Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta is co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America and a longtime board member of People For the American Way.

She was the long time partner of the late Richard Chavez, brother of United Farm Workers founder Cesar Chavez.

Dolores Huerta was long the vice-president of the UFW and its chief negotiator of contracts, as well as the primary advocate for farm worker rights in the California legislature.

She is the president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, a 501(c)(3) “non-profit organization whose mission is to build active communities working for fair and equal access to health care, housing, education, jobs, civic participation and economic resources for disadvantaged communities with an emphasis on women and youth.” The foundation was started with funds received from a settlement after she was assaulted and severely injured by police at a 1988 anti-war demonstration in San Francisco and beaten so severely her spleen had to be removed.

Kamala co-chairs

In May 2019, Robert Garcia joined Gavin Newsom, Representative Barbara Lee and others in becoming a California state co-chair for Kamala Harris's 2020 Presidential campaign. He was the only Mayor to join state leaders as a co-chair.

Other co-chairs were Dolores Huerta; State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins; State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond; and State Treasurer Fiona Ma.

Protesting Walmart in Chinatown

From left to right: Dolores Huerta, Rosalio Urias Munoz, Chole Alatorre, Cuca Alatorrre, Alex Reza

Facebook Photo posted by Rosalio Urias Munoz on July 1, 2012, featuring union activists protesting the construction of a Walmart.

From left to right: Dolores Huerta, Rosalio Urias Munoz, Chole Alatorre, Cuca Alatorrre, and Alex Reza

Soviet connection?

Acavedo letter

On April 9, 1975, Jorge Acevedo wrote a letter in Spanish to several well known Chicano activists including Enrique Lopez, Lorenzo Torrez, Bert Corona, Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Alfredo Figueroa, Luis Valdez, Ernestina Garcia, Reies Lopez Tijerina, Rodolfo Gonzales, Jose Angel Gutierrez, Lila Gonzalez, and Santiago Montoya.

The letter referred to the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco, Chicano participation in the Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, Chicano self-determination, the "socialist system" and the Soviet front World Peace Council. The letter spoke of two proposals received from the Soviet Consul in San Francisco.

The first proposal was to invite students of both sexes to enrol in the Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, for the academic year beginning in September 1975.

"Professional and personal expenses" would benefit the socialist system, which "seeks to support the Chicano self-determination movement."

Ending the "bracero" program

In 1964, Chicano civil rights movement activists like Bert Corona, Ernesto Galarza, Cesar Chavez, and Dolores Huerta forced Congress to end the guest worker "bracero" program. The next year, Mexicans and Filipinos went out on strike in Coachella and Delano, and the United Farm Workers was born.

That year, in 1965, they went back to Congress. Give us a law, they said, that doesn’t make workers into braceros or criminals behind barbed wire, into slaves for the growers.

Farmworkers Union

Dolores Huerta, along with Cesar Chavez, Philip Veracruz and others, created the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, the first successful union of farm workers in U.S. history.Huerta and Chavez chose to build a union that incorporated the strategies of social movements and community organizing and allied itself with churches and students as well as other unions. The successful creation of the UFW changed the nature of labor organizing in the Southwest and contributed significantly to the growth of Latino politics in the U.S.

Leaders 1973

The United Farm Workers Executive Board in 1973 included veteran farmworker organizers and activists:(l-r) Dolores Huerta, Mack Lyons, Richard Chavez, Cesar Chavez, Eliseo Medina, Philip Veracruz, Gilbert Padilla, Marshall Ganz and Pete Velasco.

UFW strike

In 1965 the UFW launched a strike and national boycott against California grape growers who refused to recognize the union. Huerta became east coast coordinator of the boycott, a key to the success of the UFW in winning union contracts with the growers in 1970. Chavez said that Huerta “is totally fearless, physically and mentally.”

Prominent DSOC member

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Huerta was reruited into the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee by founder and chairman Michael Harrington.

According to Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee founder and chairman Michael Harrington, the influence of the group is disproportionate to its size because of the positions held by some DSOC members within the Democratic Party.

