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PEOPLE & ARTSThursday 22 March 2018
Film examines Dolores Huerta from jazz to 'Si, Se Puede'
By RUSSELL CONTRERAS In this Jan. 16, 2018, file photo, Dolores Huerta participates in the "Dolores" panel during the PBS helping orchestrate a then-
Associated Press Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif. unique door-to-door voter
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) registration drive.
— Dolores Huerta formed Associated Press Minutes later, Kennedy is
the first farmworkers union shot.
with Cesar Chavez, stood the late 1960s. It examines But the film also explores farmworkers or fellow activ- "It was very emotional to
next to Sen. Robert Ken- her role in fighting against her challenges in raising ists would tell her something watch," Huerta said after
nedy minutes before he the use of toxic pesticides 11 children and the resent- couldn't be done or the viewing the documentary.
was assassinated, inspired and for immigrant rights. ment they held for being odds were against them, "I had to see the film four
Barack Obama's 2008 "Yes ignored. The documentary Huerta would reply, "Si, Se times before I could get it
We Can" presidential cam- also looks at her love of jazz Puede." That became the all to sink in."
paign slogan with her "Si, Se and her shattered dreams rallying cry for the farm- In 2012, Obama finally ac-
Puede" rallying cry and has of becoming a dancer. workers movement. knowledged Huerta for
continued her social activ- Director Peter Bratt said the Angela Davis, Gloria her role in the creation of
ism as she approaches her project began after Huerta Steinem, Hillary Clinton his "Yes, We Can" slogan
90th birthday. and guitarist Carlos Santa- and "La Bamba" director during his first presidential
Yet she remains unknown na had a conversation until Luis Valdez all discuss how campaign.
to most Americans. 3 a.m. during a trip to Ha- Huerta evolved from some- "Dolores was very gracious
Among Mexican-Ameri- waii years ago. Santana, a one pushing a grape boy- when I told her that I had
cans, however, she's a civil- Miles Davis fan, discovered cott to an activist who was stolen her slogan," said
rights icon. She draws ex- Huerta was a huge fan denounced by Teamsters, Obama, who then present-
citement at rallies for ethnic of bebop legend Charlie then-future President Ron- ed her with the Medal of
studies in Arizona, gather- Parker. ald Reagan and, later, Fox Freedom, the nation's high-
ings for women's rights in Al- "I even met Charlie Parker. News personalities like Bill est civilian honor. "Knowing
buquerque and even for a That's my claim to fame," O'Reilly. her, I'm pleased she left me
cameo appearance at this Huerta, 87, told The Asso- But the film goes beyond off easy because Dolores
year's Academy Awards. ciated Press. "There were Huerta's social justice activ- does not play."
Now the social activist is the a lot of things Carlos didn't ities throughout the years, But in spite of her contribu-
subject of "Dolores," a new know about me." showcasing the advocate tions, Huerta has been writ-
PBS documentary from In- That's when Santana urged at transformative moments ten out of history — literally.
dependent Lens. "Dolores" Huerta to take part in a in American history and The conservative-leaning
is scheduled to air on most documentary to tell her highlighting her role in de- Texas State Board of Edu-
PBS stations on Tuesday. story, Bratt said. Santana is fining them. cation voted in 2010 to
As expected, the docu- executive producer of "Do- For example, Huerta is remove Huerta from third-
mentary covers Huerta's life lores." standing next to Robert grade standards over her
as a United Farm Workers Using archival interviews Kennedy in Los Angeles affiliation with the Demo-
leader in California during from Huerta and Chavez, after his California presi- cratic Socialists of America
"Dolores" illustrates how dential primary win in June organization.
Huerta moved from a mar- 1968. "Dolores Huerta ... That same year, then-Arizo-
ried woman in a middle- who is an old friend of na Gov. Jan Brewer signed
class home to a union mine," Kennedy tells the a bill banning certain eth-
activist who gave up a crowd. Huerta helped nic studies programs after
comfortable life to join the Kennedy win California's Huerta told a Tucson school
fight for equality. When Mexican-American vote by that Republicans hated La-
tinos.
Bratt said he believes the
"Dolores" documentary is
a way to save her legacy.
"People have tried to erase
her from history," Bratt said.
"Hopefully, this film is the
corrective."q
