Dolores Huerta, the 2000 Hispanic Heritage Award Honoree for Leadership, has been a strong role model for the migrant farm worker community for more than thirty years.

Born in a small New Mexico mining town in 1930, Ms Huerta grew up being active in her community. She was encouraged by her mother to participate in numerous youth activities like piano, violin, and dance lessons, and the Girl Scouts of America. Although her parents separated when she was young, Ms. Huerta became inspired by her father’s decision to improve his own life through education. Her father later became active in labor unions and in 1938 was elected to the New Mexico state legislature.

In the 1950’s, Ms. Huerta began to work for the Community Service Organization (CSO), a Mexican-American self-help organization in Los Angeles. While working for the CSO, Ms. Huerta helped to organize citizenship classes for migrants and register people to vote. Soon she became a leading lobbyist in the organization. Because of her work with the CSO, Huerta became interested in the rights of migrant farm workers. In 1962, she and César Chavez worked together to form the group that would later become United Farm Workers. Ms. Huerta worked diligently in the organization as Chavez’s second-in-command serving as a lobbyist, picket organizer, negotiator, and advisor to government officials.

Ms. Huerta remains a dedicate advocate for workers rights and continues to fight for the rights of migrant workers everywhere.