By Jos Truitt • @jostruitt • 14 years ago

Today in Feminist History: Happy Belated Birthday Dolores Huerta!

Dolores Huerta holds a sign reading Huelga, which means Strike, in a famous protest photoSaturday was the birthday of Dolores Huerta. Born April 10, 1930, Huerta is a life long activist who has worked intersectionally across many movements. She co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) with Cesar Chavez in 1962. She was a leader of the Delano Grape Strike, which led to the first negotiated collective agreement between farmworkers and an agricultural corporation in the U.S. Huerta continued to lead agricultural boycotts and lobbying efforts:

The boycott resulted in the enactment of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, the first law of its kind in the United States, which granted farm workers the right to collectively organize and bargain for better wages and working conditions. In 1975 Dolores lobbied against federal guest worker programs and spearheaded legislation granting amnesty for farm workers that had lived, worked, and paid taxes in the United States for many years but were unable to enjoy the privileges of citizenship. This resulted in the Immigration Act of 1985.

Huerta advocated for the participation of entire families in non-violent action. She has been arrested twenty-two times.

Huerta’s organizing draws the links between many social justice movements. She has been a leader in the Chicano civil rights movement, the women’s liberation movement, and has worked for environmental justice, economic justice, and against war. She is currently the president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which organizes communities to work for social justice. In addition to being the movement mother of so many, Huerta has raised 11 children.

¡Feliz Cumpleaños Dolores Huerta!

Boston, MA

Jos Truitt is Executive Director of Development at Feministing. She joined the team in July 2009, became an Editor in August 2011, and Executive Director in September 2013. She writes about a range of topics including transgender issues, abortion access, and media representation. Jos first got involved with organizing when she led a walk out against the Iraq war at her high school, the Boston Arts Academy. She was introduced to the reproductive justice movement while at Hampshire College, where she organized the Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program’s annual reproductive justice conference. She has worked on the National Abortion Federation’s hotline, was a Field Organizer at Choice USA, and has volunteered as a Pro-Choice Clinic Escort. Jos has written for publications including The Guardian, Bilerico, RH Reality Check, Metro Weekly, and the Columbia Journalism Review. She has spoken and trained at numerous national conferences and college campuses about trans issues, reproductive justice, blogging, feminism, and grassroots organizing. Jos completed her MFA in Printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute in Spring 2013. In her "spare time" she likes to bake and work on projects about mermaids.

Jos Truitt is an Executive Director of Feministing in charge of Development.

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