Dolores Huerta, pioneering U.S. labor and civil rights leader, dies at 96
publishers 137articles 164first reported 28 Oct, 15:48 UTCdeveloping since 28 Oct · 5 editions
Dolores Huerta, the pioneering labor organizer and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers, died Wednesday in Bakersfield, California, her family said. She was 96.
For nearly four decades, Huerta served as a UFW vice president and worked alongside Cesar Chavez to organize farmworkers. Strikes, walkouts and boycotts led by the union during the 1960s and 1970s helped secure better pay, working conditions and protections for agricultural laborers.
Born in New Mexico and raised in California, Huerta became one of the most prominent figures in the U.S. farmworker movement. She was credited with coining the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” later adapted as “Yes, we can” by Barack Obama. Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom while he was president.
Huerta continued campaigning into her 90s through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, working on immigration, voting rights, community empowerment, racial justice, poverty, LGBTQ rights and women’s rights.
Earlier in 2026, Huerta publicly accused Chavez, who died in 1993, of sexually abusing her during the 1960s, saying two encounters resulted in pregnancies. Chavez’s family said it was devastated by reports involving Huerta and other women and praised their courage in coming forward.
“We know that many of you around the world share in our mourning,” Huerta’s family said, adding that plans to honor her life would be announced later.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 4 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 24 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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