Following the passing of labor activist, feminist, and United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta at the age of 96, family members and admirers reflected on a lifetime dedicated to civil rights. When previously described as an icon during an interview at the Forbes Power Women Summit, Huerta deflected the title with characteristic wit: “My youngest son says, ‘Mom you’re not an icon, you’re an I-can!’” Clarifying her mindset, she explained that she achieved so much simply because she set her mind to doing as much as humanly possible.

Quantifying the millions of lives impacted through her work with the United Farm Workers, the Feminist Majority Foundation, and her own namesake organization remains nearly impossible. When asked about her enduring legacy and desired remembrance, Huerta maintained characteristic modesty: “Just that I was an activist and I was an organizer and I would hope that all of them take part of their lives to do the same type of work, because there is so much need, not only in our country but throughout the world.”

Huerta also consistently emphasized the vital importance of civic participation, noting that ballots remain essential tools for safeguarding communities. “Voting is the only non-violent weapon we have to make sure that our families are protected, the workers are protected, that the money we pay in taxes goes where it should go…. for the things that we need to keep our country safe and secure and educated,” Huerta remarked. Summing up her philosophy on collective action, she added, “If all of us work together in a collective way, we can really make the world a better place. It just takes us doing the work. Sí, se puede.”

Barilla Acquires Female-Founded Mac And Cheese Brand Goodles For $750 Million

Global pasta giant Barilla has acquired Goodles—the vibrant, nutritionally enhanced mac and cheese brand—in a $750 million all-cash transaction. Entering the market just five years ago and quickly securing placement in retailers from Walmart to Whole Foods, Goodles has yielded massive returns for its co-founders, CEO Jen Zeszut and board member Paul Earle, a former Kraft brand manager. Estimates indicate each holds at least a 5% stake valued at $37.5 million prior to taxes. “Hundreds of VCs told us this would never work. It’s pretty fun to say, ‘see, I told you so,’” shared Zeszut, a 2025 Forbes 50 Over 50 honoree.

More Headlines Across Industries

From captivating archival photography and WNBA finals momentum to century-old manufacturing milestones, business leaders continue to make waves:

  • Torani’s Century of Stability: CEO Melanie Dulbecco discussed how flavored syrup titan Torani achieved 35 years of 20% average annual revenue growth—approaching the $1 billion milestone—without executing a single layoff in its 101-year history, weathering both economic crashes and pandemics.
  • Dismantling Healthcare Debt: Undue Medical Debt CEO Allison Sesso and Clasp founder Tess Michaels addressed the dual crisis of consumer medical debt and provider student loans.
  • Pop Culture Collaborations: Childhood friends Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato reunited over two decades later for an unexpected Rare Beauty collaboration.

Overcoming Burnout and People-Pleasing Patterns

For professionals struggling to break cycles of over-commitment, psychological experts recommend actionable strategies to reclaim personal well-being:

  1. Identify Burnout Warning Signs: Dr. Aishwarya Sambath notes that when fatigued, internal dialogues often shift from sustainable inquiries like “What do I need?” to exhausting compulsions such as “How do I keep going?”
  2. Run Baby No Experiments: Chronic people-pleasers can break old habits by starting with low-stakes rejections, treating each instance as an experiment. Even a delayed response qualifies as a form of saying no.
  3. Engage Locally: Civic participation and structured voting plans remain powerful mechanisms for improving neighborhood conditions and driving community resilience.