A pioneering labor organizer who co-founded the United Farm Workers union, Huerta spent a lifetime fighting for migrant laborers’ rights, advocating for women and supporting marginalized communities

October 28, 2026 5:03 p.m.

Dolores Huerta leading a crowd in a chant at age 96 Ryan Caron King / Connecticut Public via Getty Images

Dolores Huerta, a labor leader and civil rights activist who dedicated her life to improving working conditions for migrant farmworkers in the United States, has died at the age of 96.

Huerta died at her home in Bakersfield, California, surrounded by close family members on October 28, according to a statement released by her foundation. The cause of death was cancer, Erik Olvera, a spokesman for the family, tells the Los Angeles Times ’ James Rainey.

“It’s a tough time,” Olvera adds. “She was incredibly beloved, and not only was she beloved, but she was an icon to so many people around the country and around the world, really.…