Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta stumps for Beto O’Rourke in McAllen and Brownsville

The activist known for her work with farmworkers since the 1950s packed venues in the RGV

BY VALERIE GONZALEZ AND DENISE CATHEYSTAFF WRITERS

Dolores Clara Fernandez Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist arrives at Koko’s restaurant for a private reception Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 in McAllen. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected])

A Hispanic civil rights icon visited Rio Grande Valley residents in Brownsville and McAllen on Saturday to continue sharing her decades-old anthem, “Si se puede!” But this time, Dolores Huerta altered her well-known phrase in support of gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke.

The 92-year-old activist known for her work with farmworkers since the 1950s packed both venues in Brownsville, at the Amigo Grand Ballroom, and in McAllen, where the owner of Koko’s decided for the first time ever to close his restaurant for the “Juntos Se Puede” tour.

Huerta, donning a white Mexican floral blouse, a red blazer, and a straw fedora, received a warm reception as she walked onto the modest platform in Brownsville to speak her mind — as she’s fearlessly done for more than half a century.

“We have to tell Greg Abbott, ‘Ya basta!’” she said, weaving English and Spanish into her stump speech for O’Rourke, who sat by the podium listening enthusiastically. 

The gubernatorial challenger has been a frequent Valley visitor. And while he’s gained lots of ground, he’s got more to go. A University of Texas at Austin poll reported on Wednesday that Abbott holds a 45% lead over O’Rourke’s 40%.

Women’s rights and voting rights were among some of the issues championed by the former El Paso congressman on Saturday.

“It’s been 23 days since Greg Abbott’s most extreme total abortion ban that begins at conception with no exception for rape or incest went into law,” O’Rourke said. 

“Boo!,” the crowd interjected. 

“We must overcome this by beating this guy at the ballot box and restoring the protection for every woman to make sure that she’s healthy,” he said.

In the crowd, a young pair of eyes watched the conversation that will most certainly affect her future.

Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta addresses the crowd Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at a stop for her ¡Juntos Se Puede! tour with Governor candidate Beto O’Rourke at the Amigoland Event Center in Brownsville. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)

Raisa Granado, 12, was rushed out of the house by her mother, San Juana Granado, 43, to get good seats for the event they thought would be more crowded.

“She had to see this,” the Rivera High School teacher said about her daughter. Raisa has an upcoming school history project on frontiers and the beginning of unions.

“It really is exciting to know the history of Dolores. It’s an honor to be here,” the 12-year-old said.

Granado teaches economics at a Brownsville ISD school, where she said not all of her students are afforded the same chances. 

“We have Hispanic students who, some of them, may not be able to go to school [college], because of how expensive it is,” she said. 

Granado hopes students, her daughter included, are able to pursue their dreams unencumbered by a costly tuition, a cause espoused by O’Rourke.

Members of the United Farm Workers chant “Si Se Puede” as Dolores Huerta arrives at Koko’s restaurant Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022 in McAllen. (Delcia Lopez | [email protected])

Over in McAllen, young and those young-at-heart took up just about every square foot of the Mexican restaurant adorned with pictures of the activist as a young and older woman, including the famous photograph showing a defiant Huerta hoisting a “huelga” sign above her head.

Cheers and applause broke through the room as Huerta took the microphone. In the back of the room, red United Farm Workers flags waved, one of them held by Martha Sanchez.

Sanchez stood on her aluminum chair to get a better view of the woman who shaped so much of her work as a member of the UFW and leader of La Union del Pueblo Entero, or LUPE, a San Juan nonprofit that has embraced her efforts.

“Dolores has been one of my idols,” Sanchez said. 

Her close work with migrant rights and her slender figure, similar to that of Huerta’s, has even led some to mistake her for one of Huerta’s 11 children. 

Though Sanchez retired from LUPE, an organization in which she served for 35 years, she remains involved in the democratic process. 

“This is a critical time for us as women in Texas, and we need to stand up … for our children and granddaughters,” Sanchez said. “Somebody else is making decisions for them.”

The retired LUPE leader still participates in block-walking, calling people and encouraging family and friends to register to vote.

“We all have the power to change what we don’t like in Texas,” she said. “Nobody else has the power except us, each individual.”

Gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta take questions from the media Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at a stop on civil rights activist Dolores Huerta’s ¡Juntos Se Puede! tour with Governor candidate Beto O’Rourke at the Amigoland Event Center in Brownsville. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)

Huerta hit the same notes.

“California went from red to blue, and who did that? La gente Latina de California did that,” Huerta said. 

O’Rourke is one of many politicians she’s helped over the years. Others include President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and California Gov. Jerry Brown and U.S. Reps. Ronald V. Dellums and Hilda Solis.

Before she closed, Huerta reminded the public about a recent Census report. 

“For the first time, the Latino population is the biggest population in Texas,” she said. “So what does that mean? Who’s going to elect the next governor of Texas?”

“We are!” the crowd roared.


Editor’s note: This story was updated to correctly identify Sanchez.

To see more, view Brownsville Herald photojournalist Denise Cathey’s full photo gallery here: 

Photo Gallery: Civil rights leader Dolores Huerta stumps for Beto O’Rourke in Brownsville