2008 Woodie Awards
Migrant rights and much more
Human rights activist Dolores Huerta covers wide range of subjects
Michael Benner
Issue date: 2/2/05 Section: Life
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They were all subjects that were spoken about by Dolores Huertas on Tuesday, January 25. Huertas, a 74 year old human rights activist from California, discussed some of the shortcomings in our own country on issues such as women's rights, land use, and most importantly, at least in her speech, migrant workers. Huertas used personal anecdotes from her own life as well as from her work with the late Cesar Chavez, another highly influential human rights activist, to highlight some of the struggles that migrant workers have faced in the past and the issues they are presented with today.
Huertas was brought in as the keynote speaker of the Human Rights Celebration, a series of presentations and discussions on various aspects of the human condition across the globe, with emphasis on issues in the United States. Bonnie Frantz, director of the Human Rights Committee, discussed why the committee brought in Huertas.
"We talked about different civil rights leaders, and tried to find someone that we thought had put a lot into human rights and was a symbol of our past history as well as currently working on goals." Frantz also discussed the goal she had for students.
"[We wanted] an awareness that there's a lot of work yet to be done, and I think sometimes we look to history, but to also realize what the current issues are" said Frantz. "I think Dolores will point out the farm worker's struggles and that there are still many issues today."
The night started off with an introduction from Frantz.
"[Huertas] is a dynamic and powerful voice in her grassroots effort to establish the United Farm Workers, alongside Cesar Chavez," said Frantz.
Frantz also told the audience biographical information about Huertas, namely that aside from being one of the most outspoken activists alive, she is also the mother of 11 children, her mother was a business woman, and that Huertas got her start in public school teaching. Huertas got involved in her line of work because of her observations towards her students and how much of their basic needs were not being met. Frantz continued that Huertas has been arrested 24 times for non-violent protest, has been awarded the American Civil Liberties Union Liberty Award and various other awards, and has also received 73 honorary doctorates.