Dolores Huerta, who backed Obama and Biden, dies at 96

Dolores Huerta died in California on Wednesday at the age of 96. Her family announced the death via social media, describing her as a beloved mother and asking for privacy during their period of grief. They indicated that plans to celebrate her life and legacy would follow in the coming weeks.

Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers union, known as the UFW, alongside Cesar Chavez. The two leaders organized strikes, boycotts, and protests throughout the 1960s and 1970s. These efforts secured higher pay and improved working conditions for agricultural laborers. Huerta was born in New Mexico in 1930 and entered union work after following her father, a miner and farm hand, into activism.

She also played a role in electoral politics, assisting several Democratic presidential campaigns. Huerta helped Robert F. Kennedy secure the party nomination in 1968 prior to his assassination. She later supported the election victories of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The union credited Huerta with coining the slogan 'Sí, se puede,' which Obama adapted for his 2008 campaign.

The public perception of Huerta's relationship with Chavez shifted in March of this year. In interviews with The New York Times, she revealed that Chavez raped her in a vehicle in a secluded California grape field during the winter of 1966. She was 36 at the time. Huerta stated she did not report the assault due to hostility from authorities toward the UFW and a fear that union members would not believe her account. Her disclosure coincided with reports that Chavez had groomed and sexually abused teenage girls.

After their partnership, Huerta entered a long-term domestic relationship with Chavez's brother, Richard. The couple had four children together. Richard died in 2011. The UFW described Huerta as a fierce advocate for women's rights who significantly impacted young women across the country.

Huerta received the Presidential Medal of Honor in 2012. President Obama presented the award, the highest civilian honor in the United States, at a White House ceremony. She was one of 13 recipients that year. Her name is currently used for four elementary schools in California, one in Fort Worth, Texas, and a high school in Pueblo, Colorado.

The family statement noted that people around the world share in the mourning. They confirmed that Huerta passed away on Wednesday. The UFW had previously described her as Chavez's right hand, while also acknowledging that she could be a thorn in his side during heated arguments.