Senate Resolution No. 2380
BY: Senator WEBB
MOURNING the death of Dolores Huerta, pioneering
labor leader, civil rights icon, and lifelong
advocate for working families, women, and children
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge
those distinguished individuals whose lives of service and advocacy have
left an indelible mark upon our State and Nation, and to mourn the loss
of Dolores Huerta, who died on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the age
of 96, a pioneering labor organizer and civil rights leader who devoted
her life to advancing economic justice, equality, and the rights of
working people; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta was born on April 10, 1930,
in Dawson, New Mexico, and spent much of her childhood and early adult
life in Stockton, California, where she witnessed firsthand the
difficult conditions endured by migrant farm workers and their families;
and
WHEREAS, Raised by her mother Alicia, a compassionate and
independent businesswoman who was deeply involved in community affairs,
Dolores Huerta developed at an early age a profound commitment to
helping others and promoting dignity, opportunity, and equality for all;
and
WHEREAS, After earning a provisional teaching credential from the
University of the Pacific's Delta College in Stockton, Dolores Huerta
began her career as an educator, but became increasingly determined to
address the poverty and economic hardships she saw affecting her
students and their families; and
WHEREAS, In 1962, Dolores Huerta co-founded the National Farm
Workers Association, an organization that would become the United Farm
Workers and grow into the nation's largest farm worker organization,
bringing national attention to the civil and human rights of
agricultural workers; and
WHEREAS, A tireless and strategic organizer, Dolores Huerta played a
leading role in the five-year Delano grape strike and helped lead
successful national grape boycotts which resulted in improved wages and
working conditions for farm workers, demonstrating the power of
grassroots organizing and collective action; and
WHEREAS, During the nationwide grape boycott, Dolores Huerta
relocated to New York City to direct the boycott's efforts on the East
Coast, where she mobilized labor unions, religious organizations,
community groups, students, and consumers in support of farm workers,
bringing her message of economic justice and workers' rights directly to
communities throughout New York State and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her extraordinary career, Dolores Huerta
championed the rights of farm workers, women, children, immigrants, and
other marginalized communities, working to empower individuals to
participate in the democratic process and advocate for positive change
in their own communities; and
WHEREAS, As founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation,
she continued her life's work by developing community leaders,
supporting grassroots campaigns, influencing public policy, and
advancing equality and civil rights across the nation; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta's remarkable contributions to the labor and
civil rights movements earned her numerous prestigious honors, including
the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, the Smithsonian Institution's
James Smithson Award, the Ohtli Award from the Government of Mexico,
numerous honorary doctorates, and induction into the California Hall of
Fame; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, President Barack Obama bestowed upon Dolores
Huerta the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of
the United States, in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to
the nation; and
WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta's remarkable life was defined by an
unwavering commitment to justice, dignity, and opportunity for those too
often without a voice, and her tireless efforts to empower working
families, advance civil rights, and strengthen communities have left a
lasting legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Dolores Huerta, pioneering labor leader, civil rights
icon, and tireless advocate for working people and marginalized
communities; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Dolores Huerta.
