laurie huerta

I wanted to write a little about Laurie - she's been visiting us on and off over the last week. I haven't gotten to sit and talk with her, but I have been able to greet her often and I just really like her energy. She is the daughter of Dolores Huerta who worked closely with Chavez over the years. Dolores is still alive and continues to do the work she and Chavez started.
Laurie often stopped by during our lunch breaks to tell us stories. On this day she was telling us (and that's a japanese interpreter with her) that the road we just walked was the same road that the Okies walked during the depression - starving and looking for work. She told us this entire valley was filled with the spirits of farm workers, of the Chinese laborers that were brought in to build the railroad tracks - that Steinbeck, Woody Guthrie and Dorothy Day travelled these roads as well.
She also told us this story, which moved all of us..including her...to tears; and she's probably told it several times! It goes like this:

"Cesar's work brought about the Agricultural Farm Workers Act. It gave basic human rights to the farm workers, things like making sure they had water in the fields to drink, a decent wage, a place to use the bathroom. So this act passed and Cesar knew that many of these workers would never know about it. So he went on a 1000 mile march all up and down California telling these workers of their new rights. By the time he got to Sacramento to the Capitol Steps he had maybe 25-30,000 people marching with him to celebrate. And for many people, that would've been it - their work would've been done.
The next morning I had to get up very early and drive back home to take care of something for my children. So here I am driving down HWY 99 - 4:30a.m. - it's still dark outside - and walking by the side of the road is Cesar - and he has maybe 5 people with him - on his way to the next farm.
Never forget what you are doing here when you are on this journey - remember who has come before you and keep that in your hearts."