Who Is Dolores Huerta? Age, Biography and Wiki
Born on April 10, 1930, Dolores Huerta has made a significant impact as an American labor leader and civil rights activist. As of 2025, she is 94 years old, and her storied career spans over six decades, advocating tirelessly for the rights of farmworkers and women across the United States. Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) with Cesar Chavez and has been a key figure in the labor movement, working for social justice and equality throughout her life. Her legacy continues to inspire new generations, maintaining her relevance in today's socio-political landscape.
| Occupation | Civil Rights Activists |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | April 10, 1930 |
| Age | 95 Years |
| Birth Place | Dawson, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Aries |
| Country | Mexico |
Popularity
Dolores Huerta's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Dolores Huerta stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 2 inches (158 cm). Throughout her life, she has maintained a slender frame, with her weight varying around 120 pounds (54 kg). At 94, she emphasizes the importance of health, often speaking about the need for physical activity and balanced nutrition as vital components of longevity and well-being.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Dolores Huerta has been married and has children. However, as of 2025, she appears to be single, focusing on her activism and public speaking engagements rather than on romantic relationships. Huerta has six children—her legacy is not only rooted in her career but also in the family she has raised, many of whom share her passion for social justice.
Her father, Juan Fernández, was a coal miner who belonged to the United Mine Workers (UMW). Labor unrest caused him to move throughout the Western United States working as a beet farmer. Her mother, Alicia Chávez, divorced him when Huerta was five years old.
She then moved with the children to Las Vegas, New Mexico, and later to Stockton, California. After moving, she rarely saw her father, who remained in New Mexico. He was elected to the state legislature in 1938, where he was described as a "fiery union leader" by the Los Angeles Times.
Net Worth and Salary
As a prominent activist and co-founder of the UFW, Dolores Huerta has garnered considerable respect and recognition over the years. As of 2025, her estimated net worth is around $1 million to $5 million. While her salary has varied throughout her career, she has emphasized that her work has always been more about advocacy than financial gain. Huerta’s income sources largely stem from public speaking engagements, writing, and various philanthropic efforts.
Huerta eventually left her position with the CSO and moved in with Cesar and his family in Delano in 1964. According to Cesar, Huerta's role in the early NFWA was "critical". Her duties included making phone calls, collecting union dues, and visiting worker camps in Stockton and nearby towns.
She struggled to earn enough money to support her family during this time, subsisting by taking on temporary work as a translator, substitute teacher, and onion farmer to supplement her NFWA income. In April 1965, she helped the NFWA organize a strike on behalf of rose grafters employed by the Mount Arbor and Conklin companies.
After three days, the companies agreed to increase the strikers' wages but did not agree to a formal contract, which was one of the strikers' demands. The workers returned to their jobs the next day.
Career, Business and Investments
Dolores Huerta’s career is marked by her commitment to civil rights and labor movements. Believing in grassroots organizing, she led numerous campaigns for better working conditions, pay, and rights for farmworkers. In addition to her work with the UFW, Huerta founded the Dolores Huerta Foundation, which focuses on community organizing, social justice, and education. Though she has not been traditionally focused on business investments, her advocacy work has garnered support and donations that help fund her initiatives.
A conflict soon erupted within the UFW's boycott offices, leading Cesar to become increasingly paranoid about opposition within the union. Soon after, Cesar began to affiliate himself with Charles Dederich, founder of the new religious movement Synanon.
Cesar, influenced by Dederich, began advocating for the use of a confrontational group criticism method called "the Game" in UFW meetings. Huerta supported the implementation of "the Game", but it was controversial among union members.
Social Network
Dolores Huerta has a robust presence on social media, where she uses platforms like Twitter and Instagram to connect with her audience and continue her activism. Engaging with followers, she shares insights, historical reflections, and updates on her ongoing work. Huerta's social media presence plays a crucial role in educating younger generations about labor rights and community activism.
While Huerta was influenced by the women's liberation movement of the 1960s, including figures like Gloria Steinem, she initially dismissed feminist activism as a "middle-class phenomenon".
During the 1970s, the UFW's position on women's rights was moderated by what historian Ana Raquel Minian refers to as the "idealized figure of the physically disciplined resident/laborer deserving of rights".
The union contrasted "sexually respectable" union members with their "sexually depraved" opponents, leading them to oppose contraception while promoting sexual abstinence. Huerta personally opposed both abortion and contraception, both "cornerstones" of the women's liberation movement, and criticized union members for their perceived promiscuity.
Education
Huerta attended the University of the Pacific, where she studied to become a teacher. Her education has greatly influenced her activism, as she recognized the power of education in promoting social change. Huerta often speaks about the importance of education, advocating for equal opportunities for all students, particularly in underserved communities.
As Dolores Huerta continues her journey in 2025, her unwavering commitment to social justice and her legacy as a pioneering figure in the labor movement remain an inspiration for aspiring activists everywhere.
Huerta became a teacher in rural California in 1954. She was one of three bilingual teachers in the area. Many of her students struggled with hunger and did not have sufficient clothing: "I couldn't tolerate seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes. I thought I could do more by organizing farm workers than by trying to teach their hungry children."
