Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta. . "Everybody should be required by law to come to New Mexico to get a taste of humanity. I was born in, New Mexico (Dawson), and this is where I developed my philosophy of social justice," said Delores Huerta April 1, 2017, at the re-naming of the South Valley Gateway Park in her honor. , The Bernalillo County Commission spearheaded the event and considered it well-deserved. As a child, Dolores relocated to Stockton, California with her mother and two brothers following her parents' divorce. Her mother worked two jobs to support her children, and Dolores' grandfather cared for the youngsters. Dolores admired her mother's spirit not only to provide financially, but to encourage activities for her children. , Even though Dolores excelled in school, she served as the object of racism along with the Mexican, Mexican-American and farm-worker children. Dolores obtained a teaching degree at Stockton College and briefly worked as an elementary school teacher. Dolores left that career because she couldn't bear he poor living conditions of her students, many of them members of farm worker families. Dolores wanted to help them. , In 1960, she started the Agricultural Workers' Association (AWA) and organized voting registration drives and lobbied politicians to allow public assistance, pensions and he use of the Spanish language on public documents. In 1962, she and Cesar Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers' Association (AFWA) which, in 1965, merged with the AWA. Five years of hard work on behalf of grape growers culminated in the signing of the historic agreement to improve more benefits for fam workers- unemployment and health care benefits and reducing the use of harmful pesticides. A 1970 lettuce boycott eventually paved the way for the passage of the 1975 Agricultural Labor Relations Act. , Dolores continued in her activist father's tradition for many years after the death of her co-founder and good friend Cesar Chavez. She told the audience at the dedication that the honor is not only hers, but that of all who assisted in the movement., (photo captions:), ·Dolores Huerta stands at the founding convention of the National Farm Workers Association in Fresno, California in 1962 with co-founder Cesar Chavez and others. , ·Portrait of Dolores Huerta wearing a "There's blood on those grapes" shirt. The photograph was probably taken during the Gallo strike. , ·Dolores Huerta at a rally in the 1970's.