Articles Tagged with: Sacred Fire Creative

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Carina Dayondon: First Filipina Mountaineer to Reach the Seven Summits

“What’s more important for me is we showed the Filipinas, the young ones, there’s nothing impossible if you’re determined, focused, and if you believe in your dreams. It’s okay to get a record, but does it have a point? Did you inspire anyone? Did you touch anyone’s heart, inspire them to do something like that? That’s what’s important to us. The message is there, to inspire the kids and the Filipinos,” – Carina Dayondon

Carina Dayondon is a Filipina mountaineer, Philippine Coast Guard officer, and adventurer. She is also the first Filipina to climb and reach the Seven Summits, the seven tallest mountains of each continent. She accomplished this feat in December 2018, when she successfully ascended Vinson Massif in Antarctica.

Her journey towards this amazing accomplishment began in 2006 when she reached the top of Mount Denali in Alaska. The following year, she climbed Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, with fellow female mountaineers Noelle Wenceslao and Janet Belarmino. She is officially the second Filipina to get to the summit, ten minutes after Wenceslao. They ascended Mt. Everest via the northern route in Tibet and descended through the southern route in Nepal.

Between 2006 and 2018, she climbed the other five highest mountains worldwide. It goes without saying that planning and preparing for these climbs was not easy. Dayondon spent most of her time training for these climbs and overcoming the challenges.

For example, when preparing for her final peak in 2017, she experienced problems with her eye. A doctor told her that she would go blind, but Dayondon continued to pursue her dreams. She trained and tested her body, including her eye, and decided that she could continue her climb. Fortunately, she achieved her goal without losing her eyesight and became the first Filipina to summit the world’s tallest peaks.

Dayondon was raised in the Philippine province of Bukidnon, the fourth of 15 children. She came from humble beginnings and enjoyed the outdoors even as a child. She was a member of the Girl Scouts in her elementary school years. When she entered college, she became a member of her university’s mountaineering society. It took her nine years to complete college because she participated in various adventure racing sports to earn money and help support her siblings. Dayondon also supported herself by working part-time jobs such as climbing instructor, salesperson, and babysitter.

Her challenging upbringing gave her the strength and resilience she needed to get to where she is now. Today, she works as a Coast Guard officer and is taking time off from climbing, although she keeps the door open to future endeavors. Of course, even while she is not actively climbing, she serves as an inspiration to Filipinos everywhere.

Despite coming from a family with limited financial means and needing to take loans out for her climbs, she remained steadfast in working towards her goals. Her story is one of grace, teamwork, and support. Dayondon shows us the importance of lifting each other up and supporting women in our society so they can go beyond what is expected and, in turn, inspire others as well.

Occam’s Razor: Keeping Things Simple

What is Occam’s razor?

The term “Occam’s razor” may sound like a limited-edition, old-school shaver. But it has nothing to do with shaving.”

Occam’s razor is a philosophical principle credited to 14th-century English scholar William of Occam. It states: “One should not increase, beyond reason, the number of entities required to explain anything.”

This statement means that the simplest solution is usually the best if all things are equal. This is a rule of thumb, though, and not something guaranteed to work 100% of the time. In some situations, the simplest solution may not be the right thing to do.

Still, Occam’s razor encourages us that when faced with several possible solutions, we ought to choose the simplest one or the one with the fewest assumptions. This principle sees constant use in science, technology, and marketing.

How to Apply Occam’s Razor in Business and Marketing

Let’s look at several ways to apply Occam’s razor in business and marketing.

Simplify your online presence.

The easiest way to apply Occam’s razor to your business is to simplify your online presence by having only one website. Some businesses assume they need a new website every time they launch a new brand or service. But having multiple sites is more costly and complicated to build, host, market, and manage.

Focusing your resources on one website instead of multiple websites is the simplest way to maximize your sales and profits from the website. For example, you have $100 to spend on Google ads for your company. Spending the whole amount on one website will be more effective than spending $20 on each of your multiple sites.

Focus on your minimum viable product (MVP).

Another way to apply Occam’s razor is the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). An MVP is a technique where a new product or service is launched in the market with just enough features to get your customers’ attention. Before releasing it to the public, you don’t need to wait until your product has all the bells and whistles you eventually want.

