Activist Dolores Huerta discussed issues ranging from voting to agricultural rights in the final lecture of her series, \U.S. Voting Rights Act of 1965 at 40,"" Thursday.
According to UW-Madison junior Vanessa Solis, Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers Union of America in 1962, is also an advocate for voting rights, and has formed the Dolores Huerta Foundation to train a future generation of advocates.
Huerta, who volunteered on the Kerry campaign, claims she saw voting rights denied in the last election and attributed it to ""shenanigans"" occurring in more than one state.
""People were actually deprived of their right to vote,"" Huerta said. ""In one state they threw out 23,000 voter registration cards all because the voters forgot to check one box. These voters were then unable to cast a ballot.""
According to Huerta, mobilizing union members added a great deal of momentum to the Kerry campaign.
Indeed, unions have played a substantial role in Huerta's life. In her experiences with the UFW, Huerta combated the issues of racism that surrounded the migrant workers who fuel the farm industry.
""One politician said that unions for farmers shouldn't happen because they're all blacks and Mexicans,"" Huerta said while recounting her struggle towards unionization.
Contributor Mary Layoun, chair of the comparative literature department, added that greater strides must be made to achieve the most ideal working conditions for these workers.
""I grew up in the imperial valley. The gains made there by the UFW are enormous, but I saw a farm worker fall over from lack of water,"" she said. ""That sort of thing really has an impression on you.""
Huerta said that equality must not only be present in farm fields across the nation but also in the political realm.
Layoun agreed, calling for diverse perspectives to aid the political process.
""If everyone at the table looks alike, sounds alike and has the same interests, how will they serve any other interest?"" Layoun asked.
Huerta said she plans to continue her mission by educating the college generation of today.
