Dolores Huerta: "Kamala Harris is the only presidential candidate fighting for a fair and just America for working people"

I have spent my life fighting for the dignity of work, and the rights of Latinos, disadvantaged workers, immigrants and women. I recognize a fighter when I see one. Vice President Harris is a fighter.

Vice President Harris has fought for labor and workers’ rights her entire career, during her time as a State Attorney General, United States Senator, and as Vice President. She brings a unique perspective and a deep understanding of the diverse fabric of America. She is a leader who listens, who engages, and who understands the importance of bringing all voices to the table and meeting voters where they are.

It’s why since announcing her candidacy, she’s received enormous support from labor unions. Educators, health care professionals, farmworkers, construction workers, postal workers, service, and public employees, as well as workers in communications, nursing, transportation, utility, and manufacturing, join a growing list of dozens of unions and nearly all of organized labor stands with the Vice President.

In Vice President Kamala Harris we have a true ally for working people and in particular, the Latino community. Throughout her career, Vice President Harris has been a vocal advocate for raising the minimum wage, building an economy that works for working people, strengthening workers' rights to organize, and fighting against workplace discrimination. These are issues that affect all workers, but they are particularly critical for our Latino communities, who often face unique challenges in the workplace.

One of the most pressing issues for working families is the struggle to make ends meet on wages that have not kept pace with the cost of living. Vice President Harris has been a staunch supporter of raising the federal minimum wage and recently announced several proposals for her first 100 days in office to bring down costs for American families.

Her plans would cut taxes for the middle class; reduce grocery costs and take on corporate price gouging; lower the costs of owning and renting a home; bring down the costs of prescription drugs; and relieve medical debt for millions of Americans. These bold actions will address some of the sharpest pain points Latino families are confronting and bolster their financial security given that Latinos own homes at significantly lower rates compared to white households; many Latino families have turned to food banks and food pantries; or cut back on meals to cope with the increased cost of living; Latino adults are 35 percent more likely to hold medical debt compared to white adults; and nearly 10 percent of Latino adults have reported not taking prescribed medication due to cost. This would all change with Vice President Harris as President.

Vice President Harris has consistently supported policies aimed at strengthening unions and protecting the right to organize. She knows that unions are a powerful tool for workers, especially in industries with high concentrations of Latino workers, such as agriculture, hospitality, and construction. Her support of labor unions reflects her belief in the power of collective action and her commitment to ensuring that workers have a voice in the workplace.

And Vice President Harris has always understood that labor rights are intrinsically linked to civil rights. She has been a vocal advocate for comprehensive immigration reform, including securing our border, creating a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have earned it, many of whom are integral to our economy and yet live in fear of deportation.

While Vice President Harris promises to continue the pro-worker agenda of the Biden-Harris administration, Donald Trump’s Project 2025 threatens to rip away all of that progress. While in office, Trump rolled back protections for workers’ pay and safety, lost more than 150,000 manufacturing jobs during his final year, and eviscerated 839,000 energy workers jobs. During his presidency, major plants closed across the country, including a GM plant in Warren, Michigan, and several steel plants in Pennsylvania. Trump’s record of undermining and attacking unions at every turn is toxic for working families.

This election marks a pivotal moment in our history. And each of us will have a choice to make about which direction we want our country to go. Donald Trump despises Latinos, workers, and immigrants and wants to turn back the clock to a time before many of us had full rights and freedoms, when the rich did well while the middle class was left behind. We cannot go back!

I choose to go forward, into the future. A future that makes room for all Latino families. A future where our middle class is strong, our freedoms are secure, and our democracy is sound. That’s what Vice President Harris is fighting for. And that’s why I’m all-in to elect Vice President Harris the next president of the United States! ¡Porque con Kamala, sí se puede!

She believes, like I do, that America is only as great as the opportunities we create and the doors we open, for each and every American. Vice President Harris fights relentlessly for the people.

¡Sí se puede!

Disclaimer: We selected this Op-Ed to be published in our opinion section as a contribution to public debate. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of its author(s) and/or the organization(s) they represent and do not reflect the views or the editorial line of Univision Noticias.