The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) announced that Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, will receive the 2025 President's Award at the HPRA ¡BRAVO! Awards Gala on November 13, 2025, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. The award recognizes her decades of advocacy for farmworkers, civil rights, and social justice.
This year's theme, "Rooted in Purpose," reflects the need for communicators to remain unwavering in defending communities under attack. HPRA President Sonia V. Diaz emphasized the importance of naming injustice and amplifying truth, especially as Latino communities face scapegoating and detention. Diaz stated, "Dolores Huerta has never stopped reminding us that direct engagement—face to face, voice to voice—can move people to action."
At 95, Huerta remains actively involved in protests against federal immigration raids, labor rights, and civic engagement through her foundation. In 2025, she joined mass protests, condemned the arrest of labor leader David Huerta, and co-signed a petition to the United Nations. Her foundation also broke ground on a new Peace and Justice Cultural Center in Kern County, California.
Huerta's legacy includes coining the phrase "Sí, se puede" and winning collective bargaining rights for farmworkers. The HPRA President's Award is a singular honor selected annually. Other honorees include Karina Martinez as Pioneer of the Year, Adrianne C. Smith as Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion, and Julio Ricardo Varela as Journalist of the Year.
The ¡BRAVO! Awards celebrate excellence in multicultural communications, honoring campaigns and individuals that advance authentic representation. HPRA, founded in 1984, supports Latino talent and professional development in public relations.
