By Russell Contreras
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) --Dolores Huerta formed the first farmworkers union with Cesar Chavez, stood next to Sen. Robert Kennedy minutes before he was assassinated, inspired Barack Obama's 2008 "Yes We Can" presidential campaign slogan with her "Si, Se Puede" rallying cry and has continued her social activism as she approaches her 90th birthday.
Yet she remains unknown to most Americans.
Among Mexican-Americans, however, she's a civil-rights icon. She draws excitement at rallies for ethnic studies in Arizona, gatherings for women's rights in Albuquerque and even for a cameo appearance at this year's Academy Awards.
Now the social activist is the subject of "Dolores," a new PBS documentary from Independent Lens. "Dolores" is scheduled to air on most PBS stations on Tuesday.
As expected, the documentary covers Huerta's life as a United Farm Workers leader in California during the late 1960s. It examines her role in fighting against the use of toxic pesticides and for immigrant rights.
But the film also explores her challenges in raising 11 children and the resentment they held for being ignored. The documentary also looks at her love of jazz and her shattered dreams of becoming a dancer.
Director Peter Bratt said the project began after Huerta and guitarist Carlos Santana had a conversation until 3 a.m. during a trip to Hawaii years ago. Santana, a Miles Davis fan, discovered Huerta was a huge fan of bebop legend Charlie Parker.
"I even met Charlie Parker. That's my claim to fame," Huerta, 87, told The Associated Press. "There were a lot of things Carlos didn't know about me."
That's when Santana urged Huerta to take part in a documentary to tell her story, Bratt said. Santana is executive producer of "Dolores."
Using archival interviews from Huerta and Chavez, "Dolores" illustrates how Huerta moved from a married woman in a middle-class home to a union activist who gave up a comfortable life to join the fight for equality. When farmworkers or fellow activists would tell her something couldn't be done or the odds were against them, Huerta would reply, "Si, Se Puede." That became the rallying cry for the farmworkers movement.
Angela Davis, Gloria Steinem, Hillary Clinton and "La Bamba" director Luis Valdez all discuss how Huerta evolved from someone pushing a grape boycott to an activist who was denounced by Teamsters, then-future President Ronald Reagan and, later, Fox News personalities like Bill O'Reilly.
But the film goes beyond Huerta's social justice activities throughout the years, showcasing the advocate at transformative moments in American history and highlighting her role in defining them.
For example, Huerta is standing next to Robert Kennedy in Los Angeles after his California presidential primary win in June 1968. "Dolores Huerta … who is an old friend of mine," Kennedy tells the crowd. Huerta helped Kennedy win California's Mexican-American vote by helping orchestrate a then-unique door-to-door voter registration drive.
Minutes later, Kennedy is shot.
"It was very emotional to watch," Huerta said after viewing the documentary. "I had to see the film four times before I could get it all to sink in."
In 2012, Obama finally acknowledged Huerta for her role in the creation of his "Yes, We Can" slogan during his first presidential campaign.
"Dolores was very gracious when I told her that I had stolen her slogan," said Obama, who then presented her with the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor. "Knowing her, I'm pleased she left me off easy because Dolores does not play."
But in spite of her contributions, Huerta has been written out of history — literally. The conservative-leaning Texas State Board of Education voted in 2010 to remove Huerta from third-grade standards over her affiliation with the Democratic Socialists of America organization.
That same year, then-Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill banning certain ethnic studies programs after Huerta told a Tucson school that Republicans hated Latinos.
Bratt said he believes the "Dolores" documentary is a way to save her legacy. "People have tried to erase her from history," Bratt said. "Hopefully, this film is the corrective."
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More