Villanueva honors farmworkers and Dolores Huerta

Illinois Senate recognizes March 31 as Farmworkers Day and April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day

SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Celina Villanueva led two resolutions through the Illinois Senate to honor the legacy of farmworkers and uplift one of the most influential labor leaders in American history. The measures designate March 31, 2026 as Farmworkers Day and April 10, 2026 as Dolores Huerta Day in Illinois.

"Farmworkers have long carried this country on their backs while too often being denied the protections and recognition they deserve," said Villanueva (D-Chicago). "As the granddaughter of a Bracero worker who came to this country during and after World War II to work in our fields - and as a proud Latina - I'm honored to help ensure their sacrifices and contributions are seen, valued and remembered - not just in words, but through the policies we fight for every day."

Senate Resolution 688 recognizes generations of workers - many of them immigrants - who have endured grueling conditions, low wages and systemic inequities while sustaining one of the nation's most essential industries. It highlights the multiracial coalition that powered the farmworker movement, including Filipino labor leaders Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz, Pete Velasco and Andy Imutan, who helped lead the fight for dignity and fairness in the fields.

The resolution also honors Marcos Munoz of Chicago's Little Village community for his leadership in the New England grape boycott, which helped secure some of the first union contracts for agricultural workers in the United States. It further acknowledges the critical role of women and children, whose organizing, resilience and sacrifice helped sustain the movement.

"For me, this is personal," Villanueva said. "In communities like Little Village and across Illinois, the legacy of farmworkers lives on through families who still face many of the same challenges. Recognizing Farmworkers Day is about honoring that history while recommitting ourselves to fighting for safer conditions, fair wages and dignity on the job today."

Illinois is home to thousands of farmworkers and food chain workers whose labor continues to sustain communities across the state. The resolution calls on Illinois to recognize their contributions and strengthen protections for workers now and in the future.

The second resolution honors the life and legacy of Dolores Huerta, a trailblazing labor organizer and civil rights leader. Born April 10, 1930 in Dawson, New Mexico, Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers and served as a chief negotiator, helping secure the first union contracts for farmworkers in U.S. history.

She played a key role in the Delano Grape Strike and led nationwide boycotts that mobilized millions, contributing to the passage of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975 - the first law in the nation to guarantee farmworkers the right to organize and bargain collectively. Huerta also coined the enduring rallying cry "Sí, Se Puede," which continues to inspire movements for justice today.

"Dolores Huerta showed us what it means to turn organizing into lasting change," said Villanueva. "She fought not only for fair wages, but for respect, equity and a voice for workers who had been ignored for far too long. As a Latina leader, her example reminds me and so many others that our voices are powerful, and that change is possible when we stand together."

Senate Resolution 689 also recognizes Huerta's continued advocacy through the Dolores Huerta Foundation, where she works to empower and train new generations of organizers.

Senate Resolution 688 and Senate Resolution 689 were adopted by the Senate Wednesday.

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