Dolores Huerta, pioneering labor activist and civil‑rights leader, dies at 96

Dolores Huerta, the veteran labour organiser who helped build the United Farm Workers (UFW) and popularised the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” died on Wednesday, 28 October 2026 at the age of 96. Her family, speaking through her California‑based foundation, said she passed away from cancer at her home in Bakersfield, surrounded by relatives.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a close friend of Huerta, ordered state flags to be flown at half‑staff in her honour. In a statement he described her as embodying “the best of us” and credited her spirit, passion for justice and commitment to the overlooked for shaping both California and the nation. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also issued statements, recalling Huerta’s relentless activism into her nineties and her influence on generations of organisers.

Huerta’s death was confirmed by multiple outlets, including CBS News, the BBC and The Independent, all citing the family’s announcement and the cause of cancer. The BBC noted that she continued to work on immigration and voting‑rights issues through her foundation after the height of the farm‑worker movement in the 1960s and 1970s.

Background

Born in New Mexico and raised in Stockton, California, Huerta entered the labour movement after a brief career as a teacher. In the early 1960s she joined forces with Cesar Chavez, and together they co‑founded the organisation that would become the United Farm Workers. Their campaigns in the 1960s and 1970s secured better wages and working conditions for farm workers across the United States, and Huerta emerged as the emotional centre of the Chicano power movement.

Huerta’s contributions extended beyond the fields. She coined the three‑word Spanish slogan “Sí, se puede” – “Yes, it can be done” – which later inspired political campaigns and social movements worldwide. Over her career she was arrested 22 times for union demonstrations, underscoring her willingness to confront authority. Her achievements earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, presented by President Barack Obama, who noted that he had borrowed her slogan for his 2008 campaign. She became the first Latina inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received nine honorary doctorates from U.S. universities. Schools, streets and murals in California, Texas and Colorado now bear her name.

Why it matters

Huerta’s death marks the loss of a figure who shaped labour rights, civil‑rights advocacy and feminist activism for more than six decades. Her work directly improved conditions for millions of farm workers, many of whom were immigrants facing exploitation. By championing immigration reform and voter‑registration drives through her foundation, she continued to influence policy debates and community organising well into her nineties.

Political leaders highlighted the personal and societal impact of her activism. Governor Newsom’s flag‑half‑staff order signals the state’s recognition of her role in California’s social fabric. Mayor Bass’s remarks emphasise how Huerta’s example demonstrates the power of ordinary people to effect change, a message that resonates with current grassroots movements. Pelosi’s reference to Huerta’s rallying cry underscores the slogan’s enduring relevance in contemporary political discourse.

The broader labour and civil‑rights communities have responded with an outpouring of tributes, reflecting Huerta’s status as a unifying figure across diverse movements. Her legacy provides a template for organising around economic justice, immigration equity and voting rights, areas that remain contentious in U.S. politics.

What happens next

Following the family’s request for privacy, public memorials and commemorations are expected to be organised by the United Farm Workers and affiliated organisations. Governor Newsom’s directive for half‑staff flags will remain in effect for a period determined by the state protocol. The UFW has indicated plans to honour Huerta’s contributions at upcoming labour‑rights events, though specific dates have not yet been announced.

The death of Dolores Huerta closes a historic chapter in American activism, but her slogans, strategies and institutional achievements continue to guide current and future campaigns for social justice.