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Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis has declared April 10, 2025, as Dolores Huerta Day. The proclamation celebrates Huerta's contributions to social justice and labor rights. Born in 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico, Huerta moved to California's Central Valley, dedicating her life to advocating for workers' rights. She began her career as a schoolteacher in Stockton, where she noticed students attending class hungry, leading her to become a community leader.
Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962 along with Cesar Chavez, laying the groundwork for the United Farm Workers organization. Their efforts, in collaboration with labor leaders like Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, led to significant successes, including a grape boycott that resulted in the first farmworker union contracts and the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act.
Throughout her life, Huerta has received several honors for her work in social justice, such as being inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1993 and receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. She continues her advocacy through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, focusing on empowering marginalized communities.
Governor Kounalakis encouraged Californians to draw inspiration from Huerta’s work. The proclamation, which attests to the Great Seal of the State of California, was signed on April 3, 2025.
"NOW THEREFORE I, ELENI KOUNALAKIS, Acting Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 10, 2025 as 'Dolores Huerta Day,'" Kounalakis stated.
"THROUGH the Dolores Huerta Foundation, she continues her tireless work advocating for marginalized communities and teaching the next generation of organizers to empower others and drive social change," Kounalakis added.
The Secretary of State, Shirley N. Weber, Ph.D., attested the declaration.
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