Dolores Huerta, the renowned labor leader who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, died at 96. Her death marks the end of an era in American labor history.
In early 2026, Huerta told The Times that she had been raped by Chavez decades earlier, a stunning revelation that complicated the narrative of their celebrated partnership. The disclosure sparked widespread discussion about power dynamics within social movements.
Huerta's activism began in the 1950s and culminated in the 1965 Delano grape strike, which led to the first collective bargaining agreements for farmworkers. She coined the slogan 'Sí, se puede' — 'Yes, we can' — later adopted by Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Her work earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
Despite the personal trauma she endured, Huerta remained a tireless advocate for farmworkers, immigrants, and women until her final years. Her legacy endures in the ongoing fight for labor rights and social justice.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing