Organizations, states, schools and governmental bodies have called for the immediate removal of Cesar Chavez’s name from various locations across the country. These calls for action follow a damning article and major investigation published by the New York Times.
The investigation found that Chavez, a farm workers’ rights champion, had abused and raped women, some of them minors, in the United Farm Workers (UFW) movement during the height of the boycotts, strikes, and marches. This included Dolores Huerta, who bore two children as a result of the abuse.
“Huerta’s silence must be understood as a common outcome of surviving sexual assault,” Jose Anguiano, the chair of the Cal State LA Department of Chicana(o) and Latina(o) Studies (CLS) department said. “This is a trauma response. Huerta has also acknowledged she feared hurting the campaign for farmworker rights.”…