saying they were devastated by the loss of their beloved mother.
“As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for us,” the family said, asking for privacy as they grieve. They added that they understood people around the world shared their sorrow and said they would later announce plans to honor and celebrate Huerta’s remarkable life and legacy.
Huerta and Chavez launched what became the United Farm Workers in 1962 to organize and defend agricultural workers
Huerta and Chavez established what would become the United Farm Workers in 1962, creating a powerful organization to advocate for people employed in agriculture.
In 1966, the union organized a four-year boycott of grapes. Supporters also held demonstrations urging restaurants to serve products grown by unionized workers, according to CNN.
That year, Huerta negotiated with influential industry representatives while Chavez led a 300-mile march from Delano to Sacramento, California’s capital.
Chavez died in 1993 and was widely honored for his labor activism. However, his legacy came under renewed scrutiny earlier this year after The New York Times reported allegations that he sexually abused and groomed girls, some as young as 12.
Huerta also accused Chavez of sexually assaulting her. In a statement cited in the report, she said she had been manipulated and pressured into having sex with him and described another incident in which she was forced to have sex against her will while feeling trapped.
Huerta said she became pregnant twice as a result of those encounters and arranged for the children to be raised by other families.
“I have kept this secret long enough,” she wrote. “My silence ends here.”