Again, Occam’s razor means the simpler, the better. Releasing an MVP will help you discover what features your customers want and need. You might spend more resources than necessary on features your customers don’t even want. Don’t spend $10,000 on something you can create with $1,000.

Staying simple means fewer mistakes.

When you keep things simple and eliminate unnecessary product features, you also reduce the possibility of mistakes and defects. Think of a watch that tells time versus a watch that tells the time, date, weight, heart rate, today’s weather, and more. The watch that tells time is easier to use and will last you many more years than the watch with dozens of features.

A simple watch might not be as cool or high-tech. But it does its job, and it does its job well. Ten years from now, your time-only watch will still tell time, while the other watch will probably no longer be in use.

Always end with a simple CTA for your customers.

Mcdonald’s created the now-famous “Would you like fries with that?” phrase. By adding this simple sentence to the end of each transaction, they encouraged thousands, maybe millions, of customers to add fries to their orders. In doing so, they could increase each basket size, upsell customers, and add to their profit.

A simple, clear, and consistent call-to-action (CTA) at the end of your social media copy or blog posts can do the same for your business. For example, if you want your social media post to direct traffic to your blog, you can end your post with “To read more about… visit our website.” This simple CTA will nudge your readers to click the link and read your blog.

These are a few examples of applying Occam’s razor to your business. Do you have other ideas for simplifying your product, service, or process to achieve the best outcome? Please share in the comments!

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Maya Angelou: The Power of Words

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou hardly needs an introduction. She is a beloved American author, civil rights activist, screenwriter, dancer, and poet. She is best known for her acclaimed 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the first installment of her seven-volume autobiography. For this work, she made history when it became the first non-fiction bestseller by an African-American woman.

Angelou was born as Marguerite Johnson in 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her brother moved to Arkansas to live with her grandmother when she was three. When she was eight years old, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. When Angelou told her uncles about what happened, they attacked and kicked the perpetrator until he died.

This incident made Angelou realize the power of words and how her speaking out about the crime brought about death. For the next five years, she stopped speaking. Her autobiography recounted, “I thought, my voice killed him; I killed that man, because I told his name. And then I thought I would never speak again, because my voice would kill anyone.”

Civil Rights Activist

After a few years, Angelou moved to San Francisco with her brother and mother. At 16, she gave birth to a son and did odd jobs to support him. Among these jobs was dancing at a nightclub. A theater group discovered her through her dancing and cast her in her first play, Porgy and Bess. This casting changed her life. She toured Europe as part of the cast, recorded her first album, and sang in an off-Broadway review.

In the late 1950s, Angelou became active in the civil rights movement. She worked with Dr. Martin Luther King as a fundraiser and organizer. In the early 60s, she moved with her son and then-partner to Africa to focus on family. There, she met and became close friends with Malcolm X.

Malcolm X convinced her to return to the US and help him with his own civil rights organization. After his and Dr. King’s later assassination, she decided to devote her energy to writing. This led to the publication of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which brought her international fame.

Literary Powerhouse

Angelou also went on to become a renowned poet, screenwriter, and composer. One of her most famous poems is “Still I Rise,” which is about the resilience of Black people. Her screenplay for the movie Georgia, Georgia became the first produced screenplay by a Black woman. She acted on film and TV, directed theater, and wrote prolifically.

In the 1980s, She became a professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina and continued being an influential literary powerhouse. At President Bill Clinton’s first inauguration in 1993, Angelou recited her poem, “On the Pulse of Morning.”

Throughout her life, she received several honors. In 2005 and 2008, she received NAACP Image Awards in the outstanding literary work category. She also won three Grammy Awards in the Spoken Word Album category in the 90s. Until her death, Angelou was closely associated with celebrity talk show host and publisher Oprah Winfrey. Through Oprah’s shows, they brought Angelou’s work to millions of people. Oprah considered her “my mentor, mother/sister, and friend since my 20s.”

