New Mexico native Dolores Huerta died at the age of 96 on Wednesday according to a statement from her family. The civil rights activist co-founded United Farm Workers and coined the now ubiquitous rallying cry, "Sí Se Puede."
President Barack Obama used the English translation, "yes we can," during his campaign. He thanked Huerta for the slogan when he gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012. He jokingly said that he stole the slogan and noted that "Dolores don't play."
Huerta was born in a small mining town in Northeastern New Mexico. She co-founded United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez in the 1960s. The labor union went on to fight for farm worker and immigrant rights around the country.
"I think being and American is to fight for justice for everybody," Huerta told PBS in 2021. "To be an American is to continue the fight for Democracy; to fight for fairness."
Huerta went on to recall a feeling of pride when she learned about the Bill of Rights in the third grade.
Earlier this year Huerta accused Chavez of sexual abuse, including incidents that led to her giving birth to two children that she arranged to be raised by other families. Huerta said she hid the secret as long as she did to protect the farmworkers' movement.
An outpouring of tributes from New Mexico politicians and leaders followed the announcement of Huerta's death. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham called Huerta a "force of nature."
