Dolores Huerta, 1930 to 2026: Her Fight Lives On in Our Community

It is with great sadness that we bid farewell to Dolores Huerta, a true champion for our community who has devoted her life to advancing civil rights and improving the lives of Latino families across the country.

For more than half a century, Huerta was a tireless advocate for social justice. As a co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW), she helped to organize some of the most influential labor movements of our time, including the Delano grape strike and the lettuce boycott. Her unwavering commitment to securing better wages, safer working conditions, and basic human rights for farmworkers set a precedent for grassroots organizing that continues to inspire activists today.

Huerta also played a crucial role in advancing political representation for Latinos, serving as a leader in the Chicano Movement and co-founding the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) in 1962. Her activism paved the way for the election of numerous Latino officials at all levels of government, including members of Congress, governors, and mayors.

MEDA had the honor of welcoming Dolores Huerta as the featured speaker and Community Legacy awardee for our 46th annual gala in 2019. Her powerful message about the importance of community organizing and advocacy left a lasting impression on all who were in attendance. We will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have shared the stage with this legendary icon, and we are committed to carrying on her legacy by continuing to fight for the rights of our community here in San Francisco.

We join with others across the country in paying tribute to Dolores Huerta and celebrating her remarkable legacy. Her impact on our community is immeasurable, and will continue to inspire generations to come.

¡Sí, se puede!