In 2014, Maya Angelou passed away at 86 years old. She remains a beautiful inspiration and role model to women worldwide for her resilience, grace, and calm confidence. While she was not a loud or showy character, her mere presence brought unspoken strength that we can all emulate. As Oprah said, the greatest lesson that Angelou taught her was, “You are enough!” These are wise words that all women from all walks of life can live by and put into action in our lives.

Sacred Fire Creative honors women who worked to influence significant change in their world in this #WomenWhoMatter series. Do you want to be a woman who affects positive change in your community? Let’s help you make this change.

5 Ways Women Leaders Are Transforming the Post-Pandemic Workplace

A lot has happened since the world went on lockdown in 2020. But we can say that one of the more positive developments that came out of that period is it created more room for women leaders to rise up in the workplace.

Of course, a lot of work still needs to be done for women to experience true gender equity and inclusivity in the workplace. Still, the women who are leaders now are trying to close the existing gaps.

Here are five ways women leaders are transforming the workplace to make it more inclusive in post-pandemic 2022.

1. More women-led companies rising

A recent Gusto survey reported that 5.4 million new businesses opened in 2021. The survey found that women started 49% of those new businesses, compared to just 28% in 2019. The women who responded to the survey shared different reasons for becoming entrepreneurs, including:

Getting laid off from work due to the pandemic
Finding new opportunities
Seeking more flexible hours so they can balance work with childcare
Seeking better financial security

Ownership allows women to build their companies according to their ideals. Many women entrepreneurs take the opportunity of owning a business to deliver the kind of employee experience they didn’t enjoy at their former workplaces.

2. Move toward compassionate leadership

Women emerged as excellent leaders during the Covid-19 crisis. We only need to look at the examples set by New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, Taiwan’s Tsai Ing-wen, and Germany’s Angela Merkel. A 2020 research also showed that companies led by women have fared better during the pandemic than those led by men.

This is because women are more likely to exercise compassionate, people-centered leadership than men. When handling complex tasks, women tend to weigh the social cost of their decisions before executing them. And they are not afraid to show vulnerability to those they lead. Compassionate leadership is a significant driver of employee engagement. The more engaged employees are, the more invested they become in a company’s growth through good and not-so-good times.

3. Empathetic and family-centered support at work

According to a 2021 joint research by McKinsey and LeanIn.org, women leaders are exerting more effort to promote employee well-being in the first place. This can be as simple as asking staff members how they are doing and as complicated as removing obstacles that keep them from doing their best work.

As mentioned earlier, women started their own businesses in 2021 because they needed to be more flexible in balancing work with childcare. Women business owners are aware that the brunt of childcare and running the household still falls on female shoulders. Thus, they are more likely to provide more flexible work arrangements in the office, including remote work and benefits like paid and extended parental leaves.

4. Active DEI work

The same McKinsey and LeanIn.org research found that women leaders are more active in championing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. Some 54% of women occupying senior-level positions spend time doing DEI work, compared to 46% of men on the same level. Additionally, 38% of women executives mentor at least one woman of color.

CultureAmp reports that more work needs to be done to advance DEI in the workplace. Issues such as mental health and healthcare for trans employees need to be addressed. Also, groups like returning parents, veterans, caregivers, and employees with disabilities remain underrepresented in DEI work. Still, more women work at the DEI frontlines, pushing for diversity and inclusion to become a reality.

5. Wage transparency

The gender wage gap isn’t going to close any time soon. In fact, the Economic Policy Institute reported that there’s been little progress in closing the wage gap in the last 30 years. Payscale also shared that women earned 82 cents for every $1 that men earned in 2021. The numbers didn’t change at the start of 2022.

These numbers may not seem encouraging. But wage transparency is a growing trend. It’s now seen as the number one solution for closing the wage gap, and women’s groups like Elpha are leading conversations on wage transparency.

There’s still a lot of work to be done for women to experience true gender equity and inclusivity in the workplace. But with more women leaders paving the way, we can look forward to more positive changes, not just in 2022 but in the future.

Sacred Fire Creative promotes positive change by incorporating DEI work in its digital marketing strategies. Do you want to be a brand that is a force for positive change? Work with us today.

