The Female that Changed the Fate of Farm Workers: Dolores Huerta
- guidetopw
- Jul 19, 2020
- 3 min read
A labor leader? Not a very common field for anyone, including women. Migrant farm workers have always faced challenges when coming to the US because of the lack of Labor Leaders and Activists who are willing to advocate for their rights. Although there are several organizations that work for the benefit of farm workers, unless there is a life changing leader that can make an impact, farm workers don’t get the rights that they deserve. However, there is one very influential woman that faced many challenges at a very young age and struggled to gain recognition for her and the people that deserved rights. Let’s talk about the woman that changed the fate of farm workers: Dolores Huerta.
Huerta’s Childhood and Roots
Her Journey as a Career Woman
Honorable Recognition
The Female Perspective
Huerta’s Influence in Labor
What was her early life like?
Huerta was born on April 10th in 1930 in New Mexico, Huerta grew up to become an American Labor Leader and Activist who advocates for migrant farm workers which even led to the establishment of the United Farm Workers of America. At an early age, Huerta moved to California and even went to college which was rare for women in her time period. She received an AA degree from Stockton College, and she began to explore her career options with her teaching credentials and varying careers. She was unsatisfied throughout the beginning of her career, but when she was teaching at low-profile schools she realized that she could make more of an impact by helping the parents of the students rather than teaching the children.
What did she achieve throughout her career?
She was a member of the Community Service Organization (CS), in which she helped them by telling California state legislators to enact such progressive legislation for non-citizens because of their old age. In the 1950’s, Huerta’s interest to improve the conditions of the farmworkers and she decided that it wasn’t enough to just be part of CSO and once her attempts failed along with a fellow co-worker they founded the National farm Workers Association. Huerta’s impact helped create the national climate that led to the Agricultural Labor Relations Act in 1975 which recognized California farm workers to bargain. In 2002, she founded the Dolores Huerta Foundation which involved community organizing and allowed Huerta to further the impact in the community by assisting migrant farm workers.
Her Recognition
Her contributions to society not only helped advance society, but forever made a mark on how women are to be respected. She is an influential figure that was able to advance the society for women. Her honorable awards include induction into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2021. She has been recognized thoroughly for her achievements and was even the subject in a documentary of herself.
A Woman for Labor Rights
Although Huerta was not very involved with her family, she did have her fair share of struggles even if it was not as a mother. After her education, she was briefly married and had children but ended up leaving her family because her goals in life were to achieve rights for migrant Farm Workers and instate her vision of helping others because of her background. Even from a very young age she had to witness her family falling apart, and was forced to see the lack of rights that was present for her people. Huerta getting an education as a woman in her was itself in achievement because of the lack of rights women had as well. Huerta was able to achieve so much as a woman in her time, so just imagine how much you could have achieved as a man because of how differentiated in the past. Huerta marked a new checkpoint for women thanks to her achievements.
Her Continued Impact
Daughter of a farm worker and Union activist, Huerta was self-inspired to change the fate of future farm workers and her career, activism, and involvement in several organizations for the benefit of the rights of farm workers still stand to be some of the most important laws ever established. Huerta is the image of the greatest labor leader and her strength and determination took her farther than anyone could have ever imagined. She still stands to be one of the most influential women in history for both labor laws and the advancement of the society for women.
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