Dolores Huerta popularised “Sí, Se Puede” before Barack Obama used “Yes, We Can”: The story behind the slogan

Long before Barack Obama used “Yes, We Can” to inspire voters during his presidential campaign. There was a strong woman whose accomplishments were hidden from history and the woman who made quite an impact on the world. A labor activist Dolores Huerta shared the same message with farmworkers fighting for better lives. Her words carried a profound idea that people could bring change only if they stood together.

Huerta spent much of her life fighting for workers who were often ignored, underpaid and treated unfairly. Her work helped shape the farmworkers’ movement and made her one of the most important voices in America’s fight for civil rights.

Huerta died on October 28 2026 at the age of 96. The slogan she helped popularize remains one of the best known parts of her legacy.

How did Dolores Huerta begin fighting for farmworkers

Born in New Mexico in 1930, Huerta moved to California with her family after her parents separated. Growing up as a Mexican-American, she saw discrimination firsthand.

“We still have that racism that exists that I had to confront when I was a teenager growing up,” Huerta told Good Morning America.

As she got older, she also began to see how difficult life was for farmworkers. Many people working in California’s fields earned only 50 cents an hour. They often had no unemployment insurance, clean drinking water, bathrooms or proper rest breaks.

“They were only earning like 50 cents an hour,” Huerta said.

The conditions troubled her, especially the lack of basic facilities for women. She decided she could not simply watch from the sidelines.

Huerta joined the Community Service Organization. There she met Cesar Chavez and organizer Fred Ross Sr. She looked up to Fred Ross Sr. As a mentor. In 1962 she and Cesar Chavez worked together to start the organization. That group later became the United Farm Workers.

Their goal was to give farmworkers a stronger voice and push employers to treat them fairly.

How did “Sí, Se Puede” become a powerful message

Organizing workers was not easy. Farmworkers went on strike and took part in boycotts to pressure growers into making changes. One of the biggest battles was the Delano grape strike, which began in 1965. When strikes alone failed to deliver what workers wanted, activists took their message across the country. They asked Americans to stop buying grapes, hoping the financial pressure would force growers to listen.

Huerta later recalled how many people joined the effort. “We were able to get 17 million people to stop eating grapes,” she said.

The campaign went on for five years. Eventually, more than 20 California grape growers agreed to improve their treatment of farmworkers, and workers secured contracts guaranteeing basic rights.

Throughout the struggle, “Sí, se puede,” which means “Yes, we can,” captured the determination behind the movement. It was a message of hope, but it was also a call to keep going when progress seemed slow. Years later, Obama used “Yes, We Can” as a central slogan in his presidential campaign, bringing the familiar message to a new generation.

Huerta’s fight continued beyond the fields

Huerta never limited her work to labor rights. She also spoke out against discrimination and sexism, often in a movement dominated by men. At 58, she was seriously injured during a protest in San Francisco against agricultural policies. Huerta said police beat her during the demonstration, breaking four of her ribs and severely damaging her spleen. In 2012, Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work. He described her contribution simply, “She has fought to give more people a seat at the table.”

Huerta’s story is about much more than a slogan. She spent decades helping workers organize, demand fair treatment and fight for rights that many had been denied. “Sí, se puede” became memorable because Huerta and the farmworkers who stood with her worked to put those words into action. The information is taken from History and ABC News.