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Lizzo: Award-Winning Pop Star, Body Positivity Champion

“My movement is for everybody. My movement celebrates diversity. It’s all about inclusion. It’s all about getting our flowers and giving each person their own space to be an individual and speak up for that individuality.” – Lizzo

You have to be living under a rock if you haven’t heard of Lizzo. She shot to fame in 2019 with the release of her third studio album, Cuz I Love You. While “Juice” from this album instantly became a hit, her previous songs “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell” quickly followed suit and counted among her most popular songs.

That same year, Time Magazine named the singer, dancer, and classically trained flutist “Entertainer of the Year.” And in 2020, Lizzo received eight nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards and officially added three-time Grammy winner to her list of titles.

Hard work paid off for Lizzo.

It may seem like Lizzo skyrocketed to fame. But before her 2019 breakthrough, she spent years working her way to the top. She began rapping and performing in shows while studying flute on a music performance scholarship at the University of Houston. In her junior year, she left university to focus on her music career.

It took her ten years. She went on tours as part of a rock band and performed with girl groups. She released her debut album Lizzobangers in 2013, though it didn’t gain traction. Eventually, she got noticed by rock icon Prince. The late legend encouraged Lizzo, featured her on his Plectrumelectrum album in 2014, and helped her get exposure by asking her to perform at his parties. The rest is history.

Lizzo has become a role model for hard work and not giving up on your dreams. Her long journey showed that there’s no recipe for instant success. In 2019, she shared, “I’ve done so many tours, but nobody knows who I am until this year. But would I have been able to maintain this type of mainstream success ten years ago? Hell to the nah! I needed these ten years. I feel like a master.”

A vocal champion and critic of body positivity

Beyond her music, Lizzo is a well-known champion for body positivity. As a plus-sized woman, she continues to endure criticism for how she looks. But it doesn’t stop her from pushing the message that the body is to be celebrated regardless of its size.

For example, after facing criticism for wearing a thong dress to a Lakers game in December 2019, she took to Instagram to spread this message of self-acceptance: “Who I am, and the essence of me, and the things that I choose to do as a grown-ass woman, and the things I choose to do as a grown-ass woman, can inspire you to do the same. They don’t have to be like me – you need to be like you, and never ever let somebody stop or shame you from being yourself.”

At the same time, Lizzo doesn’t hesitate to call out the body positivity movement when she feels the need. In 2020, she made headlines for saying that body positivity has become too mainstream and co-opted by smaller-sized influencers and businesses. She claimed that this development is leaving behind the fat, Black, and queer people who began the movement in the first place but are still facing ridicule. Lizzo called for people to return to the roots of body positivity, support the people who started it, and stop discriminating against them.

Lizzo is an excellent example of what hard work, dedication, and focus can achieve. She could have given up on music in the decade it took her to get to the top. But she took her time and didn’t stop. And thanks to her message of body positivity, more young women worldwide are encouraged to become more confident in their own bodies and showcase what makes them unique.

Sacred Fire Creative honors women who are making a difference in our world. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to make a difference in your own community? Work with us, and we can help you achieve it.

Boost Your Post-Pandemic Online Presence with These 5 Digital Brand Management Trends

How strong is your brand’s online presence? Is your brand reaching your intended post-pandemic audience?

The online marketplace has always been crowded and fast-paced. It takes focused digital brand management to stand out among the crowd and stay ahead of the competition.

But the 2020 lockdowns have permanently changed digital audience behavior. Users are now more particular with how they want their online experiences to be, especially when interacting with brands.

How then can you improve your online presence when the audience you’re connecting with has become more exacting post-pandemic? We suggest that you consider riding these five digital brand management trends.

1. Omnichannel presence

Multi-channel marketing is not a new thing. Seasoned digital marketers know that a brand needs to be where its audience is, whether they’re on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, LinkedIn, or YouTube. And they have to have a website that works well on desktop and mobile.

But a multi-channel presence is no longer enough for the post-pandemic digital audience. Your audience now wants a seamless experience when interacting with you, whether through your website or social media.

You can provide your audience with their desired seamless experience by cultivating an omnichannel presence. This means optimizing your content across all channels instead of using different strategies or campaigns for each channel. Also, don’t forget to integrate paid advertising in your omnichannel campaigns.

