And still she continues working hard for all that is good and needed. The following is a poem that makes a serious attempt at capturing this tsunami of change.
No… I am Dolores
No, I am Dolores
I am a woman
Who, like many other women
was born into a society
Which believed that men
Were better than women
Born into a world
Where people of color
Were not considered full citizens
I was born into Dawson New Mexico
On April 10th 1930
No, look at me, I am Dolores
I was accused of having
Someone else writing
My High school papers
They could not accept that
I was a good writer
My teachers could not believe
What their eyes were reading
And that I had written it..
And those teachers should
Know that I continue to write history
By my speeches and my actions
No, no, I am Dolores
I am the one who learned
How to organize house meetings
By the master of organizing
Fred Ross senior, who was
A major influence in my life
With his lessons, Cesar Chavez
and I organized CSO.
The Community Service Organization
And I there began lobbying for the poor
Changing attitudes and legislation
Fred’s lessons on organizing
Continues to help us all
No, I am Dolores
Co-founder of the UFW
Along with Cesar Chavez
Of the historic United Farmworkers Union
And we Latinos joined a strike initiated
By Larry Itliong and the Filipino farm workers
We showed the power of farm workers
And the power of consumers by
Organizing successful grape and lettuce boycotts
And wining contracts
Improving the lives of workers
Wait a minute. I am Dolores
I am a warrior for environmental justice
I knew early on about the damage done
By herbicides, pesticides to farmworkers, farmers
The soil and the consumer.
I am fighting for laws that will protect Mother Earth
And all her creatures
No, No, No…, Yo, Yo soy Dolores
Chicana warrior
Órale, Raza…!
I embrace the struggle for freedom
And justice for all Chicanos
And all those who need our voices
And actions
Every day I am Dolores
An organizer in a freedom movement
While giving birth to 11 children
I was and am mother, organizer
And grandmother
Perhaps I should be in the Guiness
Book of world records
For having the most children
While being a full-time organizer
Órale…, I am Dolores
Who honors our indigenous roots
Our sweat lodges
Our drum ceremonies
Our cleansing
With the smoke of sage
And with our ‘danzantes’ Azteca’s
I too dance with them
And send my prayers
Up to the winds of our directions
So that all will fight for justice
Can’t you see that? I am Dolores
A peace activist
I believe in non-violence
And do not accept wars
As an answer
The damage that wars leave
Destroys people for years after
The last bomb or bullet is used
Peace is a lifestyle we must
All embrace, peace
And we must promote love
No, look at me, I am Dolores
A fighter for judicial reform
I work to eliminate
The school-to-prison Pipeline
And the unfair judicial processes
That targets people of color
And the poor
And I know
that we must end the death penalty
Yes…, I am Dolores
I had dreams as a child
Of becoming a dancer
Music would and does move
My heart and my body
And I would have loved
To put my body to the test
So please, dance with me now
All the way into tomorrow
No, this really is me. I am Dolores
A school teacher who wanted to
Open the minds of so many students
As a teacher I knew that I could help
Students to succeed
I knew that I would be
A good teacher
For all students, and now
I must inspire not only students,
Parents
But also, educators.
Of course, I am Dolores
Protecting the LGBTQ community
Knowing that everyone is equal
When we protect their rights
We are ensuring that our rights
are protected
Yes, yes, listen to me. I am Dolores
All my life I have made sacrifices
I sacrificed my family
My friends
My health
My everything
So that I could help to create
a better future for everyone
Si, I am Dolores
Making ¡Sí se puede!
Not only a chant but a reality
Even today there are some who say
It can’t be done
But to them I say
Yes, it can
Sí se puede
But to make it a reality
You must work hard
Sometimes against
Incredible odds
And never give up
No, no, no, no, I am Dolores
A feminist to the bone
And a dreamer of full equality
I want all young girls to know
That they are equal
In every way, and
That we need to ensure that
This world of ours recognizes
And respects young girls
And women
So that they
Can help us
To move forward together
Let me be clear: I am Dolores
I love music
Mariachis, rancheras, hip hop
Rock and roll, Latino, country, soul,
Rap, folk and protest
In more than one language
But late at night
The music for my soul
Is Jazz…, which brings
So much of what my heart of hearts desires
And gives me a chance
To breathe deep and dream
Register this: I am Dolores
I was part of early efforts to register
Latinos for Bobby Kennedy
And was standing with him on the stage
the night he was assassinated
I continue to register voters and also
Preparing them to become candidates
And win
To change laws and polices
To make them better
And I remind everyone to vote
For candidates who represent our values
What…? You know I am Dolores
I appreciate the arts
The poets, the artists, the dancers
The singers, muralists, musicians
The comics who make us laugh
Laughing frees our spirits
I love an artistic and colorful march
With full color banners and flags
I love that the arts give us life
No, listen…, I am Dolores
Who wants to meet everyone
At every event I attend
I want to hear their stories
I want them to know
That we need them
To stand with me…, with us
as we work to make this a better world
No, at last, you will learn that I am Dolores
Founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation
Who along with my family and friends
are building a working model
for activists of all colors
For everyone under the sun and moon
Who wants freedom and justice
My spirit and work will live on
Long beyond the time
when I have to leave this place and time
And from afar I will continue to whisper
To one and all
“Sí se puede”
Yes, it can be done!
¡Sí se puede!!
Yes, I am Dolores Huerta
