ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Leaders in New Mexico are remembering Dolores Huerta as a “force of nature” and “giant” with a legacy transcending generations after she passed away Wednesday.

Huerta died at age 96, her family confirmed on social media. The iconic leader of the 1960s labor movement was born on April 10, 1930, in Dawson, New Mexico.

MORE: Dolores Huerta, New Mexico-born civil rights icon, dead at age 96

In 2023, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a law that dedicates April 10 of every year as “Dolores Huerta Day” in New Mexico. The governor said Wednesday she signed that bill into law so “every generation would know her name.”

“Dolores was a force of nature. She gave farm workers a voice and she gave all of us ‘Sí, se puede.’ I was lucky to call her a friend and I’ll never forget the day she came to our office to accept the state’s thanks for her extraordinary service,” the governor recalled. “Well into her nineties, she spoke hard truths regardless of the personal costs. She showed up for people who were at risk, taken advantage of, underserved and unheard until the day she died… Rest in power, Dolores.”

Huerta made appearances at events nationwide and around the world, including in New Mexico. Not long before the dedication of Dolores Huerta Day in 2023, she appeared at an annual celebration in her honor at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. She spoke on issues of the time and appeared with U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez that day.

Leger Fernandez remembered Huerta as “a giant” who left a lasting impact She recalled how Huerta told her, “You should dance in your 20s so you can march in your 90s.” She added that Huerta marched for justice, dignity and people “too often ignored.”

“She taught us that the fight for a better world should be filled with joy, that resistance can be a celebration and that the rhythm of change lives in all of us. Today, we mourn a giant. But her footsteps will echo in every march, her spirit will live in every movement, and her words will carry us forward. Remember: who has the power? The people have the power. Siempre,” Leger Fernandez stated Wednesday.

New Mexico’s other congressional delegation members also remembered Huerta with their own statements:

“Absolutely devastated to learn of the passing of New Mexico’s own, Dolores Huerta. 

A friend. A mentor. A real life super hero. Dolores helped organize a movement that changed our country. From farmworkers to working families, women, and communities whose voices were often ignored, Dolores was a force and voice for change. A woman who didn’t back down and who spoke truth to power.

Dolores, you will be so missed. But your legacy will live on in the continued fight for justice! ¡Sí, se puede!”

“Today, the world lost a legend with the passing of Dolores Huerta.

Born in New Mexico, Huerta went on to become one of the most formidable champions for civil rights and workers’ rights our country has ever seen. She gave voice to women, Latinos, and working-class people at a time when too many were silenced and denied a seat at the table — and America is better for her fight.

May we always remember her for her bravery, vision, and leadership, and may we never forget the power of the people she fought so hard to protect. Sí, se puede.”

Dolores Huerta was a bright, shining beacon in the darkness. She led countless people in the fight for better wages, safer working conditions, and a seat at the table.

Dolores was a voice for those whose voices had long gone unheard. I am praying for her family and everyone who was inspired by this incredible leader.

“Today New Mexico lost one of our own and America lost a giant.

Dolores Huerta spent her life fighting for farmworkers, working families and anyone who was ever told that their voice didn’t count.

She gave a movement its rallying cry with ‘Sí, se puede’ but it was always more than a slogan to her. It was a belief in the power of organizing. And today, because of her, countless workers have a safer workplace and a fairer wage.

Her legacy will live on in the organizers she trained, the laws she helped pass and all of us continuing her work.

Julie and I have her family in our hearts, along with everyone in the movement she built.”