By Kent Paterson
Sporting a black beret that nicely complemented her attire, Dolores Huerta looked ready for battle. The life-long activist, who turns 95 on April 10, is more than well-versed in what it means to tussle with the powers-that-be.
The co-founder of the United Farmworkers Union (UFW) along with Cesar Chávez and others, Huerta was steeled in the good fight decades ago as she helped guide the union through grueling organizing drives, Teamster violence in California fields, an epic nationwide grape boycott movement, and hard-fought union contract negotiations. She traveled widely, met countless people of all stripes and even was once severely beaten by San Francisco police. That’s her short resume.
Just days before her 95th birthday, Dolores stood before hundreds of well-wishers gathered at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque for the 32nd annual Cesar Chávez and Dolores Huerta Celebration. Greeted by a jubilant crowd singing “Happy Birthday,” the beloved nonagenarian expressed her gratitude to members of the Remember Cesar Chávez Committee who’ve organized the event over the years; the poets, musicians and entertainers who’ve shared their talents to make the annual celebration one of the most anticipated in Burque Town; New Mexico elected officials whom she’s known and collaborated with over time; and the unwavering supporters from the local carpenters’ union.
She introduced her daughter Maria Elena Chávez and remembered Maria Elena’s father, the late Richard Chávez, who was a man Dolores described as a carpenter, a photographer, the designer of the famous UFW eagle symbol, and the “right hand” of his brother Cesar.
For the lifelong activist, New Mexico holds a special place. She was born in the old mining town of Dawson, New Mexico, on April 10, 1930. Her father, Juan Fernández, was a miners’ union leader and later an elected member of the New Mexico State Legislature.
Although Huerta moved with her mother Alicia to California when she was a very young child, she maintains relationships with relatives and the many friends she’s made over the years in the Land of Enchantment. Known for her leading role in a movement that sprouted in the fields of California but achieved national and international reach, Huerta nevertheless lauded the importance of New Mexico in the annals of social movement history.
“New Mexico has always been, you might say, in the front of the revolution. Okay? New Mexico has always shown other states. (New Mexico) might be population wise not too big, small, but mighty, right? New Mexico is mighty,” Huerta said, to the delight of an applauding and cheering audience.
Focusing her lens on the contemporary moment, the seasoned civil rights and labor leader urged folks not to feel helpless and instead get active preparing for the 2026 mid-term elections. Broadening her scope, she recalled the historic boycott tactic of the UFW and rolled off the names of corporations which have recently dropped employment diversity policies, including Walmart, McDonald’s, Target, and Home Depot
“You know what? If they don’t like us, we’re not gonna give them our money…,” she said, drawing wild applause.
Ever the optimist, the former UFW leader dug into the history books for learned lessons and possible pathways which bear relevance today, reminding her audience that she was born in 1930 during the Great Depression, a “dark time” when people lost jobs and the economy collapsed.
“But out of the depression, what did we get? We got the New Deal, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We got workers’ rights, the right of workers to organize. We got education. We got social security. That’s what happened in the New Deal.”
Huerta continued:
“Then we had the 60s and 70s, but we had all the turmoil, the Vietnam War, the country was divided. Our own students were getting killed by National Guardsmen. Remember that? That’s how bad it got. But what came out of the ’60s? We had the Chicano, immigrant rights movement come out of that. The women’s movement got a push. And also the environmental movement got a start. The LGBTQ movement got a start, so a lot of good things came out of that era and that’s gonna happen again.”
Huerta laid out her vision of a “new society” in the US, a future where workers and people have the power of governance and their everyday needs are the priority.
“And we’re gonna make it happen. It’s not rocket science. It happens in other countries where they have universal health care, universal day care, free college education, where workers rights are really respected so that when they win an election for representation they could actually get a collective bargaining agreement. We’ve got to fight really hard remembering workers. The population of our country are working people, not the millionaires and billionaires. We can’t give up…”
Far from done, Huerta spoke about creative ways to combat persistent racism, protect women’s and sexual rights and finally pass the long-stalled Equal Rights Amendment. She quoted 19th century Mexican President Benito Juárez: “El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz.”
“Benito Juarez said, ‘Respecting other peoples’ rights is peace’, no?”
Still quite adept at rousing a movement, Huerta called on the gathering to raise their voices so loud that Donald Trump could hear them in Washington D.C. or Florida, leading hundreds in a call-and-response that thundered off the walls.
“Who’s got the power?”
“We got the power?..”
“What kind of power?”
“People Power!”
“Si se puede, si se puede!” Yes we can, yes we can!”
After her appearance at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Huerta joined Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and others for a jaunt to Albuquerque’s downtown Civic Plaza where thousands had gathered for the Duke City edition of the nationwide April 5 Hands-Off protest. The demonstration slammed practically everything emanating from the Trump White House since January 20-tariffs, social program cuts, federal worker lay-offs, elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies, jailings and deportations of immigrant and pro-Palestine activists, power grabs, and attacks on women’s and LGBTQ rights, to name a few.
Easily the biggest protest in Albuquerque in nearly 20 years, a fired-up crowd of young, middle-aged and elderly burqueños defied a cloudy and chilly day to take a stand. Signs with pointed messages protruded from the mass of people: “Anti Oligarchy Pro Constitution;” “Our Bodies, public lands, schools, free speech; “Power to the People;” “Hands Off Our Immigrants,” No Kings…”
American, Mexican, Ukrainian and Palestinian flags were observed, symbolizing the diversity of people, issues and causes. Above the plaza stage an American flag was displayed upside down in the signal of distress. According to national Hands Off! organizers and different media outlets, the protest was among more than 1,200 such events held April 5 in all 50 states, including in El Paso and Santa Fe, among other regional locales.
Speakers addressing the Albuquerque protest included Mayor Tim Keller, New Mexico Public Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richards, New Mexico State Representative Eleanor Chávez and Albuquerque City Council District Six Rep Nicole Rogers, among others.
But a special spot on the agenda was reserved for the indomitable Dolores Huerta, who mounted the stage to a birthday greeting and then led thousands in chants calling for power to the people. Ninety five years young, Dolores shows no signs of relenting in her long struggle for justice, equality and unity. There’s just too much unfinished business out there in these United States and the world.
Happy birthday, Dolores. Keep up the great work you’ve always done!
Thanks for great coverage!