Director Gregory Nava Remembers Dolores Huerta, Civil Rights Icon and Matchmaker Who Shared Her Life Story

Gregory Nava, the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind “Selena” and “El Norte,” is mourning the loss of Dolores Huerta, the legendary labor leader and civil rights activist who died Wednesday at age 96. Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, was not only a towering figure in American history but also a personal force in Nava’s life: she introduced him to his wife, producer Barbara Martinez Jitner, and served as a witness at their wedding. The couple spent more than 70 hours interviewing Huerta in her final years, gaining unprecedented access to her memories, struggles, and private reflections. Nava says Huerta entrusted them with details she had never shared publicly, including intimate stories from her childhood, her organizing days, and her relationships with figures like Robert F. Kennedy and Gloria Steinem. The director believes her story is more relevant than ever, especially as debates over labor rights, immigration, and women’s leadership continue. He and Jitner are now developing a feature film about Huerta’s life, aiming to bring her legacy to a new generation. “She was a giant who walked among us,” Nava said. “And she changed my life in more ways than one.”