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Monday, April 9, 2012

H Is For Dolores Huerta

Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I was born into a union family. United Steel Workers was part and parcel of my childhood. How could I not choose a female labor leader for my A to Z list. I want to introduce you to Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers and a woman I admire greatly for her tireless work on behalf of the working poor, women and children.

Dolores was born in the mining town of Dawson, New Mexico and after her parents divorced, she moved to Stockton, California. She experienced activism from an early age through both of her parents. Her upbringing and early community work led her to a teaching career, which she left in 1955 because she knew she had a different calling. Huerta helped found the Stockton chapter of the CSO (Community Service Organization) not long after leaving her teaching position and in 1960 co-founded the Agricultural Workers Association. This organization helped set up voter registration and presses for barrio improvements.

Through this work she met Cesar Chavez. In 1962 they founded the National Farm Workers Association, which would later become United Farm Workers when they combined their organization with Larry Itliong's Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. In 1966 she successfully negotiated a contract between UFW and the Schenley Wine Company, making this the first time that agricultural workers were able to bargain with an agricultural enterprise.

An activist and political leader, Dolores was drawing national attention. She stood with Robert F. Kennedy on that fateful June day in 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel and was mere yards away when he was shot. Her work has also been fraught with struggle. She has been arrested some 22 times for her protests and in September of 1988, she was severely beaten by San Francisco Police at a protest rally against then presidential candidate George Bush the Elder. The beating was caught on tape and Huerta won a large judgment against the SFPD. She used the money to aid farm workers. Following her recovery, she took a leave of absence from the union to concentrate on women's rights and worked to get more Latina women registered to vote.

Dolores has also received many accolades for her tireless work. In 1997 she was named one of the year's three most powerful women by Ms. Magazine. The next year she was the inaugural recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award For Human Rights and Ladies' Home Journal recognized her as one of the Most Powerful Women of the Twentieth Century alongside such leaders as Mother Theresa and Indira Ghandi. In 2007, she was the co-recipient of the Community of Christ International Peace Award and in 2008 was awarded the Jane Addams Distinguished Leadership Award from United Neighborhood Centers of America.

At 81, she still continues to tirelessly campaign on behalf of the working poor and women. She created the Dolores Huerta Foundation in 2002 which helps grassroots organizations in poor communities, helping them develop leadership and policy advocacy strategies.

Dolores just blows me away. I should have a tenth of that drive and ambition at my age.

Fun Factoid

She has five elementary schools named for her. Four in California and one in Texas.

In the midst of all her political activism, Dolores also managed to birth eleven children and marry twice.



Thank you so much for stopping by today. I appreciate your visit. If you're participating in the big A to Z, click here to find more awesome participants.

32 comments:

  1. those fighting for workers are the biggest heroes. They usually gain nothing but loss of their own health and hatred from politicians, but they die as angels who fought for the poor and hardworking ones.

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    1. So true, Dez. The ones who fight for the downtrodden are often ostracized and brutalized. Dolores will certainly be an angel one day, though I think she already is. :)

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  2. Can't believe she does what she does, even at her age.

    I admire her fortitude for standing up for worker's rights, but there's a big part of me that thinks she went too far with some of the things she's said. Like, "We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us."

    And she's constantly a guest speaker or a representative of some pretty radical Socialist and Communist organizations.

    Don't mean to politicize here at all, and Huerta (and Chavez) are single-handedly responsible for the involvement and political activism for Latinos in California and throughout the SW. And that is something I definitely stand behind.

    And I bet Huerta wanted to speak out against her co-founder Chavez, as he became absolutely insane eventually. Using a psychological tactic called "The Game" to solidify his dictatorship in the union, which led to its decline. I read that she was REALLY angry at how sexist he was, and how a man who stood up for the rights of workers actually was abusive to and discriminatory to women.

    End the end, though I disagree with how far she goes, she has transcended the normal social activist tag, and her tireless community involvement is pretty amazing.

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    1. I see what you're saying and while I admire her, like you, I do disagree with certain things she has done. Chavez was a sexist pig and Dolores was certainly right in her anger at him. It is a shame when what started off a good thing collapses in craziness and drama. That only hurts the ones the organization was supposed to help.

      Dolores did make her mark though and this country is better for it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. :)

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  3. I'm not familiar with much of any female laborers, so it was cool to learn about Delores. It's amazing how she managed to do so many things to improve the workforce for the ladies while also giving birth to eleven children...eleven! wowza! I can't even imagine how I could give birth to one, let alone that many.