In 1980 prominent DSOC members included Rep, Ronald Dellums (D-CA); Hilda Mason, D.C. City Council, Harlan Baker, Maine state legislature; Jerry Nadler, New York state legislature, Perry Bullard, Michigan state legislature; Ruth Messinger, New York City Council; Harry Britt, San Francisco Board of Supervisors; Patrick Gorman, chairman of the board, Amalgamated Meatcutters; William Winpisinger, president, International Association of Machinists ; Irving Bluestone, vice president, United Auto Workers; Martin Gerber, vice-president, UAW, Sol Stetin, senior vice-president, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers , Joyce Miller, national president, Coalition of Labor Union Women ; Dolores Huerta, vice-president, United Farmworkers, Cleveland Robinson, president, District 65, UAW;Victor Gotbaum, head of District Council 37, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees , New York, Mildred Jeffrey; Victor Reuther; James Farmer; Nat Hentoff; Gloria Steinem; Rosemary Reuther; Harvey Cox and Irving Howe.

Democratic Agenda/Socialist Caucus

For groups and organizations seeking radical social change within the Democratic Party, the National Convention of 1980 had at least one historic first - formation of a Socialist Caucus of delegates. Organized by the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee and by the Democratic Agenda which was DSOC's cadre and supporters within the Democratic Party and was based in DSOC' s New York office and at 1730 M Street, NW, Washington, DC. Some 31 delegates and alternates from twelve states and Democrats Abroad attended the Socialist Caucus.

As a preliminary to the convention's Socialist Caucus meeting, , indeed as a "building event" and as a continued show of support for Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA), the Democratic Agenda sponsored a convention rally at New York's Town Hall. The speakers included Herman Badillo, Julian Bond, Fran Bennick, Harry Britt, Cesar Chavez, Rep. John Conyers (D-MI}, Douglas Fraser, Murray Finley, Michael Harrington, Terry Herndon, Ruth Jordan, Ruth Messinger, Eleanor Smeal, Gloria Steinem and William Winpisinger.

DSOC works within the Democratic Party, said Harrington, because of the party's relationships with organized workers, blacks, feminists, environmentalists and other "progressive groups."

The Socialist Caucus circulated a list of convention delegates who were caucus members, including;

• Alice Papon, AZ
• Debbie Anderson, CA
• Helen Barrios, CA
• Harry Britt, CA
• Muriel Brownstein, CA
• Mickey Flacks, CA
• Vivial Hall, CA
• Dolores Huerta, CA,
• Amy King, CA
• Ted Neima, CA
• Mike Nye, CA
• Raoul Teilhet, CA
• Richard Sklar, CA
• Pat Dillon, CT
• Kristine Blackwood, DC
• Steve Ramirez, DC
• Bill Simons, DC
• Jerry Wurf, DC
• Julian Bond, GA
• William Winpisinger, MD
• Vivian Hall, MA
• Brian Maranhoa, MA
• Ms. Su Finkbinder, MI
• Martin Gerber, MI
• Millie Jeffrey, MI
• Isabel Laluz, MI
• Gerald Maginelli, MI
• Bernice Selden, MI
• David Selden, MI
• Earl Bourdon, NH
• Henry Berger, NY
• Jim Chapin, NY
• David Dinkins, NY
• Elaine Drucker, NY
• Ed Gray, NY
• Patrick Kelly, NY
• Ruth Messinger, NY
• Libby Moroff, NY
• Cleveland Robinson, NY
• Gerry Cohen, NC
• Margaret Lynch, OH
• Judy Watts, OR
• Harold Rosenthal, PA
• Sue Rosenthal, PA
• Craig Murphy, TX
• Ray Majerus, WI
• Louise Uphoff, WI
• David Fleishman (foreign)

Dolores Huerta and Communist Party Fronts

The organizations listed below are various fronts of the Communist Party USA CPUSA, the Socialist Workers Party SWP or the Workers World Party. Many have been exposed in congressional hearings, studies and reports placed in the Congressional Record CR, or in various books, studies, and newspaper articles published since 1967.