2. Personalization

No sound is sweeter to a person’s ear than the sound of their own name. Hearing your name spoken makes you feel seen as an individual and not just a face in the crowd.

That’s what your audience wants to experience whenever they interact with your brand. They want to feel that you see and understand them and don’t look at them simply as a potential sale.

This makes personalization a crucial element in digital marketing. Customers are more likely to positively perceive and buy from a brand that knows and gets them. So take the time to get to know your target audience more intimately by creating buyer avatars and smart content.

3. Visual content

Your digital audience is becoming more visual. Even before 2020, research already indicated that users are swerving toward visual content more than other forms. For instance, in 2018, a survey found that Millennial and Gen-Z consumers prefer visual search, Google Images owned 22.6% of online searches, and Pinterest users did 600 million visual searches monthly.

What kind of visual content works for the post-pandemic digital audience? It depends on how well you know yours. You can start with accompanying your blog posts with high-quality images and infographics rich in optimized alt text. Short-form videos work best for engagement.

4. Emphasis on values

What values does your brand embrace? Where do you stand on social issues like diversity, inclusivity, sustainability, and mental health?

Your digital audience, especially Millennials and Gen-Zs, seriously want to know. They now buy according to their values and from brands whose values align with theirs. More than that, they’re no longer afraid to call out companies for being inauthentic or hypocritical or even cancel them out altogether.

Connecting with your audience now requires your digital brand management to communicate your values consistently. More importantly, you must show that your brand walks the talk. For example, if you say that your company values inclusivity, then don’t just post Maya Angelou or Audre Lorde quotes on Instagram. Make it meaningful through actions like implementing inclusive and equitable HR policies in your company.

5. Authentic storytelling

Brand storytelling is another tried-and-tested strategy long used by traditional and digital marketers. Stories fire up the audience’s imagination and creativity. They can show the audience what’s possible and inspire them to achieve it (by using the brand).

The post-pandemic digital audience, however, is no longer easily swept by fantasy. They’re no longer interested in hearing how good your brand is or what benefits they’ll get from buying your product. They now want real stories – stories from people like them who have used your product to address a specific problem. Customer reviews and testimonials are the best examples, especially if in video format.

What digital brand management strategies do you use to boost your online presence and connect with your post-pandemic audience? Let us know in the comments.

Sacred Fire Creative specializes in digital brand management strategies that can help you connect meaningfully with your audience. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

Miriam Defensor-Santiago: The Iron Lady of Asia

“What is the meaning of life? This meaning is not for you to find, but for you to define. The meaning of life is found in the purposes that we pursue as we grow older.” — Miriam Defensor-Santiago

Miriam Defensor-Santiago is well-known in Philippine politics for her intelligence, courage, and memorable quotes. While she ran twice for president and never won, she remained a consistent and active figure in politics who made a lasting mark on the Filipino people’s hearts and minds. She passed away in September 2016 from lung cancer, months after a second bid for the Philippine presidency.

Defensor-Santiago was born in 1945, the eldest of seven children of a local judge and college dean in Iloilo City, Philippines. Her parents’ occupations were a precursor to what Santiago would become later on in her accomplished life. From an early age, her parents instilled the value of education. She later said that she and her siblings were raised to be “very bright people and it’s a great disappointment to all our ancestors if we did not live up to the family standards.”

After finishing high school and college as valedictorian in Iloilo City, she continued her stellar educational performance at the University of the Philippines College of Law in Manila. She continued showcasing her intelligence and wit by winning debates and oratorical contests. Defensor-Santiago was also the first female editor of the college newspaper.

Upon completing her law degree, she pursued her Masters of Laws and Doctor of Juridical Science from the University of Michigan, which is considered one of the best law schools in the United States. Defensor-Santiago also finished a Master of Arts in Religious Studies at the Maryhill School of Theology. Aside from this, she also studied at Oxford and Harvard law schools. Her impressive educational background served as further evidence of her brilliant mind. She made the most of her education when she entered the world of Philippine politics.

