Huerta passed away on Wednesday in Bakersfield. California. She became well known for exposing her secret sexual encounters with the late former UFW leader César E. Chávez, which led to his legacy being erased nationally.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
October 24. 2026
Bakersfield, California - On Wednesday, Dolores Huerta, 96, the former co-founder of National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), which later became known as the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, an agricultural advocacy organization has passed away. Huerta was also the founder of the Dolores Huerta Foundation.
In late March 2026, Huerta in a New York Times (NYT) article admitted that she had a consensual and non-consensual sexual affairs with the late UFW leader César E. Chávez in 1960 and 1966, which resulted with two children who she gave away. Chávez had been deceased for more than 33 years and Huerta's confession led for the Chávez legacy to be immediately erased, leading to Chávez's name be taken down from city streets, schools and etc..., including taking down most of Chávez's statues and memorials around the country.
Chávez at the time was married, and Huerta kept her sexual encounters with Chávez a secret in order to continue fighting for farm workers rights during the UFW movement.
Huerta's legacy has been also tainted by her own admission of having a consensual sexual affair with Chávez and having a child from him, while he was married, which many women today wouldn't want their daughters to follow in the footsteps of Huerta.
Since Chávez has been deceased for more than 33 years, he can't defend himself against Huerta's and others allegations raised against him.
Also in March, several women alleged in the New York Times article that they were sexually assaulted by Chávez when they were under the age of 15, but they never outed (never told their parents) or filed any alleged sexual assault complaints with local police at the time, but decided to come out public more than 33 years after Chávez's death.
Those allegations continue to be unproven today.
Huerta indicated in the NYT article, that she decided to make her prior sexual relationship with Chávez public after learning that two other women had come forward to expose Chávez for alleged sexual assault allegations when they were under the age of 15.
If Huerta would have exposed Chávez's alleged inappropriate sexual behavior in the 1960's to 1966, perhaps other alleged victims (young girls) would have been spared and Chávez would have been held accountable, but Huerta kept her sexual encounters with Chávez a secret until late March 2026.
The Dolores Huerta Foundation is facing a lawsuit by a former employee.
• The Plaintiff: Ruth Sanchez, who worked at the foundation for five years.
• Core Claims: The 25-page lawsuit lists 11 complaints, including wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation, disability discrimination, unpaid overtime (alleging 110 uncompensated hours from 60-hour workweeks), misuse of a $95,000 grant, nepotism, and unreimbursed expenses.
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