The Facts

A New York Times investigation reported allegations from Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas, who said Cesar Chavez abused them when they were 13 and 15 in the 1970s. In her own March 18 statement, Dolores Huerta said Chavez pressured her into sex twice in her 30s, and said both instances resulted in pregnancies.

In San Francisco, the April 11 parade for Cesar Chavez has already been renamed for Dolores Huerta. SFUSD has not yet weighed in on whether Cesar Chavez elementary will get a new name.

The Context

Chavez’s name is everywhere in San Francisco, and California more generally. It's on Cesar Chavez Street (formerly Army Street), at Cesar Chavez Elementary School in the Mission, and at SF State’s Cesar Chavez Student Center. Beyond local landmarks, Los Angeles also sports a Cesar Chavez St, and [March 31 is a California state holiday (Cesar Chavez day, now Farmworker Day)](https://www.sos.ca.gov/state-holidays/).

Chavez was an important leader for agricultural worker rights. Alongside Dolores Huerta and Gilbert Padilla, he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) which became the United Farm Workers union.

The GrowSF Take

Our hearts go out to Chavez's victims.