bhaskarlive

Jane Fonda, Eva Longoria mourn activist Dolores Huerta: Will be an enormous void without her

Digital Desk | Mumbai, Oct 29 (IANS) Actress Jane Fonda and Eva Longoria have paid tributes to legendary civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, remembering her as a fierce advocate for justice, a feminist icon and an inspiring mentor. Jane Fonda said she was heartbroken by Huertas loss, highlighting her pivotal role in securing better wages, healthcare, retirement benefits and safer working conditions for labourers. She wrote on Instagram: I am heartbroken. In a year of major losses this is a big one. But I know this: Dolores Huertas powerful, fierce spirit will always be with us. Every time we say Si se puede she will be with us. Yes, We Can! was her credo and she lifted our spirts and made us believe in it. She knew how to inspire. This physically and spiritually beautiful woman who was often the only female in the negotiating rooms had true power. It certainly wasnt given to her. She seized it in a world of machismo where women were expected to serve and remain silent, she stood in her power and became the unions key negotiator. It was she who won contracts that went far beyond wages to include healthcare, retirement benefits, safer working conditions. She was one of the first to raise the banner of environmental justice. And she did it all while raising 14 children. Fonda said Dolores was courage and feminism personified. Her memory is a blessing and a torch. The first photo: from DC during a Fire Drill Friday rally, 2019, me, Dolores, Roshi Joan Halifax, and Gloria Steinem) The second photo: 3 generations of activists taken early this yearDolores, me, and Nalleli Cobo, the award-winning frontline activist. Nalleli and I pledge to carry on the Dolores mantra. Eva Longoria, meanwhile, remembered her as her mentor and teacher of life, saying her legacy would live on through the generations she inspired to fight for what is right. Longoria wrote: I cant believe shes gone. I cant imagine a world without Dolores Huerta in it. To me, Dolores was so much more than an icon. She was my mentor, my teacher of life, and one of the greatest examples of what it means to be a human being. She taught me that a life of purpose is a life of service. That courage means standing up for others, even when its difficult. And that one person, armed with conviction, compassion, and an unwavering belief in justice, can change the world. Dolores dedicated her entire life to fighting for people, lifting up voices that had been silenced, and reminding us that we all have a responsibility to make this world better than we found it. She said that there will be an enormous void without her. A space that can never truly be filled. But the extraordinary thing about Dolores is that her lifes work lives on in every person she inspired, every barrier she broke, and every generation she taught to stand up and fight for what is right. Longoria said that she will miss her wisdom, her strength, her spirit, and above all, her humanity. How lucky we were to have her. How lucky I was to learn from her. Gracias, Dolores. Por todo. S, se puede. Siempre.