Dolores Huerta: A Legacy That Also Touched My Family

October 29, 2026

Yesterday, the Mexican American community lost one of its great leaders: Dolores Huerta. For me, this news carries a personal weight. I had the good fortune to spend time with her on several occasions. My daughter also had the opportunity to meet her, and that encounter made a profound impression on her. Today, that memory takes on an even deeper meaning.

Some people help us understand history differently simply through their presence. Meeting Dolores meant coming face to face with a woman who had dedicated her life to defending human dignity. Her life’s work helps us understand how much effort it has taken to create opportunities for our community—and how much responsibility we bear to keep those opportunities open.

Dolores was a co-founder of the United Farm Workers and an essential voice in the defense of farmworkers, women, and immigrants. Her struggle brought attention to people who were too often excluded from decisions, even though their labor was indispensable to feeding and sustaining this country.

As a Mexican who has built his life in the United States, I feel grateful to those who paved the way before us. Behind the opportunities we have today are years of organizing, sacrifice, and people willing to face rejection. Dolores was one of those people. Remembering her requires us to acknowledge that debt.

I think of my daughter. It moves me to know that she met a woman whose example transcends generations. For a young woman, meeting someone like Dolores can expand her sense of what is possible. Her life demonstrates how far a Latina can go when she recognizes her own voice and chooses to use it to serve others.

I do not presume to speak for my daughter or put words to her memories. I know that meeting Dolores affected her deeply, and that is enough for me to understand that a legacy also passes through personal encounters. History takes on another dimension when we can look into the eyes of someone who helped change it.

Through my work with Latino entrepreneurs, I find a deep connection to that defense of dignity. Economic development must translate into opportunities for families, fair conditions for workers, and real possibilities for getting ahead. Prosperity also means asking ourselves whom we are helping move forward.

Today, we must ask that question honestly. How do we treat our workers? What doors do we open for women? How do we support young people? What do we do when someone in our community faces injustice? Honoring Dolores requires us to respond with action, even when doing so is uncomfortable.

Her rallying cry, “¡Sí se puede!”—“Yes, we can!”—will remain with us. But repeating it also commits us to organizing, participating, and sustaining our efforts when results take time. Hope needs people who turn it into daily work.

Today, I say goodbye to a leader with sadness and gratitude. I cherish the privilege of having spent time with her and the joy of knowing that my daughter met her, too. That memory will remain part of our family.

Thank you, Dolores, for opening doors. May our tribute be to protect what you helped achieve and continue building opportunities for those who come after us. Rest in peace. Your example will continue calling us to act.