The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) will present civil rights icon Dolores Huerta with the 2025 President's Award at its upcoming ¡BRAVO! Awards Gala. The event, themed "Rooted in Purpose," will take place on November 13, 2025, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers and founder and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, continues her activism at age 95, recently participating in protests against federal immigration raids in Los Angeles and condemning the arrest of labor leader David Huerta.
HPRA President Sonia V. Diaz emphasized the significance of honoring Huerta during current times. "We are living in a moment when Latino communities are being scapegoated, detained, and stripped of dignity," Diaz stated. "In times like these, our role as communicators is not to bend or soften the message—it's to name injustice, amplify truth, and stand steady in defense of our people." The President's Award is selected annually by the HPRA President to recognize leaders who have transformed lives and shaped the cultural narrative of Latinos in the United States.
Huerta's recent activism includes co-signing a petition to the United Nations calling for a human rights investigation and leading resistance against private detention centers. Through her foundation, she continues to advise immigrant communities and support civic engagement. The Dolores Huerta Foundation recently broke ground on a new Peace and Justice Cultural Center in Kern County, California, further extending her legacy of community building. More information about the organization is available at https://www.hpra-usa.org.
Huerta's enduring impact includes co-founding the United Farm Workers in 1962, helping secure collective bargaining rights for farmworkers, banning dangerous pesticides, and advancing gender and racial equity. She coined the phrase "Sí, se puede"—"Yes, we can"—which has become a rallying cry for justice movements across generations. Diaz noted that Huerta's legacy demonstrates how "direct engagement—face to face, voice to voice—can move people to action" and that "when we truly listen and speak with clarity and courage, we protect lives and shift power."
Additional 2025 honorees include Pioneer of the Year Karina Martinez, co-founder of DRAFTED; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion Adrianne C. Smith, founder of Cannes Can: Diversity Collective; and Journalist of the Year Julio (Julito) Ricardo Varela, independent journalist and commentator. The HPRA, founded in 1984, supports Latino talent and advances multicultural communications through professional development and national programs. This recognition of Huerta underscores the ongoing importance of her work and the continued relevance of her message in contemporary social justice movements.
