Milwaukee canceled its Cesar Chavez Day event in response to the March 18 New York Times report accusing Chavez of sexually abusing women and girls. While it is a serious matter to contemplate, we cannot simply erase history.
Chavez was a Latino civil rights activist and helped co-found what is now the United Farm Workers labor union. He advocated for farm workers’ rights, led strikes, boycotts and cultivated a legacy of social justice. He passed away in 1993 at age 66.
The New York Times interviewed several women about their interactions with Chavez, revealing multiple sexually inappropriate encounters. The women recalled Chavez molesting them and non-consensually touching and kissing them as minors and carrying into their adulthood. They spoke of disgusting, traumatizing experiences that no woman should ever go through…