Dolores Huerta parents: Meet Alicia Chavez and Juan Fernandez

Dolores Huerta was born several decades ago to Alicia Chavez and Juan Fernandez.

Her parents divorced when she was only three years old.

Juan Fernández

Huerta’s father, Juan, was a coal miner, who later joined the migrant labor force, and harvested beets in Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming.

After his divorce from his wife, he relocated to New Mexico and served in the state legislature.

Alicia Chavez

Huerta’s mum, Alicia, had brought up Huerta and her two brothers in a farmers community in California.

Alicia was known to be very kind and compassionate towards others and was “active in community affairs, numerous civic organizations.”

Alicia doubled as an entrepreneur who owned restaurant and a 70-room hotel, where she lodged low-income earners and farmworker families.

She became an inspiration to Huerta, in terms of advocating for farmworkers.

Who Is Dolores Huerta?

Dolores Huerta is a labor leader, human rights activist, and co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which has now formed part of the United Farm Workers (UFW).

Born on April 10, 1930, in New Mexico, United States, Huerta was at the forefront of the Delano grape strike in 1965 in California and helped negotiate the workers’ contract afterwards.

Huerta became known for the phrase “Sí, se puede”, and became an icon of hope and a mouthpiece for the Latinos.

For her unwavering efforts, April 10 was set aside in California as Dolores Huerta Day.

Huerta has faced arrest twenty-two times for her non-violent protests and strikes, but she remains steadfast to the human rights cause.

She is a board member of People for the American Way, Consumer Federation of California, and Feminist Majority Foundation.

As far back as 1968, Huerta worked with Robert F. Kennedy and was present on stage with him during his victory speech after his win at the California Democratic presidential primary election.

Huerta has received no less than 15 honorary doctorates, and became the first Latina to be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, in 1993.

For her community service and advocacy she has received numerous awards including “the Eugene V. Debs Foundation Outstanding American Award, the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2012.”