Santa Barbara Remembers Dolores Huerta and Her Legacy of Activism

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Dolores Huerta, the pioneering labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers and helped lead the fight for farmworkers’ rights, has died at the age of 96.

Huerta, known for popularizing the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” leaves behind a legacy of activism, social justice and a lifelong commitment to empowering others.

NewsChannel reporter Mina Wahab met Huerta in July during a visit to Santa Barbara, where the longtime activist spoke with children and adults about the power of collective action.

“Sí, se puede” translates to “Yes, we can,” a message Huerta said was meant to inspire individuals and communities to believe in their ability to create change.

“It's not only ‘Yes, we can.’ It means ‘Yes, I can. Yes, you can. And then, of course, it means ‘Yes, we can,’” Huerta said during the interview.

For decades, Huerta fought for better working conditions and greater protections for farmworkers, helping build a movement that brought national attention to the struggles of agricultural laborers.

Her legacy also became the focus of renewed public discussion earlier this year, when Huerta disclosed that César Chávez, her fellow United Farm Workers co-founder, had sexually assaulted her in the 1960s.

Huerta said she kept the experiences private for decades, in part because she feared speaking out could undermine the movement she helped build.

Elsa Granados, executive director of Standing Together to End Sexual Assault (STESA), said Huerta’s disclosure highlights the importance of believing survivors, including those who come forward years after an assault.

“Even though it's hard information to hear, I truly believe her,” Granados said. “Most survivors delay in reporting. Most survivors do not report immediately after an assault, for many, many reasons.”

Granados said Huerta’s decision to speak publicly also reflected her desire to stand in solidarity with other women who had come forward.

“She wanted to support the other women that were coming forward,” Granados said. “And I can completely see why she would have wanted to do that, because that was part of her makeup — to stand in solidarity with other people, sharing a struggle.”

Huerta’s disclosure also helped spark a push to rename César Chávez Street in Santa Barbara in her honor.

During her July interview, Huerta said she would be honored by such a decision but emphasized that the choice belonged to the community.

Oscar Gutierrez, a Santa Barbara City Council member, reflected on the significance of Huerta’s life and the challenges she overcame.

“I find it poetic that Dolores Huerta — her name, Dolores, means pain or suffering in Spanish,” Gutierrez said. “And she's definitely somebody that went through a lot of that, but persevered to become an icon and a hero.”

Huerta’s influence extended beyond the labor movement, inspiring generations to advocate for their communities and demand change.

In one of her final interviews with your NewsChannel, Huerta reflected on the importance of making a difference.

“We're only on Earth for a short time, really, when we think about it,” Huerta said. “So, as my mother used to say, in the short lives that we have, we want to use our lives to make the world a better place.”

Huerta’s legacy lives on through the workers she fought for, the movements she helped build and the people continuing the work of advancing equality and justice.