What is dolores huerta known for

Secretary of the Interior U. Secretary of Transportation U. Senator U. Supreme Court U. Trade Representative Vice President. Date: -. House Floor Speech — U.

Campaign status: Won Lost. Labor Rights Activist. The story of a labor rights activist and champion for farmworkers. Resource Teaching Materials Suggested Activities. Print Image. Chicano: An American of Mexican origin or descent. Filipino: Relating to the Philippines, or a native of the Philippines. Discussion Questions. How was she involved? How did she support workers? What challenges did Dolores face in her personal life? How did she balance relationships, motherhood, and work?

Why do you think she was interested in both? Print Section. Suggested Activities. Ask students to analyze the pair of images connected to this life story. How do these two images speak to some of the roles Dolores took on as a union leader?

Invited students to compare the lives of Dolores Huerta and Emma Tenayuca , two important Latina activists of the 20 th century. Why was each woman drawn to labor activism even though they benefited from a mostly middle-class upbringing?

Reflect on the intersections between motherhood, activism, and labor by comparing the life stores of Dolores Huerta and Ella May Wiggins. Take a more in-depth look into Latina activism in the 20 th century by inviting students to pair this resource with the life stories of Jovita Idar , Emma Tenayuca , and Antonia Pantoja. How did each woman advocate for the Latinx community and beyond?

Dolores is not the only woman in WAMS who broke six ribs publicly advocating for causes she believed in! Connect her life story to that of Clara Lemlich Shavelson. Think about the similarities and differences between these two tough union activists. Dolores spoke before the National Organization for Women and was tangentially involved in the broader feminist movement.

Connect her life story to the resources in the third section of this unit, Feminism and its Backlash. After reading this life story, invite student to read the Muller v. Oregon decision and discuss to what extent issues of gender and labor are connected. She also founded the Agricultural Workers Association. Huerta served as UFW vice president until Throughout her work with the UFW, Huerta organized workers, negotiated contracts, advocated for safer working conditions including the elimination of harmful pesticides.

She also fought for unemployment and healthcare benefits for agricultural workers. Huerta was the driving force behind the nationwide table grape boycotts in the late s that led to a successful union contract by In , Huerta led another consumer boycott of grapes that resulted in the ground-breaking California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of , which allowed farm workers to form unions and bargain for better wages and conditions.

MLA - Michals, Debra. National Women's History Museum, Date accessed. Chicago - Michals, Debra. The Dolores Huerta Foundation. City University of New York. Dolores Huerta: Si Se Puede. They are often preyed upon by unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of them. They often feel hopeless and unable to remedy their situations. Dolores teaches these individuals that they have personal power that needs to be coupled with responsibility and cooperation to create the changes needed to improve their lives.

It is rarely practiced today because it is tedious and time consuming. However, the results are long lasting and while people are in the process of building organization, they are learning lessons they will never forget and the transformative roots are planted. The fruit is the leadership that is developed and the permanent changes in the community.

In other words, this is how grass roots democracy works. She was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in March of The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direct action. It is this right that sustains and nurtures our democracy today. I thank President Obama for raising the importance of organizing to the highest level of merit and honor.