From lawyer to judge to Senator, Defensor-Santiago worked in all three branches of the Philippine government – judicial, executive, and legislative. She served as a judge at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, an immigration commissioner and cabinet member, and a three-term senator. She was a popular mainstay in Philippine politics, especially when she spoke openly about corruption, injustice, and inefficiencies she saw around her.

More than just a powerhouse politician, Defensor-Santiago was also a wife, mother, and grandmother. Her biggest personal heartbreak came when one of her two sons took his own life in 2003. While she never got over his death, she continued her work in politics and law. In 2012, she became the first Filipino and Asian judge of the International Criminal Court. She also continued her work as a senator and in 2016, ran again for the presidency.

Defensor-Santiago was indeed a female icon for the 21st century, earning the nickname the “Iron Lady of Asia,” even when most Asian women were happy to be behind the scenes. Her intellect, accomplishments, and outspokenness make her an extraordinary role model to the youth, who continue to look up to her today. Defensor-Santiago’s incredible ability to rise above personal tragedy and continue working as a public servant to serve others is also vital to this great woman’s legacy.

Sacred Fire Creative honors women who left a lasting legacy in this #WomenWhoMatter series. Do you want to be a woman who matters? Let’s collaborate to create a meaningful digital marketing strategy for your business.

Is Your Brain Tired? Let It Rest with Soft Fascination

A tired brain at the end of a work day is a universal experience. This is especially true if you spend your days hyper-focused on your tasks. It’s no surprise, considering that the brain takes a lot of energy and resources to maintain focus and ignore distractions.

But here’s the thing – your brain needs real rest. And by real rest, we mean a total break from directed attention. No staring at your computer or mobile phone. Even reading is sometimes a no because, as enjoyable as it can be, it still requires focus.

Otherwise, the exhaustion can take over, making it harder to get in the zone and stay focused the next time. Your willpower and ability to make sound decisions also take a hit when your brain is tired.

So what’s the best way you can let your exhausted brain rest? It’s by engaging in something called soft fascination.

Soft fascination is a key concept in Attention Restoration Theory.

Attention Restoration Theory (ART) is a principle in environmental psychology that states that we can replenish our depleted mental resources by spending time in nature. According to this theory, we can restore our tired brains by going through several states of attention.

Among these states of attention is soft fascination. Soft fascination means allowing nature to engage and gently stimulate the brain without any directed focus. In other words, it means letting your brain go idle while you’re in a natural environment.

How does soft fascination work? There are plenty of studies out there that support ART and its effect in the workplace. But researchers have yet to figure out precisely how spending time in nature reinvigorates the brain. Experts believe that, unlike with directed focus, experiencing nature doesn’t require a lot of mental resources. Thus, with a lighter cognitive load, the brain can rest.

There’s more to brain restoration than spending time in nature.

Don’t be in a hurry to pack your hiking shoes and camping gear just yet. There’s more to soft fascination than being in a natural setting, and staying in a natural setting isn’t always guaranteed that your brain will feel restored.

According to ART, some conditions must be met before your brain can take advantage of nature’s restorative powers. These include:

Total detachment from whatever worries you or drains your energy. Leave them behind. You may even have to turn off your cell phone.
The absence of hard distractions such as bright lights, sudden noises, or responsibilities. You may have to leave your partner and kids at home.
Familiarity with the environment. You have to feel comfortable and safe in your spot.
The desire to be there. You’ll only feel stressed if you’re in a place you don’t want to be. For example, if you prefer going to the beach instead of camping in the forest, head for the beach.

No worries, no drama, and you love where you’re at. That’s the sweet spot when soft fascination is most likely to work in restoring your exhausted brain.

What if you physically can’t get away?

Do you need to go on vacation to enjoy soft fascination? Not necessarily. So no worries if you physically can’t get away.

There are many ways you can engage in short moments of soft fascination without even leaving your office. Practicing five minutes of mindfulness at your desk is one way. Sitting with your eyes closed and your attention focused on your breathing can do wonders in restoring your tired brain.

You can also pack a lunch and take it outdoors. If you work close to a park or have access to a balcony, go there and let your mind wander while you eat.

Do you work from home? Cultivate a pocket garden if you have the space and retreat there when you feel tired. Or you can place a few house plants in your home office where you can easily see them at your desk.

