US Labour Leader Dolores Huerta Dies at 96

Dolores Huerta, a prominent American labour organiser and civil rights campaigner who helped secure better conditions for farmworkers, has died at the age of 96, her family announced on Wednesday.

Huerta spent nearly four decades as vice president of the United Farm Workers (UFW), which she co-founded with Cesar Chavez. 

Through strikes, protests and worker walkouts, the union pushed for improved wages and working conditions for millions of agricultural labourers across the United States.

Her family confirmed her death in a statement, expressing grief over the loss and promising to announce plans to honour her life and contributions.

“We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today at the age of 96,” said a family statement.

“We know that many of you around the world share in our mourning, and we will be following up on plans to recognize and celebrate her incredible life and legacy.”

A family spokesperson, Erik Olvera, told AFP that Huerta died of cancer on Wednesday morning, surrounded by loved ones.

Born in New Mexico and raised in California, Huerta became a leading figure in the American farmworker movement during the 1960s. At the time, she was raising seven children while navigating a divorce; she later had more children.

Although Huerta played a central role in organising workers and building the union, Chavez became its most recognisable public figure. His influence continued after his death in 1993.

However, the relationship between the two activists came under renewed scrutiny this year after Huerta disclosed that Chavez had sexually assaulted her and other women. She said the abuse resulted in two pregnancies.

In a statement to The New York Times, which reported the allegations, Huerta recalled feeling unable to refuse the first encounter because Chavez was her employer and a movement leader she admired and had worked alongside for years.

She said the second assault was forced upon her against her will, leaving her feeling trapped.

Despite the personal revelations, Huerta remained active in progressive politics well into her 90s. She helped organise resistance among migrant workers targeted by President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement operations, which included federal agents detaining agricultural labourers in the fields.

During an interview with AFP in July 2025 at the headquarters of her Dolores Huerta Foundation in Bakersfield, California, she said people were contacting the organisation because they wanted to take action.

Huerta urged greater public involvement, comparing the political climate in the United States to conditions in Germany before Adolf Hitler came to power.

Throughout her decades in public life, Huerta worked alongside influential political figures. In 1968, she appeared on a platform with Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy shortly before he was assassinated.

Former US President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his administration. 

He also acknowledged that his campaign slogan, “Yes, we can”, drew inspiration from Huerta’s Spanish-language rallying cry, “Sí, se puede”.

Following news of her death, Obama reiterated that Huerta had popularised the phrase before he adopted it, noting that he often received credit for her words.

Obama and his wife, Michelle, extended their condolences to Huerta’s family, the people she helped and those inspired by her activism.

“As usual, Dolores got there first.”

“Michelle and I are thinking of Dolores’s family, the people whose lives she changed, and everyone who drew inspiration from her example,” the former president said in a statement. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in her honour, praising her contribution to the labour movement and saying her work had changed history despite considerable obstacles.

Former President Bill Clinton described Huerta as a close friend and a steadfast advocate for American workers. 

He said watching her campaign was like witnessing a living legend who continued to push for progress, even when her efforts carried serious personal consequences.

Nancy Pelosi, a Democratic representative from California, also praised Huerta’s courage and determination, saying her activism had encouraged generations of Americans to recognise the power of collective action.