New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam/ New Mobilization Committee

Dolores Huerta was listed as a scheduled speaker at the upcoming anti-Vietnam war rallies scheduled for November, 1969, one of which was the New Mobilization Committee West which held a meeting on Oct. 11, 1969 to decide who was to participate. From a HISC hearing, Committee Exhibit 12, "October 24, 1969, a memo - To All National Steering Committee Members of the New Mobilization Committee, Memorandum Re; "San Francisco November 13 action and its problems", From: Marjorie Colvin, National Steering Committee member and project director, New Mobe West, pp. 1640-1644, came the following paragraph, p. 1642:

PCPJ was the Communist Party's faction in the old New Mobilization Committee while NPAC was controlled by the Socialist Workers Party Trotskyites. PCPJ was formed out of the Milwaukee Strategy Action Conference of June 27-28, 1970, also reported on in this same HISC hearing, Part 1.

"The Hallinan {i.e. Terence KO Hallinan) group's position lost the democratic vote. The tentative list of speakers agree upon by the New Mobe West working committee on Oct. 11 is as follows:

• Rev. Ralph Abernathy - peace speaker
• Dolores Huerta - Labor leader
• Rennie Davis - chairman
• Andrew Pulley - collection speaker (and leader of the Trotskyite Socialist Workers Party
• The Third World Task Force was to pick one additional speaker. They suggested two people:
• Corky Gonzalez - a Chicano leader in Denver
• David Hilliard - Black Panther Party

NB: Terence Hallinan was identified as a leading member of the CPUSA front, the W.E.B. DuBois Clubs of America and of the Communist Party USA. He also was known as "KO" Hallinan, in part because he was a former boxer and in part because he beat up or threatened to beat up people who disagreed with him, as happened at this Oct. 11, 1969 meeting, p. 1642. He was also known by the nickname "Dynamite Hallinan", most likely more for his temper than his boxing skills.

Ring Around The Congress, June 22, 1972

Described as "An action by the women and children of America for the women and children of Indochina", this protest of circling the Capital Building/Congress was further described in the invitation flier:

"Join with the thousands of us who will be standing side by side in a circle around Congress. We stand in spirit with the Indochinese, and demand an immediate cutting off of the funds which perpetuate their slaughter, make victims of young American men, and deny the needs of our poor people at home."

This "Ring" was actually a project of the Communist Party-dominated Women Strike for Peace and supporting groups. Among the "Sponsors" on this undated flier was:

• Dolores Huerta - United Farmworkers UFW

While some of the sponsors were not communists, a good part of the Hanoi Lobby was represented including Bella Abzug, Barbara Bick, Anne Braden, Kay Camp, Ruth Gage-Colby, Ruby Dee, Jane Fonda, Libby Frank, Sylvia Kushner, Ruth Myers, Louise Peck, Vivian Raineri, Rosalie Riechman, Beulah Sanders, Dorothy Steffens, Amy Swerdlow, Edith Villagstrigo, Dorothy Hayes, Ethel Taylor, and Cora Weiss.

Members of WSP included Abzug, Bick (id. CPUSA), Myers (id. CPUSA), Villastrigo, Taylor, and Weiss (daughter of id. CPUSA member and possible Soviet agent of influence Samuel Rubin. Members of the CPUSA-influences and partially dominated Women's International League for Peace and Freedom included Libby Frank a CPUSA and Committees of Correspondence member), Riechman, and Steffens. Identified CPUSA members included Bick, Braden, Kushner, Myers, Rainieri . The information on other CPUSA members has not been made public.

Marxists and spouses/children of avowed marxists included: Dee, Friedan (reportedly a one-time member of the CPUSA and its labor unions), Tina Hobson (wife of Julius Hobson), Jeanie Palmondon, Louise Peck (wife of (Sidney Peck, a former CPUSA member), and Roslyn Zinn, among others.

Los Angeles Martinez Jobs Bill support rally

On October 18 1997, Matthew Martinez, State senators Hilda Solis and Diane Watson, City Councilman Richard Alarcon, Miguel Contreras, executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles Federation of Labor and Geraldine Washington, president of the Los Angeles NAACP addressed a Los Angeles "show us the living wage jobs" rally, as part of a national day of action, calling on Congress to pass the Martinez Jobs Bill. there were concurrent rallies in nearly 20 cities, organized by the Communist Party USA dominated National Labor-Community Coalition For Public Works Jobs.

Rev. Jesse Jackson and Dolores Huerta, also agreed to address the rally.

