Labor Leader and Civil Rights Icon Dolores Huerta Dies at 96

Summary

Dolores Huerta, a labor union co-founder and civil rights campaigner, died Wednesday at her home in Bakersfield, California, surrounded by family, according to a statement shared through her foundation. She was credited with coining the rallying cry "Si, se puede!", later adapted by former U.S. president Barack Obama as "Yes we can." Huerta continued her activism on race, poverty, LGBTQ and women's rights until the last months of her life, and in her 90s she rallied migrant workers against Donald Trump's immigration raids.

Timeline

1. TIME

   28 Oct 2026, 16:29 UTCSource ↗

   Huerta died Wednesday at home in Bakersfield, California, "surrounded by her close family," according to a statement from her foundation.

2. France 24

   28 Oct 2026, 17:49 UTCSource ↗

   Huerta, an influential US labour union co-founder, feminist and civil rights icon, died Wednesday in Bakersfield, California, her family said, and she was credited with coining "Si, se puede!" which Obama later adapted.

3. Le Monde

   28 Oct 2026, 18:24 UTCSource ↗

   The civil rights campaigner, behind the slogan that influenced Barack Obama's "Yes we can," remained an activist into her 90s and rallied migrant workers against Donald Trump's immigration raids.