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Four years ago, Mia Alonso Mendez initiated her quest to get the nine-foot statues of legendary labor movement leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta moved from their spot high up on the facade of a building in downtown Napa to a more prominent location in the city.
All of eight at the time, she was disheartened to see the statues of her heroes blend into the brick wall behind them without any signage or due recognition.
In Napa, a region that thrives on its world-renowned wine, Mendez wanted the hard work of farmworkers like her grandfather to be recognized. She wanted children in the community to see the statues of Chavez and Huerta so they could learn about the civil rights icons’ contributions to workers’ rights.
Mia Alonso Mendez,12, delicately holds the original artists proof of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta created by artist Mario Chiodo, background, at Chiodo’s warehouse studio, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Napa. Mendez pushed Napa city officials in 2024 to move nine foot statues of the farmworkers to a more central location in Napa, from their perch above a downtown business. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
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Mia Alonso Mendez,12, delicately holds the original artists proof of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta created by artist Mario Chiodo, background, at Chiodo’s warehouse studio, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Napa. Mendez pushed Napa city officials in 2024 to move nine foot statues of the farmworkers to a more central location in Napa, from their perch above a downtown business. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Now, after writing letters to local officials, presenting at multiple public meetings and sharing her idea directly with Huerta at a Healdsburg community event earlier this year, she has succeeded. Early next year, the statues will be placed inside the Soscol Avenue office of Puertas Abiertas, a nonprofit that has served as the go-to resource hub for the city’s Latino community since 2005.
“When I first found out they were being moved to Puertas Abiertas, I had mixed emotions,” Mendez said. “My original idea was for them to be in a public space like a park. But the more I thought about it, I came to the realization that it was a great spot for them, considering all the work the organization does to help the Latino community.”
Mia Alonso Mendez, 12, poses for a photo by her mom, by statues of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta at the studio of artist Mario Chiodo, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Napa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
For the nonprofit, bringing the statues into the office aligns with its vision of creating the county’s first Latino Cultural Center at the new 6,000 square-foot space they moved into this year, interim executive director Esmeralda Gil said. The center seeks to be a space where Latino history, art, culture, and advocacy can be celebrated, preserved, and learned from.
“This statue represents both a tribute and a call to action, especially at a time when our immigrant and Latino communities are facing profound challenges,” she said. “It will stand as a reminder of the history — and of all the work we still have ahead.”
Chavez and Huerta, co-founders of the United Farm Workers, were pivotal figures in the farm labor movement during the 1960s and ’70s. Their leadership in organizing strikes, such as the Delano grape strike in 1965, and boycotts drew national attention to the exploitation of farmworkers and led to landmark victories in securing better wages, safer working conditions and union contracts.
The story of the statues
About a decade ago, retired developer Michael Holcomb commissioned his friend, critically acclaimed sculptor Mario Chiodo, to create the statues of Chavez and Huerta. In 2015, they were installed on the facade of a commercial building on Main Street that he then owned.
Mia Alonso Mendez, 12, tears up, as she takes her first look at refurbished statues of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta at the studio of artist Mario Chiodo. Mendez pushed Napa city officials in 2024 to move the statues to a more central location in Napa, from their perch above a downtown business. At left is her mom Yessenia Mendez. Chiodo is the original sculptor. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
After he sold the building, his contract with the new owner said the statues could either stay where they were originally installed or be sold back to Holcomb for $1 if they were moved. Last November, Holcomb told The Press Democrat he was not opposed to moving them but did not want them displayed in a place where they could be vandalized, especially given their price of $100,000.
Months later, prompted by Mendez’s advocacy, Holcomb bought the statues back and donated them to Puertas Abiertas. When that happened, the organization — which had been following Mendez’s work — got in touch with her and asked her to be involved in the process.
“Her dedication to ensuring that this important piece of Latino history found a meaningful and accessible home resonated deeply with our mission,” Gil said. “Seeing Mia’s determination come full circle has been profoundly inspiring. Her advocacy reflects so much courage, persistence, and the belief that collective action can transform communities.”
Artist Mario Chiodo signs the original artists proof of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta before presenting it to Mia Alonso Mendez, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Napa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
The organization facilitated a meeting between Mendez and the artist at his studio Wednesday. With the statues having been brought there for restoration before they are moved to Puertas Abiertas’ office, she also got the opportunity to see the artwork up close and personal — a moment that brought tears to her eyes.
“I like your fortitude and courage,” Chiodo told her, as he spontaneously gifted her the “artist proof”, the initial casting, of the statues.
While Puertas works to raise $10,000 to cover maintenance costs for the statues, Mendez is planning to invite Huerta to witness the big move next year.
And with this endeavor complete, Mendez — a 7th-grader at Unidos Middle School — said she plans to now focus on her academics, volleyball and gymnastics. But, if she notices something that doesn’t seem OK in the community, she will jump on it and make it her next cause, she said.
“I really hope there isn’t another one right away. I’m ready for a little break,” her mother Yessenia laughed. “Through this journey, I didn’t know if people were going to support her. With the world we live in right now, it’s scary. But I know she’s always going to be the kid that fights to do the right thing.”