I am heartbroken by Helen Chavez’s passing. She was a dear friend whom I admired and cared for deeply. She was the godmother of my son Emilio Huerta and a great support for all of my children, especially during the early years when we struggled against great obstacles to form the United Farm Workers.
Mourning the Loss of Helen Chavez
“Helen was somewhat of a reluctant hero who always believed she was just doing her job. She served her family and the United Farm Workers humbly and diligently.”
Por:Dolores Huerta
Dolores Huerta and Helen Chavez at the 50th Anniversary of the UFW
Imagen C. Legerrette
Helen was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend to many. She will be dearly missed. My prayers and deepest condolences are with her family during this difficult time.
Despite a near universal desire for an end to Venezuela’s manmade disaster, sending in U.S forces to take out the Maduro regime would be counter-productive. It should be categorically rejected by interim president Juan Guaidó, not to mention the Trump administration.
The firing of undocumented workers at Trump's golf clubs just shows how the practice of employing immigrants without legal work papers is much more common than we might imagine. Such is life in the United States.
The Trump administration should be wary of fueling fake news predictions about an imminent American invasion which unrealistically raises expectations about Maduro's removal.
At some point we will have to accept the fact that the border between Mexico and the United States is nothing more than an invention.
The United States has had a major role in the evolving drama of the fight for democracy in Venezuela and Nicaragua. And so far, it’s been surprisingly coordinated, a veritable model of multilateralism.
Has the Maduro regime reached breaking point? It remains hard to say, but tomorrow is another - more hopeful - day for the restoration of democracy in the South American nation.
It’s impossible to get into Trump’s head but what comes out of his mouth are racist remarks. But, saddest of all are the millions who tolerate his views, cheer him on and emulate his behavior.
The time is well past due for the U.S. government to conduct a thorough review of leaders and their senior colleagues before they leave office to determine if they merit visas.
Helen was somewhat of a reluctant hero who always believed she was just doing her job. She served her family and the United Farm Workers humbly and diligently. She managed their home life to free her husband, the late Cesar Chavez, for the important work of organizing. She was a rock and the unwavering foundation of the UFW. Cesar could not have accomplished all that he did without her physical and emotional support. She also supported the volunteers and staff of the UFW. She made sure Cesar’s legacy would continue in his children and grandchildren.
As much as Helen cherished her privacy, she always made time for marches and picket lines. Although she disdained publicity, she didn’t hesitate to lend her voice to a good cause. For instance, she recently spoke out in a campaign appealing to the New York Times to stop using ethnic and racial stereotypes. She called on them to use the word “undocumented” instead of “illegal” when referring to farm workers and Latinos immigrants.
While we mourn the loss of an incredible woman, we also celebrate her remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people everywhere to work hard and dedicate themselves to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.
We can honor Helen’s example of service, accomplishment and modesty, by continuing to work for that which she and Cesar dedicated their lives to: promoting the civil rights of others and pursuing social justice for all. !Si 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.
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