California Lawmakers Push To Strip Cesar Chavez’s Name From State Holiday

SACRAMENTO, California — California Latino legislative leaders are pushing to strip Cesar Chavez’s name from the official state holiday honoring his birthday following the sexual abuse allegations leveled against him, the highest-profile in a rush of efforts to remove his name from parks, public buildings and commemorations across the state.

Latino Legislative Caucus chair Lena Gonzalez on Wednesday told reporters that lawmakers will pursue a name change, though she did not suggest an alternative or lay out a timeline, saying “there’s going to be a short- and a long-term process.” California annually celebrates Chavez, the United Farm Workers labor union co-founder and Latino civil rights organizer.

It was unclear if a name change could be enacted in time for this year’s March 31 holiday.

Latino Caucus members huddled in the state Capitol following the publication of a New York Times report in which two women alleged Chavez sexually abused them as girls. Chavez’s labor movement partner, Dolores Huerta, also accused him of twice raping her, resulting in two children she sent to be raised by other families.

The caucus — which includes Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón — will shift the focus of celebrations away from Chavez and toward the success of the farmworker movement instead, Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez told POLITICO.

Rivas and Limón, who were both present for the caucus meeting, declined to comment after the gathering.

“We will be thinking about a process that's mindful, that acknowledges the atrocities, keeps people accountable, but more importantly, makes sure that we're honoring and uplifting farmworkers, labor, justice, immigrant rights,” Lena Gonzalez said. “That is key to the values of our caucus.”