Cesar Chavez rally

On November 6 1999, a rally was held in Los Angeles, at Placita Olvera kiosk, calling for a holiday to mark the birth of Cesar Chavez. Contact for the rally was Evelina Alarcon of the United Farm Workers and the Communist Party USA.

Speakers included Dolores Huerta of the UFW, and Majority leader of the California State Senate, Richard Alarcon, who introduced Senate Bill-984, which would make March 31, Chavez's birthday a paid public holiday.

Also speaking were Los Angeles Board of Supervisors member Gloria Molina, who introduced a similar measure at county level, Art Pulaski, of the California State Federation of Labor executive, Los Angeles City Council member Jackie Goldberg, Los Angeles Federation of Labor executive member Miguel Contreras, and Paul Chavez, son of Cesar, and president of the National Farm Worker Service Center.

National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression

From May 11-12, 1973, the Communist Party USA CPUSA created a new front out of the old Angela Davis Defense Organization and Angela Davis Defense Committees. It was called the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. Dolores Huerta was both a sponsor and speaker at this conference, and was identified as Vice President, United Farmworkers Union . This information came from conference press releases, lists of participants, and summary report about it, all of which are found in a House Internal Security Committee hearing.

Socialist Workers Party fronts

Huerta was an equal-opportunity endorse, sponsor and speaker for several American communist/marxist/trotskyite parties including the Socialist Workers Party SWP. One such example occurred at an October 12, 1973 rally at Columbia University to "to express solidarity with the thousands of political prisoners who have been tortured and murdered by the Chilean junta since the Sept. 11 coup. The U.S. Committee for Justice to Latin American Political Prisoners USLA organized the meeting."

The USLA was described as an SWP front in "Trotskyite Terrorist International", Hearings, SISS, July 24, 1975, pp. 66-67, with letterhead of staff and endorsers (some of who will be found in the "Visitors to North Vietnam/Hanoi During the War" KW page).

Public mention of Huerta and her UFWU (United Farm Workers Union as both a sponsor and speaker was found in the SWP weekly newspaper The Militant, October 19, 1973, p. 5, "National Action Week Hits Chile Repression" by SWP member Caroline Lund. A few excerpted paragraphs explain who was sponsoring the event and some of whom were endorsing it and participating in it.

"The actions are being organized by a number of organizations, primarily the U.S. Committee for Justice to Latin American Political Prisoners USLA, the Chile Solidarity Committee ChileSC (a significantly CPUSA influenced organization if not creation), Non-Intervention in Chile NICH (which had a lot of SDS members influence), and the North American Congress on Latin America NACLA, (an SDS creation)."

"A broad, united protest rally is scheduled in New York for Oct. 12. Initiated by USLA, the rally has the backing of the United Farm Workers Union; the Joint Board of the Fur, Leather and Machine Workers Union (controlled by the CPUSA); Carlos Feliciano Defense Committee (a defense group for the terrorists of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party PRSP); the Latin American Student Organization at Columbia University; Black Panther Party BPP; former Senator Eugene McCarthy; Joan Baez; Betty Friedman; Socialist Workers Party; International Socialists; and many others."

"Speakers are to include several eyewitnesses of the repression in Chile; Dolores Huerta of the Farmer Workers; Dr. Benjamin Spock; and other trade unionists and movement figures..."

In the October 26, 1973 issue of The Militant, a report was published about the Oct. 12th demonstration at Columbia University, "1300 at NYC rally demand justice for victims of brutal terror in Chile", by SWP leader Cindy Jacquith.

Regarding Dolores Huerta, Jacquith wrote:

"While defense of the junta's victims was the central theme of the rally, speakers expressed a wide range of views on the lessons that can be drawn from the Chilean experience."

"Black attornery Conrad Lynn and United Farm Workers UFW Vice-President Dolores Huerta both pointed to the serious defeat for the left that the coup represents. Lynn called it a "tragedy," likening it to "the crushing of the Spanish loyalists in the 1930's"."

"Huerta told the audience she grieved "for all the Latinos slain in Chile." She said the coup "is such a terrible, horrible thing that it is almost hard to speak about."".

A picture of Huerta at the speaker's podium appeared on the right side of the article with the caption: "Huerta: Express solidarity with those slain by the junta". P. 15.

