Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1518807
to organize communities and develop future leaders, power massive voter registration drives and empower communities to fight for rights and progress. There are four elementary schools in California named in honor of Huerta, who was also inducted into the California Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2012, Pres. Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States, and her house when she worked and organized in Delano is listed as a noteworthy place by the National Park Service. Huerta has joined educators for major struggles over the past few years — picketing with her grandson and friends outside their school during the United Teachers Los Angeles strike; leading chants in the pouring rain during a rally for the the Sacramento City Teachers Association strike; and heading a mile-long march through the streets of Oakland during the Oakland Education Association strike. " The only way our country is going to survive as a democ- racy is that we have strong education and strong teachers that are supported," Huerta told thousands in Sacramento in 2022. "Who's got the power? We've got the power! What kind of power? Teacher Power! ¡Hasta la victoria siempre!" Huerta and her foundation have also fought alongside CTA to support schools and communities through Propositions 30 and 55, championed CTA's legislation to reform charter schools, and voiced opposition to new charter school petitions in the Central Valley. Former Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill in 2018 designating April 10 as Dolores Huerta Day, making her the first and only living person to hold the honor. Instead of a state holiday, the day is intended to recognize Huerta and teach California stu- dents about her life. "I'm glad to share the lessons I've learned in my life so that others can learn from them," says Huerta. "I want students to get a sense of their own empowerment and the things they can do to make the world a better place." In 2019-20, a group of CTA educators collaborated with the Dolores Huerta Foundation to develop curriculum to celebrate the famed labor leader and her life and teach- ings, creating lesson plans and content for students at all grade levels to help examine the essential question: "How do people work together to solve problems and struggle to implement the solution?" The curriculum is available for free at doloreshuerta.org/curriculum. These lessons cover the rich history of working together for change in the Central Valley and California to help inspire young people to work to better their communities. "The only way our country is going to survive as a democracy is that we have strong education and strong teachers that are supported." National Park Service National Park Service Huerta with Cesar Chavez. 17 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 24