South Bay Residents Recall Dolores Huerta's Impact And Reflect On Her Legacy

CBS Bay Area

October 29, 2026

On Wednesday, the world learned of the death of civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, the farmworker advocate who spent a lot of time in the South Bay developing relationships, both business and personal. Even late in life, she served as an inspiration to generations of people.

Born in New Mexico, Huerta moved to California at an early age and began working for farmworkers' labor rights as a young woman. She co-founded the United Farm Workers union with Cesar Chavez, and though she did much of the daily organization, it was Chavez who got the praise, often leaving Huerta in the background. Nertheless, she became well known in political circles; on June 5, 1968, Huerta was alongside Bobby Kennedy the night he won the presidential primary in California.

"...and Dolores Huerta, who is an old friend of mine and has worked with the union, we thank her and tell her how much I appreciate her coming tonight," Kennedy told the ballroom crowd at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Minutes later, Kennedy was shot by an assassin and died the next day.

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