Civil Rights Icon Dolores Huerta to Receive 2025 HPRA President's Award for Lifelong Advocacy

The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA) will present civil rights icon Dolores Huerta with the 2025 President's Award at the ¡BRAVO! Awards Gala on November 13, 2025, at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. This year's awards theme, "Rooted in Purpose," honors individuals who remain steadfast in their principles during turbulent times, particularly when facing rhetoric that seeks to silence or scapegoat marginalized communities. HPRA President Sonia V. Diaz emphasized the critical role communicators play in defending Latino communities, stating, "We are living in a moment when Latino communities are being scapegoated, detained, and stripped of dignity. 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."

At 95 years old, Huerta continues her active advocacy work, recently participating in mass protests against federal immigration raids in Los Angeles and condemning the arrest of labor leader David Huerta. She also co-signed a petition to the United Nations calling for a human rights investigation and remains engaged in advising immigrant communities, leading resistance against private detention centers, and supporting civic engagement through the Dolores Huerta Foundation. The Foundation recently broke ground on a new Peace and Justice Cultural Center in Kern County, California, further extending Huerta's community impact.

Huerta's legacy includes co-founding the United Farm Workers in 1962, where she helped secure collective bargaining rights for farmworkers, banned dangerous pesticides, and advanced gender and racial equity. She is credited with coining the phrase "Sí, se puede" ("Yes, we can"), which has become a rallying cry for justice movements across generations. Diaz noted that Huerta's approach to direct engagement—"face to face, voice to voice"—demonstrates how clarity and courage in communication can mobilize action and shift power dynamics. The President's Award, selected annually by the HPRA President, recognizes leaders whose work has transformed lives and shaped the cultural narrative of Latinos in the United States.

Additional honorees at the 2025 ¡BRAVO! Awards 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. These individuals reflect the strength and cultural clarity defining contemporary leadership in communications. The ¡BRAVO! Awards, established in 2014, honor outstanding multicultural marketing and public relations campaigns while celebrating those who advance authentic representation and equity across various sectors including technology, healthcare, nonprofit, and digital engagement. Learn more at https://www.hpra-usa.org.