"Survival Day 84" speakers

Survival Fest 84, "Survival Day 84" speakers included Dolores Huerta, United Farm Workers.

Committee for Responsive Democracy

The Committee for Responsive Democracy began a series of hearings in New York, on November 13, 1990, on the "need for significant reform of the two party political system, as well as the feasibility of forming a new party". Sixteen hearings were planned, in eight major cities across the US. New York City Comptroller Liz Holtzman greeted the commission, saying that "many people don't see themselves as being represented".

Witnesses included Manhattan Borough president Ruth Messinger, Simon Gerson, chair of the Political Action and Legislative Commission of the Communist Party USA, Fern Winston of the Party's Womens Equality Commission. Civil Rights attorney Joseph Rauh urged work to invigorate the Democratic Party rather than turn to a third party.

Among the Commission's 49 members were former machinists Union president William Winpisinger, former California Supreme Court justice Rose Bird, former New Mexico governor Toney Anaya, environmentalist Barry Commoner, farm workers union leader Dolores Huerta, former Attorney general Ramsey Clark, author Barbara Ehrenreich, Joseph L, Rauh, Jr. and former Congressman and Presidential candidate John Anderson.

1987 Rainbow conference/Board

At the 1987 National Rainbow convention in Raleigh North Carolina, a new board was elected, which included Dolores Huerta.

Socialist Debs award

Every year since the mid 1960s the Indiana based Eugene V. Debs Foundation holds Eugene Debs Award Banquet in Terre Haute, to honor an approved social or labor activist. The 1993 honoree, was Dolores Huerta.

Tribute to Michael Harrington

In September 1989 Derek Shearer, Dolores Huerta, Dick Flacks, Harold Meyerson, Penny Schantz, paid tribute to the late Michael Harrington, at a Democratic Socialists of America event in Los Angeles.

Chicano movement

The 40th Anniversary Commemoration Committee of the Chicano Moratoriums was formed in the summer 2009 by the Chair of the National Chicano Moratorium Committee of August 29, 1970 along with two independent Chicano Movement historians whom although not of the baby boomer generation, have become inspired by the Movimiento.

The organization posted a list of significant “Chicano movement” activists on its website which included Dolores Huerta, a member of the United Farm Workers.

Spring Action' 89

With Maxine Waters, Mabel Teng, Betty Parent, Art Torres, Dolores Huerta.

Anti CCRI campaign

In 1996 Democratic Socialists of America activists in California were deeply involved in the unsuccessful struggle to defeat Proposition 209, the California Civil Rights initiative, which sought to ban "affirmative action". At DSA's 1995 National Convention, the organization made opposition to CCRI a "major focus for our Activist Agenda".

According to campaign co-ordinator, Sacramento DSA leader Duane Campbell, "several prominent DSAers also contributed to the effort against 209. DSA Honorary Chair Dolores Huerta was a tireless campaigner and fundraiser. Huerta, alongwith Jesse Jackson, Eleanor Smeal, Patricia Ireland and Elizabeth Toledo, participated in a Freedom Bus tour throughout California, Each of them spoke from their own views on the significance of this campaign in building a spirit of hope and of struggle. The tour, well covered in the media, clearty showed the need to work together to build broad coalitions of labor, civil rights, and women's organizations..

"Making Trouble"

'Making Trouble- Building a Radical Youth Movement' was held April 17-19, 1998 Berkeley, California.

"Making Trouble" is a conference for young radicals from all over California to meet, form coalitions, and get informed. We will focus on the Prison Industrial Complex and the contemporary Labor Movement, but there will also be workshops on Environmental Justice, the Unz initiative, Art and Revolution, Immigration, Third World Organizing, Economic Globalization, Affirmative Action, Reproductive Rights, and much more.

Keynote Speaker: Barbara Ehrenreich

Invited speakers included;

• Dolores Huerta
• Donna Haraway
• Tom Hayden
• Angela Davis
• Cornel West
• Barbara Lee
• Jello Biafra
• Ron Dellums

Anti-Iraq War March

Hatem Bazian October 16 2018:

Anti-Iraq War March and Rally Feb. 16, 2003, with Bonnie Raitt, Danny Glover, Dolores Huerta, and Hatem Bazian.

