At her 82nd birthday part, Dolores Huerta circulates a petition denouncing proposed adult education cuts in L.A. County Public Schools.

 

The woman who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association with Cesar Chavez in 1962, which later became the United Farm Workers, is being recognized with a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The medal is given to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

President Barak Obama said:  “These extraordinary honorees come from different backgrounds and different walks of life, but each of them has made a lasting contribution to the life of our Nation.  They’ve challenged us, they’ve inspired us, and they’ve made the world a better place.  I look forward to recognizing them with this award.”

In addition to Huerta, The White House press release named all of this year’s recipients, including astronaut John Glenn, author Toni Morrison, musician Bob Dillan.  Huerta is the only Latina on the list.  She says she received a phone call from The White House advising that President Obama had selected her for the distinguished honor.

“To me it speaks to organization, because if we don’t have organization then we don’t have a voice,” says Huerta.  “We may be 50 million Latinos in our country, but if we’re not organized and we’re not educated, we don’t have a voice.”

The White House called just days after Huerta’s 82nd birthday.  The civil rights activist and her 11 children threw a party at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes downtown Los Angeles.  The VIP list included several well-known Mexican artists, including Oscar Nominated Actor Edward James Olmos and “Zoot Suit” playwright/filmmaker Luis Valdez.

“We had almost 900 people for her party,” said L.A. County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

Huerta is an iconic and beloved figure in Southern California.  As of the 2010 U.S. Census count, half of L.A. County’s population is Hispanic.  In its latest report, the Public Policy Institute of California estimates the number of undocumented immigrants is about 900,000, or nearly 10% of L.A. County’s overall population.

Huerta’s grassroots connection with farm workers and her activism for Latinas, adult education, and voter registration resonate with many Hispanic in L.A.  Her organizing style has become the blueprint that community activists and attorneys build on to unite a wide range of blue-collar workers, including janitors, car wash employees, and the industry that’s nearest to our hearts—The Loncheros.

Huerta’s social contributions are central to the Mexican immigrant experience in Los Angeles and an important part of the history section of the film-in-production, Masa Revolution.

 

–Dolores Huerta will travel to The White House to receive her award later this spring.