NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund Mourn the Passing of Dolores Huerta

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the Hon. Brian Colón, President of the NALEO Board of Directors ; the Hon. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, Chair of the NALEO Educational Fund Board of Directors ; and Erica Bernal-Martinez, CEO of NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund , issued the following statements on the passing of Dolores Huerta:

The Hon. Brian Colón, President, NALEO Board of Directors; Former New Mexico Statewide Elected Official; Member, New Mexico Commission of Public Records:

"Today is a day of loss, but also a day to celebrate a life of extraordinary impact. I've lost a dear friend of nearly 20 years. Our community has lost a legend, a daughter of New Mexico who built a life of purpose in California that moved the world.

Dolores' legacy as a champion for marginalized communities, the environment, and people who too often live in the shadows endures through our individual advocacy and the collective work of NALEO's team and members.

Fierce she was, and she always brought her heart of gold to the work."

The Hon. Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, Chair, NALEO Educational Fund Board of Directors; Member, University of California Regents Selection Advisory Committee:

"Dolores showed us that leadership isn't a title. It's a choice, made every day, to stand up for people who are too often overlooked. She made that choice for more than seven decades, on picket lines, in statehouses, and in neighborhoods across the country, and she never let fear make it for her.

Even in her final year, she was still leading by example, telling the truth about her own life when it was painful and when it complicated a history many hold dear.

On behalf of our Board of Directors, we are grateful for her life and committed to carrying her example forward."

Erica Bernal-Martinez, CEO, NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund:

"Dolores taught generations of Latinos a simple truth: our voices matter most when we use them. For more than 70 years, she organized farmworkers, families, and communities to demand a seat at the table, and then take it. ¡Sí, se puede! began as a rallying cry. It became a call to civic action that lives on in every Latino voter, organizer, and public servant.

We see her imprint in public office. Many of the Latino elected and appointed officials serving today, including a growing number of Latinas, found the courage to serve and lead because Dolores went first. Supporting those leaders and preparing the next generation is the work NALEO and NALEO Educational Fund carry forward every day.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family and to everyone at the Dolores Huerta Foundation. The best way to honor her is to do what she asked of all of us: show up, speak up, and vote."