Hispanic Heritage Month: Linda Chavez-Thompson

Photo Courtesy:
Women's History Project 

Labor leader, Linda Chavez-Thompson was born in 1944.  She was raised in Lubbock, Texas. Chavez-Thompson's parents were sharecroppers.  She left high school to work in the cotton fields in Lorenzo, Texas.

Her hard work and determination moved her up the ladder at the AFL-CIO.  Chavez-Thompson became the first woman and first person of color  elected in 1995 as the Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO.

In 2010, she was candidate for Lieutenant Governor and served as a vice-chair to the Democratic National Committee. 

In a speech in 2006, she said "I talk about rights, I talk about everybody being equal, I talk about justice, fairness, I don't give a damn where I am." Her  speeches are powerful and informative.  





For more on Linda Chavez-Thompson:  Texas Tribune