Activist Dolores Huerta Speaks to Hundreds at Citrus College

The following story was contributed to Claremont-La Verne Patch by staff at Citrus College. We thank them for their support.

To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, Citrus College hosted farm worker, labor leader and Chicano civil rights movement activist Dolores Huerta, who spoke to hundreds of students about her extraordinary experiences on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the Campus Center.

Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) of America with Cesar Chavez, spoke to Citrus College students about the importance of getting an education and being politically active.

“These students need to hear the message the most,” Huerta said. “The people coming to this college are the leaders of tomorrow and will be the ones to continue to make changes for the better.”

This was Huerta’s first visit to Citrus College, which offers numerous opportunities outside of the classroom to enhance student learning, including interactive programs and engaging campus events.

“To have someone of this caliber and with such historical significance come speak at Citrus College provides a pivotal educational experience for our students,” said Superintendent/President Geraldine M. Perri, Ph.D. “Learning beyond the classroom is especially important in their quest to take charge of their futures and become the leaders of tomorrow.”

Empowered in social justice issues, Huerta brought attention to the plight of farm workers and effectively fought for collective bargaining rights with the agricultural industry in the 1960s and ‘70s. She has since continued her commitment to improving workers', immigrants' and women’s rights.

“It is an honor to have Dolores Huerta, a truly inspirational figure, speak at CitrusCollege and to serve as a role model for our students,” said Susan M. Keith, president of the Citrus Community College District Board of Trustees.

Huerta has received numerous accolades for her achievements and decades-long activist work, including the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She is currently president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to organize communities to pursue social justice through systemic and structural transformation.