2003 DSA conference

DSA Leader

The Democratic Socialists of America leadership structure in 2009 consisted of;

National Political Committee

• Theresa Alt
• Virginia Franco
• David Green
• Michael Hirsch
• Barbara Joye
• David Knuttunen
• Simone Morgen
• Michele Rossi
• Joseph Schwartz
• Timothy Sears
• Herb Shore
• John Strauss
• Corey Walker

Honorary Chairs

• Bogdan Denitch
• Barbara Ehrenreich
• Dolores Huerta
• Eliseo Medina
• Gus Newport
• Frances Fox Piven
• Gloria Steinem
• Cornel West

Vice-Chairs

• Elaine Bernard
• Edward Clark
• Jose LaLuz
• Steve Max
• Harold Meyerson
• Maxine Phillips
• Christine Riddiough
• Rosemary Ruether
• Joseph Schwartz
• Ruth Spitz
• Motl Zelmanowicz

Staff

• Frank Llewellyn, National Director
• Fatou Camara, Financial Coordinator
• Erik Rosenberg, Youth Section Organizer

Huerta and Hillary Clinton

Huerta with Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton

Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta and her partner Richard Chavez, brother of the late Cesar Chavez, kicked off a two-day, seven county tour of California, December 22, 2007, attending "Holiday Parties for Hillary" in Fresno, Sacramento, Richmond, and San Francisco with hundreds of Hillary Clinton supporters.

At the parties, Huerta joined local elected officials and residents to phone bank area voters in support of Clinton. Holiday party goers took to the streets and went door-to-door and to local shopping centers to talk to voters.

"We're traveling throughout the state to deliver the message from Hillary Clinton that when she's in the White House, no American will be invisible to her," said Dolores Huerta. "As President, Hillary will ensure we have universal health care, affordable housing, quality education and the opportunity to achieve the American dream."

The "Holiday Parties for Hillary" was also the launch of the Clinton Campaign's new and ongoing voter contact effort known as Bring-Your-Own-Phone parties. The BYOP parties allow supporters to use their personal phones to come together and make hundreds of calls to area residents in support of Hillary Clinton.

The statewide tour started on Saturday morning in the City of Fresno at the home of David L. Schecter, Associate Professor of California State University at Fresno, and special guests included Fresno Councilmember Cynthia Sterling. The tour continued in Sacramento, attending a party hosted by campaign volunteers and supporters at the home of Karen Thomas and John McFadden. Early evening, Dolores was in the Bay Area attending the Richmond Holiday Party at the home of Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia and Jennifer Peck with guests Pinole Councilmember Stephen Tilton, Berkeley Councilmember Kriss Worthington, Oakland Councilmember Jean Quan and Mayor of San Leandro Anthony B. Santos.

The first day of the tour concluded in San Francisco at the home of Miguel Bustos and Alex Rivera. In attendance were Supervisor Jose Sandoval and Maria Echaveste, former Deputy Chief of Staff to President Bill Clinton.

Huerta, Medina Rodriguez Join Hillary for California

Los Angeles, CA – May 17, 2016, Hillary for California announced that Dolores Huerta and Eliseo Medina will join the campaign team as senior advisors. Huerta and Medina will build on the campaign’s robust outreach to the Latino community in California and work with the campaign’s senior team to organize and engage Californians in conversations about Hillary Clinton's plans to break down barriers and help move the country forward.

“We are thrilled to be joined by two incredibly accomplished and admired leaders in the Latino, immigrant and labor communities, Dolores Huerta and Eliseo Medina,” said Buffy Wicks , State Director for Hillary for California. “Their advocacy and leadership, along with Gabriel Rodriguez’s focus on Latino GOTV, will go a long way in continuing the important work of reaching every California voter in advance of the June 7 primary.”

Dolores Huerta made history leading the 1965 grape boycott to achieve better working conditions for predominantly Latino, immigrant farmworkers. She is the co-founder of United Farm Workers (UFW) and an internationally recognized leader in the labor, women’s rights, and immigrants’ rights movements. Eliseo Medina, Secretary-Treasurer of SEIU, is one of the most successful labor organizers in the country and a tireless advocate for immigration reform. Gabriel Rodriguez has been with the Hillary for America campaign since February and has served in similar roles in Colorado, Illinois, Arizona, New York, and Connecticut.

