
Since the founding of the United States, the country has been dependent on loyal dissent to strengthen our democracy. Few people have lived that dissent more righteously and passionately than labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers union, Dolores Huerta. Huerta tells Maria Hinojosa her thoughts on holding corporations accountable for their political positions. She also calls out new House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for barring non-whites from his office. And she tells us about the origin of “Si se puede,” the organizing slogan which became “Yes we can,” and helped Barack Obama win the White House.
Dolores Huerta is the co-founder, along with Cesar Chavez, of the National Farm Workers Association, now known as the United Farm Workers. Her career as an activist, organizer, and labor leader has led to recognition as an icon of American labor. In 2012 President Obama bestowed Dolores with her most prestigious award, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, and was inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2013.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images