Tucson Mayor Regina Romero has renamed the city’s César Chávez Day on March 31 to Dolores Huerta Day this year, as sexual abuse and rape allegations against Chávez prompt a local and national reckoning over his legacy.
Adam Sarvana, director of communications and community engagement for the mayor’s office, said the change is “a measure for now until there are longer-term conversations with the community and the coalition.”
The New York Times first reported last week that Chávez groomed and sexually abused young girls who worked in the movement. One of his victims, in fact, partly felt compelled to come forward after a recent proposal to name a street near her home for Chávez.
Huerta now 95, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962 with Chávez, revealed to the newspaper that she was a victim of abuse by him in her 30s.
In her statement saying that Chávez raped her in the 1960s, Huerta said she kept her secret for so long because she feared that “exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement” but today, she understands that she is a “survivor — of violence, of sexual abuse, of domineering men who saw me, and other women, as property, or things to control.”
It was Huerta who coined the slogan “Sí, se puede” in 1972 when bringing together farmworkers in Arizona to fight a law that prohibited boycotts and strikes.
Huerta’s resolve cemented her place in history as one of the nation’s most influential labor leaders, civil rights icons and feminist activists.
In other cities, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, Portland and Albuquerque, officials said they would look at renaming landmarks such as buildings, streets and schools.
“We have a duty to honor the dignity of the survivors and move forward in a way that reflects our values,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a statement. She urged renaming César Chávez Day as Farmworkers Day.
A spokesperson for Gov. Katie Hobbs said the state would no longer recognize César Chávez Day on March 31, while leaders of the California Legislature said they would pass a bill renaming César Chavez Day as Farmworkers Day before the end of the month. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he supports the proposal.
Tucson takes action
It took city workers over two hours to dismantle a statue of Chávez on the morning of March 23, after it was vandalized last weekend with bright red paint on the figure’s head, face and neck.
The bronze statue was erected at Five Points — the intersection of 18th Street and South Sixth Avenue — in 2020. The 6-foot-tall artwork was created by local artist Luis Mena.
Four city facilities workers hammered and chiseled at the base of the statue, while two community service officers shut down a traffic lane at the intersection where five streets come together. Each street has a bronze arch bearing the name of downtown barrios and Cesar Chavez Avenue in red, green and white heading south on Sixth Avenue. Two miles away the Viva Cesar Chavez overpass hangs over Interstate 10 with colorful tile murals.
A pocket park with a water fountain, gravel, a bench, dilapidated mural and sign posts remained on South Stone approaching Five Points on Monday morning. The sign reading “In memory of Cesar Chavez, human rights & union activist” was gone and only the steel outline remained along with a tent, a bike and a trash can.
As of Monday morning, a link to the Jardin Cesar Chavez on the city of Tucson website was gone.
Andy Squire, public information officer for the City Manager’s Office, said the statue and park sign were removed because of the vandalism and their location.
“The statue was at an intersection, making it a dangerous place to keep,” he told Arizona Luminaria. He said the statue will be stored until it can be cleaned.
Squire said the council and mayor plan to discuss the various monuments and signage honoring Chávez soon at a city council meeting but they have yet to decide on a day. He said that part of that process will involve outreach to community members to gather feedback and direction.
At the request of District 5 Supervisor Andres Cano, the Pima County Board of Supervisors will discuss the issue at its March 24 meeting directing the county administrator to explore policies to rename the county’s holiday as well as identify any county assets that bear Chavez’s name or image for planned removal.
Includes reporting by Arizona Luminaria’s Shannon Conner and the Associated Press.
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