Civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, labor activist whose “Sí se puede” slogan expressed belief in change, dies at 96
Family announces Huerta’s death
Huerta’s family announced her death in a statement posted on social media. She was 96. The family said it was grieving and asked for privacy, adding that people around the world shared in its mourning.
Recognition and personal life
Huerta received numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In 2012, President Barack Obama praised her as a tenacious leader and joked that he had borrowed her slogan for his 2008 campaign.
From the early 1970s, Huerta’s life partner was Richard Chavez, Cesar Chavez’s brother. They had four children together; Huerta also had seven children from two earlier marriages.
Her reasons for staying silent
Huerta said she had remained silent for a long time because she feared speaking out could damage her life’s work. She also worried that coming forward might undo progress made for workers.
Key points
- Dolores Huerta died at 96, her family announced.
- She co-founded the organization that later became the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez.
- Huerta received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012.
- Her slogan “Sí se puede” means “Yes, it can be done.”