Dolores

Distributed by PBSProduced by Carlos Santana, Regina K. Scully, Janet macGillivray, Tom Steyer, Kat Taylor, Brian Benson, and Peter BrattDirected by Peter Bratt2017, DVD, 96 mins You know about Cesar Chavez, but have you heard of Dolores Huerta? Dolores is a memorable portrait of a complex woman who, during a time when women were challenging traditional gender roles in unprecedented ways, had the conviction to take on a life of service, poverty, and activism to become the co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association (later, United Farm Workers, UFW) alongside Cesar Chavez. Dolores combines compelling historical footage, often in color, with modern day interviews with the people who know her best: her children, former colleagues, politicians, social justice icons, and Dolores herself. Dolores recounts Huerta’s life’s work, from leaving a comfortable life as a suburban wife to becoming a powerhouse lobbyist and advocate for farm workers. She helped expose the inhumane living and work conditions of U.S. farm workers, many of Mexican descent, who primarily worked for white farm owners. Viewers will find that the public’s reactions to farm workers' strikes, which were often met with contempt, mirror current debates and challenges regarding U.S.-Mexican immigration issues. Passionate and described as a work-a-holic, Huerta not only helped introduce these issues to the American public, she also caught the attention of well-known political figures including Gloria Steinem, Angela Davis, and Bobby Kennedy. Inadvertently, Huerta helped start the environmental movement by shedding light on the harmful effects of pesticides sprayed in the farm fields. Tragically, these pesticides sometimes caused infertility and developmental abnormalities in infants. Despite having a talent for community organizing and a relentless work ethic, Huerta was often overlooked and overshadowed by her male counterparts, including Cesar Chavez. However, Huerta was no figurehead. She often had fiery debates with Chavez. Although the UFW executive board often excluded women, Huerta’s relationship with Chavez was seemingly a true partnership. Even though the film reveals ways in which Huerta was treated differently, it somewhat disappoints in making it clear that the scrutiny Huerta often faced as a working woman and as a mother of eleven children was unique to her gender. The filmmakers could have pushed to make a clearer comparison between her role as a mother and male activists of the time who were also parents. The subject of Huerta’s parenting is a strength of the film, because it paints a more complete picture of Huerta as a person. She admits, and her children agree, she often neglected them to pursue her career. Despite having ambiguous feelings about how they were raised, many of Huerta’s children were clearly inspired by their mother to follow similar paths, serving their communities in a variety of ways. Though rushed, the last quarter of the film details Huerta’s second act following her departure from the UFW. In recent years, she was scrutinized about political comments she made during school assemblies. The controversy escalated to the point where state legislators debated removing cultural studies from school curriculum. The filmmakers use national media footage and interviews to make clear the many ways in which Huerta has largely been forgotten. This point is the true call to action of the film. The film ends as Huerta seems to begin embracing her legacy as a feminist and social justice icon. We see Barack Obama acknowledge that he used her slogan, “Sí se puede” (“Yes we can”) for his presidential campaign, as he awards her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She and her children travel the country to share her story, particularly with young Latinas, however, the impact of her legacy remains to be seen. Matched with a vibrant soundtrack, Dolores is celebratory but fair. By recounting Huerta’s life and her work, Dolores fills in gaps to tell a more complete story of Latinx experiences in the United States. Dolores is highly recommended for middle school, high school, and college audiences as well as school, public, and academic library collections. Awards Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature, SFFILM Festival; Audience Award, Best Feature Film, Houston Latino Film Festival; Golden Space Needle Award, Best Documentary Feature, Seattle International Film Festival; Audience Award, Best Documentary, Denver Women + Film Festival; Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature, Montclair Film Festival.