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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The 95th birthday of Dolores Huerta on April 10, |
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2025, provides a fitting opportunity to celebrate the life of one of |
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the most influential labor leaders of our era; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in 1930, Ms. Huerta has distinguished herself |
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as a dedicated activist for civil and labor rights; in 1955, she |
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cofounded the Stockton, California, chapter of the Community |
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Services Organization, a grassroots group dedicated to ending |
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segregation, discrimination, and police brutality while improving |
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social and economic conditions for farmworkers; she then launched |
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the Agricultural Workers Association and joined forces with Cesar |
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Chavez in 1962 to establish the National Farm Workers Association; |
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three years later, the AWA and NFWA merged to become the United Farm |
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Workers; her skill as an organizer and negotiator proved key in the |
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grape workers' strike that lasted from 1965 to 1970 and ended with a |
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historic agreement that brought unemployment and health care |
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benefits and reduced the use of dangerous pesticides; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta went on to galvanize national attention |
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with the lettuce boycott, paving the way for the Agricultural Labor |
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Relations Act of 1975, the first law to recognize collective |
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bargaining rights for farmworkers; in subsequent decades, she |
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served as UFW vice president and advocated powerfully for such |
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causes as comprehensive immigration reform, women's rights, and |
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greater representation of Latinos and women in public office; since |
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stepping down as vice president in 1999, she has continued her vital |
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endeavors by focusing on a range of issues, including income |
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inequality; and |
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WHEREAS, Widely admired for her contributions, Ms. Huerta was |
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inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993, and she was |
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presented with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Human Rights in |
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1998; her receipt of the $100,000 Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative |
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Citizenship in 2002 allowed her to create the Dolores Huerta |
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Foundation, which helps individuals in low-income communities to |
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build organizing and training skills; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of a remarkable life spanning nine |
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and a half decades, Dolores Huerta has championed the ideals of |
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equality and justice, and she may reflect with pride on her |
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wide-ranging accomplishments and on the many significant |
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contributions she has made in behalf of her fellow citizens; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Dolores Huerta on the joyous |
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occasion of her 95th birthday and extend to her sincere best wishes |
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for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Huerta as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |