The Power of One's Voice

Dolores Huerta — a civil rights activist and a community organizer, delivers a TED talk on apathy that tackles the concept on the individual, community and national level. Arguing that indifference is largely detrimental to the state of society, as well as the operation of democracy, the speaker seeks to motivate the audience through some helpful tips and some empowering case studies.

Huerta advocates for a different kind of education for young women, education that doesn't teach them to be victims but rather shows them how to support and protect themselves in harsh environments. She speaks of the liberation of the limiting traditional understanding of women as the designated caregiver and protector of the home. The civil rights activist also calls attention to the importance of voting.

The talk on apathy continues to relate how Dolores Huerta found her voice — through a volunteer opportunity and a push from her supervisor, as well as to pay homeage to Leticia Prado who was Mexican with little mastery of the English language. The immigrant was capable of making immense strides and changes to the educational environment in Weedpatch, California, as well as the city's water district because she knew where her voice was and she didn't give up.

The motivational talk on apathy defines feminists as "a person who stands up for reproductive rights, for immigrants' rights, for the environment, for LGBT rights and also for labor unions and working people." This description lacks gender or race specifications. And as she advocates for the feminization of public policies, Dolores Huerta also believes that each and every one of us has power, we just haven't found it yet.