SR0689 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0689 LRB104 21230 LAW 35831 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta, born in Dawson, New Mexico on April 10, 1930, has dedicated her life to advancing justice, dignity, and equal rights for working people across the United States; and

WHEREAS, Inspired by the values of service and community instilled by her family, Dolores Huerta began her advocacy in California's Central Valley, where as a young teacher, she witnessed firsthand the poverty, hunger, and exploitation endured by the children of farmworkers; and

WHEREAS, Determined to address the systemic injustices facing working families, Dolores Huerta became a leader in the Community Service Organization in Stockton, co-founding its chapter in 1955 and spearheading efforts to expand voting access, secure neighborhood improvements, and build political power for Latino communities; and

WHEREAS, Through this work, Dolores Huerta helped form the Agricultural Workers Association and later co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, which became the United Farm Workers, a historic multiracial coalition of Filipino, Mexican, and other immigrant laborers fighting for basic rights and humane working conditions; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta played a central role in the 1965 Delano Grape Strike, standing alongside a number of Filipino labor leaders, including Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz, Pete Velasco, and Andy Imutan, and helping unite thousands of farmworkers in a courageous struggle for justice; and

WHEREAS, As the chief negotiator for the farmworkers, Dolores Huerta secured the first union contracts in American agricultural history, improving wages, working conditions, and protections for tens of thousands of workers; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta was instrumental in leading the nationwide grape boycotts of the late 1960s and early 1970s, mobilizing millions of consumers across the country and helping win passage of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, the first law in the nation to guarantee farmworkers the right to organize and bargain collectively; and

WHEREAS, Throughout her career, Dolores Huerta has championed safer working conditions, including the elimination of harmful pesticides, and has been a powerful voice for women's rights, gender equity, and the leadership of women within social justice movements; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta coined the iconic phrase "Si Se Puede", a rallying cry that has inspired generations of organizers, workers, and civil rights advocates in the ongoing struggle for justice; and

WHEREAS, Despite facing violence and intimidation, including a near-fatal beating by police during a peaceful protest in 1988, Dolores Huerta has remained steadfast in her commitment to nonviolence and principled activism; and

WHEREAS, In recent months, Dolores Huerta has shown profound resilience and courage in sharing her own experiences of harm, doing so in order to uplift the stories of countless women whose voices were overlooked or silenced; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta's willingness to speak openly, even after decades of service and sacrifice, reflects the same integrity that has defined her leadership and continues to strengthen the broader movement for justice; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta has received numerous national honors, including induction as the first Latina into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993, the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award in 1998, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, the highest civilian honor in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta has continued her lifelong work through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, founded in 2003, which trains new generations of community organizers, advances civic engagement, and advocates for the rights of working families, women, immigrants, and youth; and

WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta's legacy is one of courage, integrity, and unwavering dedication to the belief that every person deserves dignity, respect, and a voice in shaping their future; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare April 10, 2026 as Dolores Huerta Day in the State of Illinois in recognition of Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta's lifelong commitment to justice and her enduring impact on generations of activists and working families; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend Dolores Huerta for her extraordinary contributions to civil rights, labor rights, gender equity, and social justice; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we recognize her resilience in sharing her story and her commitment to uplifting the experiences of women whose narratives have too often been overlooked; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Dolores Huerta and the Dolores Huerta Foundation a symbol of our respect and gratitude.