Dolores Huerta, Co-Founder of United Farm Workers and Civil Rights Icon, Dies at 96

Dolores Huerta, an influential labor leader, feminist, and civil rights icon who co-founded the United Farm Workers union and coined the rallying cry "Sí, se puede!", has died at the age of 96. Her family announced her passing in a statement issued through her foundation, noting that she died Wednesday at her home.

A Lifetime of Activism and Organization

Born Dolores Clara Fernandez in Dawson, New Mexico, in 1930, Huerta moved to California with her mother and brothers after her parents divorced when she was three. Initially working as an elementary school teacher in the San Joaquin Valley, she grew frustrated by the poor living conditions and hunger she observed among her students. Deciding that she could achieve more by organizing farmworkers, she left teaching and eventually met César Chavez while working with a civil rights group in Stockton.

In 1962, Huerta and Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). As a key leader and negotiator, Huerta took part in the historic five-year "Delano Grape Strike" alongside Filipino grape pickers. She successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements and contracts with major agricultural growers, securing the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers. Over decades of activism, she was arrested 22 times and sustained severe injuries during a 1988 protest in San Francisco, where a police officer's baton strike broke three ribs and pulverized her spleen.

Accolades, Political Impact, and Later Years

Beyond labor organizing, Huerta lobbied for disability insurance and financial aid for unemployed workers, opposed toxic pesticides, and campaigned for immigrant amnesty. Her work earned her numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was presented by President Barack Obama in 2012. She was also the first Latina inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and received nine honorary doctorates from U.S. universities.

In her later years, Huerta maintained an active schedule, speaking and marching on behalf of her Bakersfield, California-based foundation regarding race, poverty, and LGBTQ+ and women's rights. Earlier this year, she publicly revealed that she had been sexually abused in the 1960s by César Chavez, resulting in two children—a secret she kept for six decades.

Practical Implications and Verification

Readers seeking to verify the details of Dolores Huerta's life, career, and passing can review the original reporting published by NPR. Because news reports of public figures passing often generate substantial public interest and subsequent tributes, followers of her foundation can monitor official announcements from the Bakersfield-based organization regarding any public memorials or legacy initiatives.

• Confirmed Facts: Dolores Huerta died at age 96 at her home, as announced by her family through her foundation. She co-founded the United Farm Workers, coined "Sí, se puede!", received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, and maintained an active public presence into her 90s.
• Unknowns: Specific public memorial arrangements or operational changes at the Dolores Huerta Foundation following her passing were not detailed in the initial family statement.
• How to Check: Readers can access the complete source report and official updates directly via NPR at [NPR Report on Dolores Huerta](https://www.npr.org/2026/10/28/nx-s1-6020543/dolores-huerta-dies).