Check out the best Dolores Huerta quotes and sayings that inspire courage, justice, equality, and the power of collective action.
Dolores Huerta is a legendary American labor leader, civil rights activist, and feminist icon, best known for her lifelong fight for social justice, workers’ rights, and equality for marginalized communities.
Born on April 10, 1930, in Dawson, New Mexico, she grew up in a Mexican-American family and faced discrimination and segregation throughout her childhood.
This experience fueled her passion for activism and motivated her to work towards creating a more just and equitable society.
Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) with Cesar Chavez in 1962, a union that fought for the rights of agricultural workers, many of whom were immigrants and people of color.
As a leader of the UFW, Huerta played a key role in organizing farmworkers and negotiating contracts with employers, advocating for better working conditions, higher wages, and access to healthcare.
She is widely credited with coining the iconic phrase “Si, se puede” (“Yes, it can be done”), a rallying cry that has become a global symbol of hope, resistance, and empowerment.
In addition to her work with the UFW, Huerta has been an outspoken advocate for a range of social justice causes, including women’s rights, Latino civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental justice.
Her extraordinary contributions have earned her numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.
Dolores Huerta’s words continue to inspire generations to stand up, speak out, and fight for justice and equality.
Here are the most famous Dolores Huerta quotes that reflect her legacy of activism, hope, and unwavering determination.
Top 10 Dolores Huerta Quotes
- “Leadership is a choice one makes.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Respecting other people’s rights is peace.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Honor the hands that harvest your crops.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Every minute is a chance to change the world.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Walk the street with us into history. Get off the sidewalk.” – Dolores Huerta
- “You can’t make change if you’re not willing to give something up.” – Dolores Huerta
- “If you haven’t forgiven yourself something, how can you forgive others?” – Dolores Huerta
- “If you don’t get out there and try to solve your own problems, it’s never going to change.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.” – Dolores Huerta
- “We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are put on the earth for.” – Dolores Huerta
Best Dolores Huerta Quotes
- “Exercise your right to vote.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Sí, se puede! (Yes, it can be done!).” – Dolores Huerta
- “A leader is a person that does the work. It’s very simple.” – Dolores Huerta
- “We know we only have about half of our population that’s voting.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Organized labor is the only way to have fair distribution of wealth…” – Dolores Huerta
- “We can’t let people drive wedges between us… because there’s only one human race.” – Dolores Huerta
- “I hope people become inspired to become active in their community. That’s the important thing.” – Dolores Huerta
- “We criticize and separate ourselves from the process. We’ve got to jump right in there with both feet.” – Dolores Huerta
- “When a group of people get together, it’s collective power. You know that you’re doing it for the good.” – Dolores Huerta
- “When you choose to give up your time and resources to participate in community work, that’s what makes a leader.” – Dolores Huerta
- “If we can just convince other people to get involved, this could make some major changes in our society. It’s very exhilarating.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Employers able to work together with workers and sharing gains and profits will lead to a much better world, getting away from income inequality.” – Dolores Huerta
- “A women’s place in history has never been given the attention that it needs to be given, and that’s why we have a lot of the misogyny in our society today.” – Dolores Huerta
- “I quit because I can’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes. I thought I could do more by organizing farm workers than by trying to teach their hungry children.” – Dolores Huerta
- “People can take power over their communities and over their lives. Some people don’t realize they can do that. They think ‘It’s OK for other people, but I myself can’t do it.’ Hopefully, that will come out of the film.” – Dolores Huerta
Famous Quotes From Dolores Huerta
- “Why is it that farmworkers feed the nation but they can’t get food stamps?” – Dolores Huerta
- “If we don’t have workers organized into labor unions, we’re in great peril of losing our democracy.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Going door to door and talking to people, convincing them to vote – this is what I call Organizing 101.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Sometimes, we have to promote ourselves. Just go out and be very active about trying to find an opportunity.” – Dolores Huerta
- “Once I learned about grassroots organizing, I got so enamored with it because I thought ‘Wow this is the way you do it!’” – Dolores Huerta
- “Once you see the outcomes and the results, and you see how many people are helped and benefitting, you want to keep on doing it because it’s so simple.” – Dolores Huerta
- “My mother was a dominant force in our family. And that was great for me as a young woman, because I never saw that women had to be dominated by men.” – Dolores Huerta
- “We as women should shine light on our accomplishments and not feel egotistical when we do. It’s a way to let the world know that we as women can accomplish great things!” – Dolores Huerta
- “I want to say to mothers out there, you know, take your children to marches. Take them to meetings because this is a way that they can become strong, and they understand what politics is all about because they are actually living it.” – Dolores Huerta
- “The thing about nonviolence is that it spreads. When you get people to participate in nonviolent action – whether it’s a fast, a march, a boycott, or a picket line – people hear you, people see you, people are learning from that action.” – Dolores Huerta
Dolores Huerta Quotes And Sayings To Inspire You
- “I call myself an addicted organizer.” – Dolores Huerta
- “That’s the history of the world. His story is told, hers isn’t.” – Dolores Huerta
- “As a youngster and being a Latina, you see so much injustice.” – Dolores Huerta
- “I’m glad that the fact that people are still getting poisoned by pesticide drift is gaining attention.” – Dolores Huerta
- “The racist rhetoric from politicians is inspiring people to organize, as more people see what happens by not getting active.” – Dolores Huerta
- “We have to get back down to basics. We have to start organizing at the neighborhood level to get people educated to vote.” – Dolores Huerta
- “The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direct action.” – Dolores Huerta
- “I am happy to see that, increasingly, people care about farm workers. There is tremendous interest in where and how our food is grown.” – Dolores Huerta
- “We need to keep ringing the bell, wake people up to get our democracy together. Farm workers are like a symbol, and it is good that people are paying attention.” – Dolores Huerta
- “I think we brought to the world, the United States anyway, the whole idea of boycotting as a nonviolent tactic. I think we showed the world that nonviolence can work to make social change.” – Dolores Huerta
More About Dolores Huerta
Dolores Huerta is an iconic figure in the history of the United States and a major force in the labor movement. Her activism has spanned over six decades, with her advocacy for social justice, workers’ rights, and civil rights dating back to her youth.
In her lifetime, she has organized boycotts, strikes, marches, and other forms of protest to push for better wages and working conditions for farmworkers.
She also founded the Dolores Huerta Foundation to continue her work on behalf of marginalized communities.
As we remember her at this actual moment in history, it is important to recognize her strength in uniting people from different backgrounds to work together towards a common goal.
Huerta was a true survivor who faced numerous obstacles yet never lost sight of her values or mission. We can all learn from Dolores Huerta’s example of courage and commitment to social change.
Her legacy continues to inspire millions of people worldwide to fight for justice, equality, and freedom.
Conclusion
What are your favorite Dolores Huerta quotes and Dolores Huerta sayings listed above? If there is a quote that we’ve missed, then let us know in the comments section what your thoughts are.
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