California Renames Chavez Day Amid Abuse Allegations

California has moved swiftly to rename Cesar Chavez Day following serious sexual abuse allegations against the late labor leader. Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation on March 23, 2026, changing the state holiday to Farmworkers Day, which will be observed on March 31. The New York Times published an investigation detailing allegations that Chavez sexually abused young women and minors, including co-founder Dolores Huerta.

Huerta revealed in a statement posted to Medium and an exclusive interview with LatinoUSA's Maria Hinojosa on Democracy Now!, that she experienced two non-consensual sexual encounters with Chavez that resulted in pregnancy. She kept these experiences secret for decades out of concern for the farmworker movement's progress. According to multiple reports, the United Farm Workers (UFW) acknowledged these claims but noted it had not received any direct reports and does not have firsthand knowledge of the incidents.

The New York Times investigation detailed allegations from two women who claimed Chavez began grooming and sexually abusing them when they were children. One woman said she was raped by Chavez in a motel room at age 15, while the other claimed he started groping her in his office when she was just 13 years old. Both women are now in their 60s and were daughters of organizers within the farmworker movement.

Chavez, born in Yuma, Arizona, rose to prominence in the 1950s and '60s by organizing migrant farm workers in California's central valley. He staged month-long fasts for the cause and helped organize a national boycott of California grapes. The Cesar Chavez Foundation expressed sadness and shock at the allegations, stating it is working with leaders in the farmworker movement to respond to these claims.

Lawmakers and community leaders have expressed their dismay at the allegations. Newsom stated during a press conference that 'all of us are processing' the allegations, emphasizing justice, truth, and transparency. Arizona Representative Adelita Grijalva offered support to survivors, declaring 'estamos con ustedes – we are with you.' Several states have announced they will no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day as a state holiday.

San Fernando city staff removed a statue and covered a mural showing Cesar Chavez at a local park after sexual abuse allegations against the late labor activist surfaced. Public works crews initially covered the commemorative statue and massive 100-foot mural dedicated to Chavez and the farmworker movement on Thursday. However, videos showed people tearing the coverings off the fixtures later that day.

Many communities in Southern California took similar steps after The New York Times published an investigation detailing allegations that Chavez raped and abused women and girls, including revered labor leader Dolores Huerta. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis said she plans to introduce a proposal to 'explore' renaming the county holiday and all county properties that bear Chavez's name. On Thursday, LA Mayor Karen Bass signed a similar proclamation that renamed the city holiday, 'Farm Workers Day,' removing Chavez's name.

California state lawmakers also took a similar step, introducing a proposal to change the upcoming state holiday on March 31 to 'Farmworkers Day.' Similar steps were taken in Orange County cities, such as Santa Ana, where Mayor Valerie Amezcua said she wants every mention or likeness of Chavez removed. Chavez's face is featured on several murals throughout the city, including a wall at Santa Ana College and the Cesar E. Chavez High School.

UCLA's Department of Chicana/o Studies unanimously voted to remove Chavez's name from the program. San Fernando resident Ricardo Benitez believed that the decisions to erase anything that features Chavez were rushed. 'I take this as a surprise, because I was not expecting this,' Benitez said. 'People are not OK with them doing that because you saw people covered and people went and uncovered it.'

Other residents believe covering the imagery of Chavez acknowledges the survivors and promotes a shift towards accountability. 'I think it's really important to know that this is a movement, and not a person,' San Fernando resident Astrid Serrano said. 'We continue to fight for immigrant rights with everything going on in this country.'

City leaders also decided to change scholarships bearing the labor leader's name. The Cesar Chavez Commemorative Committee announced it has been dissolved, and members are working on rebranding.