    ~Nicole
    Blog: The Madlab Post
    @MadlabPost on Twitter

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    1. Hi Nicole! I can't imagine even one birth either, let alone eleven. I was stunned speechless hen I read that.

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  4. She's eighty-one? Doesn't look it in the photo.
    Another fine heroine, Melissa!

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    1. Thanks, Alex! She really doesn't look her age at all, does she? I hope I look good at that age.

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  5. Thank you, Melissa - I got goosebumps reading about Delores' life and all she has done...and is still doing at eighty-one.
    Inspiring, amazing...honourable - I am pleased to read she has been recognized for her timeless contribution to helping improve the quality of life for many, many people.

    Again...another post shot out of the ballpark! Brilliant and well written.

    Jenny @ Pearson Report
    Co-Host of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge.

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    1. Hi Melissa ... I've just been spending some time on here getting caught up. Man, can you write! I am enjoying your series and am learning so much. I have heard of Delores, but I didn't know most of this information. Thanks for your hard work.

      Hope that you guys had a great Easter and that you are getting settled in. Thanks so much for stopping by to see me yesterday.

      Kathy M.

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    2. Thank you so very much, Jenny. It's humbling to know that people like you have had nothing but good things to say about these posts. :)

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    3. Kathy, thank you very much. :) Your words made me smile big tonight. I'm very happy that you are enjoying my posts. :)

      The big move is Saturday and I am nervous as all get out.

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  6. What an amazing woman! Thank you so much for writing about her!

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    1. Thanks, Johanna! The responses to my challenge theme and posts has been really wonderful and I am so grateful you all are enjoying them and leaving such great comments.

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  7. I was about to dub her as woman of the century and then you slid in there that she had 11 children! That makes her a supernatural being I think. Wow.

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    1. Supernatural indeed. :) The thought of having one child is awesome and terrifying let alone eleven.

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  8. Another inspiring person and another inspiring post! Great job, hon.

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    1. Thank you sweetie! Your comments make me smile as I am so happy when you visit. Congrats again on the White Cat gig. That rocks!

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  9. Hey Mel!

    I've been swamped of late and have been unable to keep up with your A-Z Challenge. Heck, I've been forced to neglect my own blog :(
    But it looks like you're doing a killer job, so keep up the great work, hun.

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    1. Hi Matt!! I'm so happy to hear from you. No worries, hon, I know how crazy things can get. I appreciate you taking some time out ti visit. Your presence here always brightens up the place no matter what.

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  10. All of that and eleven kids? I can't even get anything done with none.

    I've been through Dawson, NM. Lived in Albuquerque four years and loved the area.

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    1. LOL Diane, I hear you. I could imagine trying to keep my schedule straight with kids added in. I love Albuquerque! What a great city with so much good food and friendly people.

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  11. YES! I have met some of Dolores Huerta's children, nieces and nephews. I live in Bakersfield and her foundation is downtown, close to my heart.

    Thank you for featuring such a powerhouse of a woman! I am featuring women writer's in literary history during my A-Z challenge... I feel like I have found a kindred in this post.

    YAY!

    Julie Jordan Scott
    Fellow A to Z Challenge Participant
    H is for Hilda/HD
    On a Mission to Spread Word-Love Throughout the World

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    1. Hey Julie!! Yes you have most definitely found a kindred soul here. I cannot wait to check out your blog. Thank you so much stopping by. Women writers are very dear to me. And how cool that you have met some of Dolores' family.

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  12. What a wonderful, inspiring woman! Thanks for sharing!


    My A-Z

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    1. Hey Jaycee! Dolores really gets me with her total passion and commitment. She is a true inspiration and ligt in this world.

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  13. 11 children!! This is an amazing lady. I am a child of a union family myself. Good choice for this post!

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    1. Thank you, Shauna! Hello and welcome. :) High fives to a fellow union kid.

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  14. Dang! Her passion for what she believes in is almost a tangible thing. It's no wonder she looks as good as she does - she has too much FIRE to grow old!

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    1. LOL that she does, Craig. I should have half that energy at my age.

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  15. Wow, she's dedicated! It's great to hear about these people - I'd otherwise have never have known who they are. Thanks :)


    Jamie
    Fellow A-Z Bloggy Buddy
    Mithril Wisdom

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  16. Cool that her influence reached across three states Melissa. Thanks for the heads up.

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