Dolores Huerta

Well, he was wonderful. And I met him through, of course, Harry Belafonte is the one that introduced me to Dizzy. And Dizzy actually, then when he was playing, I think, at the Vanguard, he actually took one of our boycott buttons and put it on his dashiki. And told everybody, yes, everybody, you have to boycott grapes to help the farm workers. I love that. Just like your mom.

Well, he was wonderful. And I met him through, of course, Harry Belafonte is the one that introduced me to Dizzy. And Dizzy actually, then when he was playing, I think, at the Vanguard, he actually took one of our boycott buttons and put it on his dashiki. And told everybody, yes, everybody, you have to boycott grapes to help the farm workers. I love that. Just like your mom.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes, I can, because we had been on strike for two weeks, and I ran out of clean clothes, and I had that one white wrinkled sweater, but it was the only thing that I had that was clean that I could put on. The photographer, Harvey Richards, was trying to take my picture, and I was trying to avoid him. Why? Why? Well, just because I had this wrinkled sweater on. Oh, for goodness sakes.

Yes, I can, because we had been on strike for two weeks, and I ran out of clean clothes, and I had that one white wrinkled sweater, but it was the only thing that I had that was clean that I could put on. The photographer, Harvey Richards, was trying to take my picture, and I was trying to avoid him. Why? Why? Well, just because I had this wrinkled sweater on. Oh, for goodness sakes.

That's hilarious. And I was standing on top of a car holding up that sign because there were people working in the field to bring to their attention that there was a strike going on. And so the picture became very iconic. And actually, I met the directors of Norma Rae at a party in Los Angeles, and they told me that this is where they got the idea for Norma Rae.

That's hilarious. And I was standing on top of a car holding up that sign because there were people working in the field to bring to their attention that there was a strike going on. And so the picture became very iconic. And actually, I met the directors of Norma Rae at a party in Los Angeles, and they told me that this is where they got the idea for Norma Rae.

Well, actually, in Arizona, they had passed a law that if farm workers went on strike or anyone said boycott anything, you could go to prison. Imagine. Yeah, and we were working to try to overturn that law. So Cesar had done a 25-day water-only fast. He did not eat anything. just to consume water and Holy Communion for 25 days.

Well, actually, in Arizona, they had passed a law that if farm workers went on strike or anyone said boycott anything, you could go to prison. Imagine. Yeah, and we were working to try to overturn that law. So Cesar had done a 25-day water-only fast. He did not eat anything. just to consume water and Holy Communion for 25 days.

And as I was speaking to some of the professional people in Arizona, asking them to support us to overturn that law, they said to me, in Arizona, you can't do any of that. In California, you can. And my response to them was, si se puede, which means yes, we can in Arizona. When I reported that back to our rally that evening, Everyone jumped to their feet and they said, si se puede, si se puede.

And as I was speaking to some of the professional people in Arizona, asking them to support us to overturn that law, they said to me, in Arizona, you can't do any of that. In California, you can. And my response to them was, si se puede, which means yes, we can in Arizona. When I reported that back to our rally that evening, Everyone jumped to their feet and they said, si se puede, si se puede.

And so that's how it was born. It came from the universe.

And so that's how it was born. It came from the universe.

As a result of the international boycott of California table grapes, it resulted in farm workers having bathrooms, toilets in the fields, cold drinking water, rest periods, things that they never had, hand-washing facilities, the right to have a union, the right to have a health plan. under the union, so many things that they, just basic human rights that farm workers did not have.

As a result of the international boycott of California table grapes, it resulted in farm workers having bathrooms, toilets in the fields, cold drinking water, rest periods, things that they never had, hand-washing facilities, the right to have a union, the right to have a health plan. under the union, so many things that they, just basic human rights that farm workers did not have.

Of course, with the union, they were able to get unemployment insurance, pensions, etc., health care. But they did not have this, and it was that simple act. And you contributed to that, Julia. By not eating, by not buying those grapes, you contributed to that, and so did the 17 million Americans that didn't buy grapes.

Of course, with the union, they were able to get unemployment insurance, pensions, etc., health care. But they did not have this, and it was that simple act. And you contributed to that, Julia. By not eating, by not buying those grapes, you contributed to that, and so did the 17 million Americans that didn't buy grapes.

And this is what we have to learn, that if all of us work together, that we know that we can make it happen, that we have that power as people. Do you have any specific negotiating tactics, Dolores? Well, as a negotiator— I was a go-between between the farmworkers and the employers. And you're pretty much a translator. But the main thing I think is you have to give reasons why you need something.

And this is what we have to learn, that if all of us work together, that we know that we can make it happen, that we have that power as people. Do you have any specific negotiating tactics, Dolores? Well, as a negotiator— I was a go-between between the farmworkers and the employers. And you're pretty much a translator. But the main thing I think is you have to give reasons why you need something.