October 28, 2026
Dear SRJC Community,
I am saddened at the news of the passing of Dolores Huerta today, a pioneering labor leader and civil rights advocate whose work helped shape California and our nation.
Huerta devoted her life to fighting for the dignity and rights of farmworkers, working families, women, and communities whose voices too often went unheard. As a co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, which became the United Farm Workers, she helped organize workers, negotiate better wages and working conditions, and build a movement that changed labor history. Her rallying cry, “¡Sí, se puede!” - “Yes, we can” - continues to inspire people working toward a more just and equitable world.
Huerta was raised in the Central Valley, and one part of her story that stays with me is what first moved her to action. As a young teacher, she saw children coming to school hungry and without shoes. She came to believe she could do more for those children by addressing the conditions affecting their families. Her decision reflects something about education and public service that resonates with me today. Supporting students means looking beyond the classroom to the circumstances that shape their lives and opportunities. Huerta’s legacy reminds us that meaningful change often begins when someone recognizes an injustice and decides to do something about it. Her life’s work challenged us to listen to people whose experiences are often overlooked and to recognize the power of collective action.
As a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), SRJC has a responsibility to create opportunities for students from all backgrounds and to help build a community where people can learn, contribute, and thrive. And it is in our “servingness” that we can enact the cultural humility that supports academic excellence, not only for Latino/a/e students, but for all SRJC students. Huerta’s example invites us to continue that work with purpose and commitment to the honor the dignity and humanity of every person.
May we honor her legacy by remembering her accomplishments and continuing the work of building a more just and inclusive community. ¡Sí, se puede!
In community,
Dr. Garcia
Angélica Garcia, Ed.D.
Superintendent/President
707-527-4431, angelicagarcia@santarosa.edu
