Authors: Sadie Rose Pace & Lex Loutzenhiser

Introduction

In light of recent news, Illuminate decided to honor the legacy and impact of the Chicano movement this year by celebrating March 31st as ¡Sí, se puede! Day. As we reflect on the history of this phrase, we at Illuminate are struck by the legacy of Dolores Huerta. As a leader whose lifelong activism is rooted in love for her community and her drive to create better conditions for children and families, we are honoring her by sharing more about her contributions to family strengthening work and recent bravery in speaking out as a survivor.

Becoming a Leader

Born in 1930, Dolores Huerta has a long history of leadership across movements, both within Colorado and across the US. She is well known for her declaration, “¡Sí, se puede!” (“Yes, we can!”), a phrase that has connected those standing up for their communities across generations and movements. Although she has not been regularly celebrated as a leader within the broader family strengthening community, her work has had a clear impact on the health and well-being of children and families across the US. 

Huerta’s lifelong passion for community change was shaped by her family and especially her mother, who served their community through her role as a small business owner and activist. As a young adult, Dolores Huerta became a teacher, but quickly found herself concerned about the well-being of her students. She witnessed young children coming to school hungry and without their basic needs met, including access to basic necessities like shoes. As many who engage in family strengthening work can relate, Huerta recognized her students’ struggles as part of a larger systemic issue, sparking her shift from teaching to organizing. 

In the years that followed, Dolores Huerta became a policy advocate, working for the Community Services Organization (CSO) and focusing on promoting better work conditions for Mexican-Americans and farm workers. Between her work at CSO and her leadership as a co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association, Huerta led community action to promote labor rights and economic well-being for Latinos and farm workers.

Lifelong Dedication to Children and Families

Although she is best known for her union organizing, Dolores Huerta has been continuously committed to improving the lives of children and families through her focus on labor rights and more broadly. Since the 1950s, Huerta has advocated for what we now know as research-based family strengthening strategies, including family leave insurance, TANF (formerly Aid to Families with Dependent Children), living wages, access to healthcare, and support for youth experiencing heightened risk factors.

At the age of 96, Dolores Huerta continues to be a vocal advocate for all, responding to the continuously evolving environment within the US and recognizing the unique systemic challenges that many communities, including women and Latinos, face. As a continuously evolving advocate and human, Dolores Huerta has long spoken out against the high rates of sexual violence perpetrated against women and Latinas, more recently sharing about her own experiences as a survivor.

Survivorship and the Role of Supportive Communities

Recently, many Americans are becoming familiar with Dolores Huerta through news coverage of her using her voice to speak out about a cycle of sexual abuse she herself was victimized by. Her bravery in adding her name to the growing list of women who allege they were sexually abused is a reminder that survivors always deserve to be heard. No one should ever be expected to share their story of abuse or survivorship; but when someone chooses to break their silence, we must listen to their stories.

Dolores is one of many women who has spoken out about abuse at the hands of Cesar Chavez. Some of the women speaking out were children (Hurtes, 2026) at the time they allege their abuse occurred. Sexual abuse of anyone, child or adult, is unacceptable and has far reaching consequences of harm.

When a community is faced with allegations that someone they trusted has sexually assaulted someone, particularly a child, many are tempted to ignore, excuse, or explain away these behaviors and actions. It is incredibly painful to recognize that someone we admire, trust, and who may have done much good in our community could have also caused deep harm. Often there is guilt that we didn’t recognize signs until later, or intervene when we had suspicions. However, ignoring the full truth does more damage to everyone involved.

The bonds of our communities are strengthened, not by ignoring concerns, but instead by working together to react responsibly. Our communities play a vital role in the prevention and response to sexual abuse, especially when it comes to children. Dolores reminds us that it is never too late to stand up.

To do so means that we stand together beside the children and adults who speak their truth. We recognize that when we leave behind those who are harmed, we weaken our communities and the work we have already accomplished. Having open and honest discussions is crucial and speaking out is a powerful step in collective healing. April is both Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Together, we can create communities where all children and adults have access to safety and support.

Seeking support or wanting to learn more about increasing safety and support in your community?

Resources

• • CO4kids.org  |  844-CO-4-KIDS
  • Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault
  • Safe 2 Tell  |  1.877.542.7233
  • Wings Foundation – Wings supports adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse to transcend trauma and lead their fullest, healthiest lives.

Classes for Supportive Community Members & Professionals

• • Tip Colorado – Free Child Sexual Abuse Prevention trainings for Coloradans (including Lines in the Sand, Stewards of Children, and COMING SOON: Connect to Protect Kids!)
  • Wings Foundation – Become a Champion of Healing series for Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and their allies
  • Trainings to Strengthen Families – Spreading HOPE, Bringing the Protective Factors to Life in Your Work

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