The Democratic Socialists of America DSA congratulates our honorary chair Dolores Huerta for being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Since her founding along with Cesar Chaves, and many others, of the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, through her current work in support of civic engagement and empowerment of women and youth in disadvantaged communities, Huerta’s influence has been profound.

The creation of the UFW changed the nature of labor organizing in the Southwest and contributed significantly to the growth of Latino politics in the U.S. Her frequent public engagements at college, universities and high schools where she brings a Latina feminist perspective to labor, civil rights and immigration issues highlights her long history and personal commitment to movement building. Dolores Huerta’s legacy of community mobilization against corporate power produced a backlash against her personally. The right-wing’s uproar over this award is merely a continuation of their campaign to discredit President Obama. You can learn more about her current work at the Dolores Huerta Foundation. Dolores Huerta joins a long line of socialist winners of the Medal of Freedom, including Helen Keller, James Farmer, Sidney Hook, Millie Jeffries, Evelyn Dubrow and David Dubinsky.