Hollywood actress Salma Hayek has paid a heartfelt tribute to legendary American labour leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, who passed away on 28 October 2026 at the age of 96. Hayek shared two videos and a photograph alongside a personal note on Instagram, recounting her first encounter with the icon and pledging to carry forward her legacy.

Hayek's Personal Tribute

In her caption, Hayek wrote, 'Dolores Huerta. Six years ago I asked God to let us keep the gift of you for another century. We got 96 years of you fighting for us, for justice, for equality, for dignity. Our legendary civil rights leader, the angel for undocumented and Latin American workers in the United States.'

She added, 'I will never forget the day I met you. The best way I know to honor you is to keep doing what you taught us. By fighting for the underrepresented and using my influence for good. Thank you for coming into our world.'

A Life Devoted to Workers and Justice

Dolores Huerta was born in Dawson, New Mexico, and came of age in Stockton, California, where she witnessed first-hand the hardships faced by working-class families. After a brief stint as a schoolteacher, she pivoted to community organising — a decision that would reshape American labour history.

In 1962, she co-founded the National Farm Workers Association alongside political activist Cesar Chavez, an organisation that later evolved into the United Farm Workers (UFW). The partnership became one of the most consequential in 20th-century American civil rights history.

Landmarks of Her Legacy

Huerta was a driving force behind the 1965 Delano grape strike and the nationwide grape boycotts that followed, campaigns that ultimately secured better wages and working conditions for agricultural labourers. She is also widely credited with popularising the rallying cry 'Si, se puede' — 'Yes, we can' — a phrase later adopted by social movements across generations.

A fierce advocate for women's rights, immigrant rights, and broader social justice, Huerta was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, the United States' highest civilian honour. Her work spanned more than six decades of active organising.

Tributes From the Broader Community

Hayek's post is among several high-profile tributes that emerged within hours of Huerta's death being reported. Notably, Huerta's influence extended well beyond US borders, making her an icon for Latin American communities and labour movements globally. This comes amid renewed conversations about immigrant rights and labour protections in the United States, lending her passing an additional layer of resonance.

What Comes Next

The Dolores Huerta Foundation, which she established to continue community organising work, is expected to carry forward her programmes. Details of memorial arrangements had not been publicly announced as of 29 October 2026.