Venezuela delegation

The American singer and activist Harry Belafonte called President Bush “the greatest terrorist in the world” August 2006, and said millions of Americans support the socialist revolution of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

Belafonte led a delegation of Americans including the actor Danny Glover and the Princeton University scholar Cornel West that met the Venezuelan president for more than six hours late Saturday. Some in the group attended Chavez’s television and radio broadcast.

“No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we’re here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people ... support your revolution,” Belafonte told Chavez during the broadcast. The 78-year-old Belafonte, famous for his calypso-inspired music, including the “Day-O” song, was a close collaborator of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is now a UNICEF goodwill ambassador. He also has been outspoken in criticizing the U.S. embargo of Cuba.

Chavez said he believes deeply in the struggle for justice by blacks, both in the U.S. and Venezuela.

“Although we may not believe it, there continues to be great discrimination here against black people,” Chavez said, urging his government to redouble its efforts to prevent discrimination.

Belafonte accused U.S. news media of falsely painting Chavez as a “dictator,” when in fact, he said, there is democracy and citizens are “optimistic about their future.”

Dolores Huerta, a pioneer of the United Farm Workers labor union also in the delegation, called the visit a “very deep experience.”

Chavez accuses Bush of trying to overthrow him, pointing to intelligence documents released by the U.S. indicating that the CIA knew beforehand that dissident officers planned a short-lived 2002 coup. The U.S. denies involvement, but Chavez says Venezuela must be on guard. Belafonte suggested setting up a youth exchange for Venezuelans and Americans. He finished by shouting in Spanish: “Viva la revolucion!”

SB1070 march, Phoenix

The Phoenix 5 mile march and rally held Saturday, May 29, 2010, in solidarity against SB1070 was quite a sight to see.

SEIU Executive VP Eliseo Medina joined a laundry list of influential minds including Rep. Raul Grijalva, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, National Day Laborer Organizing Network Executive Director Pablo Alvarado, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Co-founder of United Farm Workers Dolores Huerta, singers Jenni Rivera and Alex Lora of El Tri.

Poverty Tour 2.0

Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary, kick off "The Poverty Tour 2.0: A Call to Conscience" in Cleveland, OH.

The co-hosts of the nationally syndicated public radio program Smiley & West, from Public Radio International (PRI), hit the road September 12-15 2012 to host six town hall events that are FREE and open to the public.

"The Poverty Tour 2.0," sponsored in part by AARP Foundation and HuffPost Live, will visit the key battleground states of Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Florida. In addition, one town hall event will be held in the state of Delaware. Smiley and West intend to push the moderators of the upcoming presidential debates to ask the candidates about America's poverty problem, and to urge legislators to support public policy and implement programs that will alleviate poverty.

"These new Census numbers will underscore what we've been saying for a long time — poverty is the new American norm," said Smiley. "The time is now to force poverty on the agenda; our leaders can't simply continue to be quiet on this issue."

Confirmed guests include: Peter Edelman, former member of the Clinton administration and co-founder of the Children's Defense Fund; Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers; Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and former presidential candidate; Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH); Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH); Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA); Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH); and Jill Stein, Green Party USA candidate for president. All presidential and vice presidential candidates have been invited to participate.

"We're putting the spotlight on our precious fellow citizens who don't have access to a decent job, decent housing, and decent healthcare," said West. "We want to hear solutions that can be duplicated and adapted in communities across the country."

UFW 50th Anniversary convention

The United Farm Workers' 50th Anniversary convention was held Saturday, May 19,2012. Rabobank Convention Center. Keene, California.

• A three-hour program (1-4 p.m.) honoring the UFW pioneers, with special segments on the 1962 founding convention, 1965-1970 grape strikers and boycotters, 1966 peregrinos who marched from Delano to Sacramento, the Filipino American grape strikers and the farm worker ministry. Among the speakers were Dolores Huerta, Chris Hartmire and Luis Valdez, whose Teatro Campesino performed old union songs and actos throughout the program.

• Other speakers included California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton and Maria Elena Durazo, former farm worker and head of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.

SF Wage Theft Task Force

Gordon Mar October 1, 2012.

Launch of new SF Wage Theft Task Force with Dolores Huerta, Supervisors David Campos & Eric Mar, Shaw San Liu, Tiffany Crain, Tim Paulson, Conny Ford, Chinese Progressive Association, Filipino Community Center, Young Workers United, Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, Mujeres Unidas y Activas, San Francisco Labor Council, Unite Here Local 2 and many others! — with Julia Wong, Conny Ford, Eric Mar, Shaw San Liu, Maria Hernandez, Tiffany Crain Altamirano, Timothy Paulson, David Campos, Chelsea Boilard, Guillermina Castellanos, Tom Temprano and Dolores Huerta at San Francisco City Hall.

Presidential Medal of Freedom

On April 27, 2012 President Barack Obama named Dolores Huerta as one of the thirteen new recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

President Obama said, "These extraordinary honorees come from different backgrounds and different walks of life, but each of them has made a lasting contribution to the life of our nation. They’ve challenged us, they’ve inspired us, and they've made the world a better place. I look forward to recognizing them with this award."

Equality Awards

Senator Ted Lieu, Dolores Huerta and Assemblymember Steven Bradford - 2013 Equality California Awards Gala_Inside Held at JW Marriott Los Angeles - LA Live - Los Angeles, California, United States - Sunday 6th October 2013.

The "Cuban 5"

The Cuban 5 should be released and returned to their families, declared a resolution passed unanimously by the Coalition of Labor Union Women at its national convention in November 2013.

Citing its longstanding role as an advocate for human rights, peace, solidarity and friendly relations with working women around the world, CLUW also urged its members to contact Secretary of State John Kerry, urging the U.S. State Department to grant a visa to Adriana Perez, wife of Cuban 5 prisoner Gerardo Hernandez, in order that she may visit with her husband.

"We Americans would certainly have appreciated it if, before it happened, someone had uncovered and prevented the horrid terrorist plot of 9/11, " said CLUW delegate Diane Mohney, speaking in favor of the resolution. "That's what the Cuban 5 were doing for their country," not spying, she added. Mohney, a retired Philadelphia school nurse.

The resolution was submitted by the Chicago chapter of the coalition. It cited a compelling video by one of the organization's founders, United Farm Workers leader Dolores Huerta. In the video, Huerta dramatically calls for freedom for the five in order "to show the world that the U.S. is a country of compassion, honesty and fairness."

PODER PAC Honorary Co-chairs

In 2014 PODER PAC Honorary Co-chairs were Rosario Dawson, NY, America Fererra, CA, Dolores Huerta, CA, Eva Longoria Parker, TX, Grace Napolitano, CA, Ana Ortiz, NY, Rosie Perez, NY, Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA, Linda Sanchez, CA, Loretta Sanchez, CA, Nydia Velazquez, NY

Supporting 99Rise

In June 2014, dozen activists with the group 99Rise marched from Los Angeles to Sacramento to protest the "corrupting influence of big money in politics." "They will arrive at the Capitol on Sunday at 2 p.m., where they will be joined by supporters, including Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, activist Dolores Huerta and recent Secretary of State candidate Derek Cressman, for a rally urging the Legislature to take action. The group also plans to stage a sit-in at the Capitol until lawmakers meet their demands, starting with the passage of several bills that would address the role of money in politics, such as SB 52, which would require political advertisements to display their largest funders."

Vietnam conference

Vietnam - The Power of Protest - Telling the Truth - Learning the Lessons was held Friday and Saturday, May 1-2, in Washington, D.C.

The conference "has a star-studded program of progressive leaders of the past half century": Dolores Huerta, Danny Glover, Daniel Ellsberg, Phil Donahue, former Congresspersons Patricia Schroeder, Ron Dellums and current Reps. Barbara Lee and John Conyers, singer Holly Near, and more.

She the People 2018 Summit

She the People's three-year initiative kicked off with its inaugural She the People Summit on September 20, 2018 at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco. The sold-out, first-ever national summit of women of color in politics drew nearly 600 attendees, mostly women of color, from 36 states.

Speakers included Dolores Huerta.

External links

• People for the American Way website