Labor movement leader Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, died at age 96, her family said on Wednesday.
"We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved mother, Dolores Huerta, has passed away today at the age of 96," the family posted on Instagram. "As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for us, and we ask for privacy as we grieve this incredible loss to our family."
Huerta spent the 1960s championing labor unions and farmworkers and later added women's and LGBTQ rights to her advocacy.
Earlier this year, The New York Times reported several women accusing Chavez of sexual assault and abuse beginning at age 12. After that report, Huerta disclosed her own allegations against Chavez.
She said Chavez assaulted her twice in the 1960s, each incident resulting in pregnancy, and she placed the children with other families.
Huerta explained she delayed speaking out because she was focused on the movement and farmworker rights.
"The formation of a union was the only vehicle to accomplish and secure those rights, and I wasn't going to let Cesar or anyone else get in the way," she wrote. "I channeled everything I had into advocating on behalf of millions of farmworkers and others who were suffering and deserved equal rights."
The accusations added complexity to Chavez's legacy; he died in 1993 at age 66.
Following the revelations, California lawmakers urged the removal of Cesar Chavez Day celebrations and suggested renaming the holiday, leading Los Angeles to rename it Farmworkers Day.
Huerta, a California resident, received praise from state officials. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus said it would work to rename monuments bearing Chavez's name, and a March poll showed 51 percent of Americans would support such a change.
Reactions to Huerta's death flowed on social media, including a tribute from California Rep. Ro Khanna (D), who wrote, "Her courageous leadership in civil disobedience set an invaluable example in nonviolence. Dolores's memory will live on."
Huerta's family said they will follow up on plans to honor her life, adding, "We know that many of you around the world share in our mourning, and we will be following up on plans to recognize and celebrate her incredible life and legacy."
