In case you needed any more reasons to be orgulloso of the Latino community, Chicana Dolores Huerta, a civil rights advocate and labor leader, was recently honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the nation's highest civilian honors.
And though Huerta was taken aback by the award, saying "I was humbled, thrilled, and surprised, I never expected to be nominated," there is no question that she completely and totally deserves it! In fact, I think it can be justly said that she is, without a doubt, one of the great Latino activists of the world. Here are just 5 of many reasons Huerta has definitely earned the medal:
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- She has been a lifetime do-gooder: Her activism first started when she became a Girl Scouts at a young age and continued throughout the rest of her life, including her years as a school teacher in Stockton. In fact, the poverty she saw in the classroom is what first inspired her activism.
- She is a leader and a family woman: Huerta is 83 years old, a mother to 11 children and a grandmother to seven and still had time to participate and lead various civil groups and associations.
- She keeps good company: Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association alongside famed activist, César Chávez and later served as the first vice president of the United Farm Workers.
- She has a laundry list of amazing accomplishments: Her past work includes everything from "Spanish-language ballots to voters, public assistance for immigrants, toilets in the fields…" to an immigration act which gave legal status to over a million farmworkers.
- She is fearless: Huerta has been arrested over twenty times and has been beaten by police by protesting, but has never stopped fighting for her beliefs.
Are you inspired by Huerta? Tell us in the comments below!
Image via Freedom to Marry/flickr