Even staring at clouds from your window can create a moment of soft fascination.

The takeaway is that you have to allow yourself moments of pure idleness without guilt. Your brain and body will thank you for it.

What’s your favorite way to engage in soft fascination? Please share in the comments.

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Dolores Huerta: Labor Leader and Feminist Icon

“My mother was a dominant force in our family. And I always see her as the leader. And that was great for me as a young woman because I never saw that women had to be dominated by men.” – Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta is a labor leader, civil rights activist, and feminist. Though many know her as the co-founder of the labor union United Farm Workers, Dolores has dedicated her life to pushing forward the rights of workers, women, and immigrants, first in California and later throughout the US. She is credited for popularizing the phrase “Si, se puede” or “Yes, we can,” a motto that former US President Barack Obama later adopted. At 92, she still actively fights for her causes through the Dolores Huerta Foundation.

Dolores was born in New Mexico on April 10, 1930, to Juan Fernandez and Alicia Chavez. Her parents divorced when she was three years old. Her mother then took her and her two brothers to live in a farming community in Stockton, California.

A Strong Woman’s Influence

Dolores’ father was a farm worker and coal miner who later became a union leader and state legislator in New Mexico. But it was her mother that influenced and inspired her to become an advocate for workers’ rights. Alicia Chavez supported her young family by working as a waitress and a cannery worker. Through hard work, she was able to buy a 70-room hotel and restaurant.

Dolores saw her mother as a community leader known for her compassion and generosity. Her mother often let immigrant farm workers and their families stay in her hotel for free. Through Alicia, Dolores learned that working toward equality and social justice without resorting to violence is possible. Her views were also shaped by the marginalization and gender bias she experienced as a young Hispanic woman.

In the 1950s, Dolores earned her teaching credentials from the University of the Pacific’s Stockton College and began work as an elementary school teacher. But when she saw so many farm children arriving hungry at school, she realized she could do more to help by organizing farm workers and farmers. She then left her teaching job and embarked on her lifelong crusade for workers’ rights.

A Life of Activism

In 1962, Dolores co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) with Cesar Chavez. The organization was the predecessor of United Farm Workers (UFW). UFW became prominent in the 1960s because of its involvement in the Delano grape strike. This five-year strike led to significant positive changes to California farm workers’ rights and welfare. Dolores later helped organize similar boycotts throughout the US in the 1970s. Through these boycotts, she helped create a national awareness and climate that led to the passage of the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975. This was the first law that recognized the rights of California farmworkers to begin bargaining collectively for better wages and working conditions.

Dolores faced ethnic and gender bias throughout her life. Until 2018, she was the only woman to sit on the UFW board. In the 1960s, while traveling to New York City to promote the boycott against California table grapes, Dolores met noted feminist Gloria Steinem. She began to take a feminist approach to her activism after the meeting and shone a spotlight on the rights of women workers. In turn, Dolores influenced Steinem to expand the feminist movement to include issues faced by women of color.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Dolores championed women’s issues and worked to have more Latinos and women elected to political office. She notably endorsed Hillary Clinton’s presidential nomination in 2007 and served as honorary co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March on Washington in protest of the then-newly inaugurated president Donald Trump.

While her work kept her busy, Dolores raised a brood of 11 children. One son, Emilio Huerta, became a lawyer and politician. Her youngest daughter, Camilla Chavez, works as executive director for the Dolores Huerta Foundation.

No Signs of Slowing Down

Dolores received many honors and accolades for her advocacies. In 1998, President Bill Clinton awarded her the inaugural Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award. In 2012, President Barack Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She has numerous schools and an asteroid named after her. She was also a board member of the Feminist Majority Foundation and the Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus of the United Farm Workers Association of America.

Despite her age, Dolores shows no signs of slowing down. She now works primarily through the Dolores Huerta Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to “inspire and organize communities to build volunteer organizations empowered to pursue social justice.” It has done this and much more. In 2015 at 85 years old, Huerta said, “As long as I have the energy and health, I am going to do as much as I can.”

Sacred Fire Creative honors exemplary women who worked to change the world in our series #WomenWhoMatter. Work with us to create exemplary changes in your own sphere of influence.

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