As allegations of sexual abuse of minors by farmworker labor legend César Chávez become public, local officials are sharing their shock at the news.
Multiple leaders have now called for Chávez's name to come down. Here's what we know.
A desire for action
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said she's deeply shaken by the accounts detailed in a New York Times report published Wednesday.
"These allegations are grave and deeply painful, and they demand a thorough, transparent and trauma-informed response," she wrote. "As we reckon with these revelations, Los Angeles County must take thoughtful and deliberate action."
Next Tuesday, Solis will introduce a motion to explore renaming the county holiday for César Chávez, as well as things like parks, streets, monuments and county programs.
"This process will be guided by community and labor partners and grounded in the same collective bargaining process that established the holiday," she said.
The motion also goes beyond renaming. Leaders will be directed to explore removal of his imagery in civic artworks. According to her statement, decisions will be guided by community engagement.
L.A. City Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado also wants to see broad action.
"I am calling for the renaming of all public locations and events that bear his name, as we prioritize accountability and stand with those who have been harmed,” she wrote.
L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said she also was horrified to learn of the sexual abuse and wants to see the public holiday, on March 31, changed to “Farmworker Day.”
“For those of us who grew up admiring the farmworker movement, today’s news is heartbreaking. But as in any other civil rights movement, men were only half the story,” she wrote. “The abuses of one man will never diminish the extraordinary sacrifices, accomplishments and legacy of the women of the farmworker movement. It’s time we put them first.”
Highlighting Dolores Huerta
The New York Times reported allegations that Chávez abused girls for years. In an interview included in the report, Dolores Huerta, Chávez's United Farm Workers co-founder, says he sexually assaulted her in 1966 and years earlier had pressured her to have sex on a work trip.
Meanwhile, Mayor Karen Bass said: “I am keeping Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas in my heart, and I honor their strength and that of every woman and girl horrifically harmed by those in power.
“The sickening reality is that what Dolores, Ana and Debra endured is not isolated, nor is it of the past. Real progress requires more than moments of reckoning — it demands sustained action to dismantle social, cultural, economic and political structures that have hurt women throughout our history."
Nonprofit California Rising also is advocating for César Chávez Avenue to be officially named Dolores Huerta Avenue, saying "public spaces must reflect values that honor and protect communities."
'Deeply troubling and sickening'
L.A. City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez said in a statement that while the news is devastating, it’s important to be honest about history in the fight for justice.
“Today is a reminder that movements must extend beyond their leaders and be grounded in their missions, and it is our collective responsibility to foster environments that protect the vulnerable, challenge silence, and uphold the safety and humanity of all,” she said.
In Orange County, Anaheim City Council member Natalie Rubalcava said "We do not diminish the movement by telling the truth — we strengthen it. We honor it more fully when we recognize all those who contributed to it and ensure that our values today reflect both justice and compassion.
For too long, we have placed icons on pedestals without fully reckoning with their failings and any harm they may have caused."
Rep. Luz Rivas, who represents the Northeastern San Fernando Valley, said the allegations are "deeply troubling and sickening".
In a statement, she said, "I absolutely condemn these actions and commend the bravery of those who came forward to share their stories, including Dolores Huerta. They deserve to be heard and supported.
“Today’s reporting is painful for generations of us who grew up knowing Cesar Chavez as a household name and learning about his contributions to the labor movement. However, we must acknowledge that a person’s legacy does not excuse the harm they caused or overshadow the trauma victims have carried for decades."
Angelica Salas, executive director for Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), said the organization was “deeply troubled” by the latest allegations against “a figure whose legacy has long been intertwined with the struggle for farmworker dignity and immigrant rights.”
We stand with Dolores Huerta and the survivors — some of whom were underage children at the time of the abuse — in this difficult time for the movement and the families involved, and we heed her call for all of us to continue to engage and support our community, which needs advocacy and activism now more than ever,” Salas added.
