Dolores Huerta Set Out to Share a Message of Hope in San Diego: “People Power” Will Triumph
Labor legend Dolores Huerta delivered an inspiring message of hope and empowerment to hundreds of students and community members at the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice on Wednesday evening.
“Something good will be coming out of this dark period,” Huerta said. “But we are the ones that have to start forming those policies that we want, to make sure that when we come out of this era that we’re in right now, we’re going to come out a lot stronger.”
At 95 years old, Huerta drew from her decades of experience in labor organizing to assure the audience that peace can be achieved within the lifetime of today’s young people. The key, she emphasized, is to organize, protest, and vote.
### Overcoming Opposition
Sharing a powerful example from history, Huerta recounted the famous grape boycott she led alongside César Chávez in the 1960s.
“The growers were against us. The oil industry was against us. The banking industry was against us. The governor of California, Ronald Reagan, was against us. The president of the United States of America was against us,” she said. “And we beat all of them.”
She credited the 19 million Americans who joined the boycott nationwide in support of farmworkers as the force behind this triumph.
“It was people power. People understanding that they had power, that they could take action,” Huerta explained. “And once you see that, you get addicted.”
### People Power Today
Huerta also highlighted recent examples of “people power” making a difference, such as the boycott of Target, which led to a drop in the company’s share prices and the resignation of its CEO. She pointed out how users canceling their Disney subscriptions helped late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel return to the air after his suspension.
“Within a week, within 24 hours, they felt the pain. The pain is in their wallets,” she noted.
She applauded attendees who participated in the recent “No Kings” rally, stressing the importance of visible protests and marches.
“We’ve got to protest and we’ve got to march. And we do those things that really make a visible difference,” Huerta said.
### A Call to Vote in the Special Election
Turning to politics, Huerta urged everyone to vote “yes” on Proposition 50, Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting proposal.
“We’re going to have the opportunity to vote to change our voting districts so that we can elect people that care, that are more progressive, to the Congress,” she explained.
“Because it is our Congress right now that is using our tax dollars,” she added. “It’s our money—our millions of dollars that we need for healthcare, that we need for housing, that we need for all types of education and all types of disability resources, etc. It’s our tax dollars.”
Huerta encouraged not only voting in favor of Prop. 50 but also organizing friends, relatives, neighbors, and even exes to vote.
“Then we can set the groundwork for the elections that are going to happen in 2026,” she said.
### Closing with a Rallying Chant
To end the event on an uplifting note, Huerta led the crowd in a chant:
“Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power!
What kind of power? People power!”
Dolores Huerta’s message resonated strongly with everyone present, reminding them of the enduring strength of collective action and the power they hold to create positive change.
https://timesofsandiego.com/politics/2025/10/23/people-power-labor-leader-dolores-huerta-san-diego/
