Activist Dolores Huerta Has Died. Here's What To Know About Her Trailblazing Life

Dolores Huerta, an internationally renowned activist, community organizer, and political force who co-founded what is now known as the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) alongside Cesar Chavez, died Wednesday at her home in Bakersfield, California. She was 96.News of Huerta’s death was shared by family members through her Instagram account, though the post did not disclose a cause of death. The New York Times reported that the cause of death was cancer, citing a spokesperson for Huerta."We know that many of you around the world share in our mourning, and we will be following up on plans to recognize and celebrate her incredible life and legacy," the post said.Huerta dedicated her career to fighting a variety of causes, including labor rights, women's rights and immigrants’ rights. She is also credited with coining the phrase "Yes we can"—"Sí se puede"—which was later adopted by Barack Obama. Harvey Richards Media ArchiveIn March 2026, Huerta publicly accused Chavez of sexually abusing her decades earlier, breaking a silence she said she had maintained to protect the farmworker movement. Her disclosure accompanied a New York Times investigation into allegations that Chavez sexuall...