Community celebrates César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Saturday

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today there’s a celebration of two activists who paved the way for many immigrants, women, and those in marginalized communities.

Saturday was the 30th annual César Chávez and Dolores Huerta celebration in Albuquerque. 

“Si se puede means to everyone that we have the power to make the changes,” said Dolores Huerta, a labor and civil rights leader. 

Huerta advocated for many things like women’s and immigrant rights alongside César Chavez. Huerta also co-founded the National Farmworkers Association.

With all the fun, there also came some reflection.  

“My dad was a farmer,” said Manuel Hernandez, director of Programs and Operation for Working Classroom. 

Hernandez grew up with a family of farmers just like Huerta and Chávez.    

“I grew up in a farm in Mexico, so I know how hard that is and also how little value society sometimes puts on that,” Hernandez said. 

For Hernandez, this celebration even sheds some light into how important farmers are.

“All of us we all eat right? So we need to recognize farmers are heroes, if we did not have them around, we would not be eating,” said Hernandez. 

And with reflection of the past work and progress made in the country, there’s thought of what the future might hold too.  

“I think celebrations are important, because they remind people of that history, and not only of the history but what we have to do in the future,” said Huerta.