Labor leader and feminist activist Dolores Huerta dies at 96
Her family said she died of cancer after decades leading farmworker and civil-rights organizing and becoming a central figure in the UFW.
- Labor and civil rights icon Dolores Huerta died Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at age 96 in her Bakersfield home, her family announced. A spokesperson confirmed she had been battling cancer.
- In 1962, Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with Cesar Chavez, later renamed the United Farm Workers. She served as chief negotiator and coined the movement's enduring slogan, "Si, se puede," meaning "Yes, it can be done."
- Earlier this year, Huerta revealed to the New York Times that she was sexually abused by Chavez in the 1960s, a secret she kept for 60 years to protect the movement. She later spoke out to support other survivors of his alleged abuse.
- U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury called Huerta "a friend," while Rep. Joaquin Castro praised her as a "trailblazing civil rights leader" for improving countless lives through decades of advocacy.
- The Bakersfield-based Dolores Huerta Foundation, which she co-founded in 2003, continues her legacy through executive director Camila Chavez, who leads grassroots organizing efforts to advance social justice and systemic change.
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Dolores Huerta, labor leader who helped build United Farm Workers, dies at 96 - Asian Journal News
Her organizing helped unite Mexican American and Filipino workers in the campaign for better wages and labor protections. Dolores Huerta, the labor organizer whose boycotts, contract negotiations and political advocacy helped build the United Farm Workers, died Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 96, her family announced. Her family said she died at home. A family spokesman identified the cause as cancer.…
Nevada Current
Morgan County CitizenNevadans pay tribute to civil rights and labor trailblazer Dolores Huerta
In an outpouring of messages expressing condolences, Nevada lawmakers and organizers praised civil rights and labor activist Dolores Huerta, who died Wednesday, as an inspirational trailblazer. “She was a voice for the voiceless, a fighter for working families, and a powerful reminder that our communities have the strength to create change,” said Democratic Assemblywoman Cecelia […]
Labor rights leader Dolores Huerta dies at 96 - Regional Media News
Labor icon Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers, has died at 96, her family said. "We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today at the age of 96," her family said in a statement on [...]
Cal Matters
Dolores Huerta ‘stayed in the fight’ for 7 decades, inspiring generations of Californians
Labor icon Dolores Huerta influenced generations of Californians who were inspired by her advocacy for civil rights, farmworkers and immigrants.
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