Nevadans pay tribute to civil rights and labor trailblazer Dolores Huerta

In an outpouring of messages expressing condolences, Nevada lawmakers and organizers praised civil rights and labor activist Dolores Huerta, who died Wednesday, as an inspirational trailblazer. 

“She was a voice for the voiceless, a fighter for working families, and a powerful reminder that our communities have the strength to create change,” said Democratic Assemblymember Cecelia González, who serves as the Chair of the Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus.  “Her words, ‘Sí se puede,’ were never just a slogan. They were a call to action that inspired generations of Latinos, women, workers, and community leaders to stand up and demand a seat at the table.”

Huerta, 96, was known for her work as a co-founder of the United Farm Workers in the 1960s, where she aided in mobilizing migrant farm workers working on large grape farms in California.

Earlier this year, Huerta revealed she had been sexually assaulted by Cesar Chavez, who she co-led in the farm workers movement.

“The formation of a union was the only vehicle to accomplish and secure those rights and I wasn’t going to let Cesar or anyone else get in the way,” she said in a statement at the time. “I channeled everything I had into advocating on behalf of millions of farmworkers and others who were suffering and deserved equal rights.”

Her activism and influence stretched beyond California leading her to be recognized nationally and garner notable accolades such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was awarded to her by President Barack Obama in 2012.

Some Nevada labor leaders were only able to get to where they are “because of the foundation Dolores Huerta created,” said Susie Martinez, the executive secretary-treasurer for the Nevada state AFL-CIO.

“She helped pave the way for generations of organizers, and her courage will continue to inspire us to speak up, stand together, and never stop fighting for working people,” she said. “We honor her life by carrying that work forward.”

Democratic. U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen said Huerta’s ability to engage and energize the community was unmatched. 

“She touched so many lives throughout her decades of service, fighting to advance the rights of immigrants, women, and farm workers,” Rosen said.

In addition to visiting Nevada to join various campaigns, Huerta also spoke on behalf of Nevada legislative initiatives, including efforts to abolish the death penalty in 2021.

“To all the Nevada legislators, I am calling on you to join in getting rid of the death penalty,” Huerta said in a video at the time, adding that “in Nevada 40% of the people on death row are persons of color, most of them Black.”

The legislation passed the Assembly in a partyline vote before being killed in a Democratically controlled Senate without getting a hearing.

In 2025, the City of North Las Vegas honored the civil rights activist by opening the Dolores Huerta Resource Center, a facility that offers bilingual support services, workforce development, and mental health resources.

Democratic Assemblymember Cinthia Zermeño Moore, along with other lawmakers, attempted to enshrine Huerta’s legacy in Nevada by sponsoring legislation in 2025 that required the governor to proclaim April 10 Dolores Huerta Day. 

Assembly Bill 98, which passed with bipartisan support, was vetoed by Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who wrote in a veto message “there is no need to codify additional days into law.”

Huerta “taught us that our voices matter, that everyone deserves a seat at the table, and that we belong in spaces of power,” Moore said in a statement. “Although that legislation was vetoed, no veto can diminish her contributions to our country and the generations she inspired.”