Some Austin city leaders in support of renaming Cesar Chavez Street amid allegations

Allegations against Cesar Chavez

Widespread abuse allegations have cities nationwide considering the removal of anything related to Cesar Chavez, the national civil rights leader once known as an advocate for farmworkers.

AUSTIN, Texas - Widespread abuse allegations have cities nationwide considering the removal of anything related to Cesar Chavez, the national civil rights leader once known as an advocate for farmworkers. 

Now, his namesake is being denounced amid sexual abuse claims from women, including some minors, revealed in a New York Times investigation.

Some Austin City Council members have issued statements in support of renaming Cesar Chavez Street.

Allegations against Cesar Chavez

The backstory:

The name Cesar Chavez is seen throughout the City of Austin, a place he frequently visited during his lifetime.

Shortly after his death in 1993, First Street was renamed Cesar Chavez Street. It is a day Gavino Fernandez still recalls.

Gavino Fernandez is a spokesperson for El Concilio Mexican American Landowners De East Austin. 

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"In 1993, we began a petition drive campaign. We went to every property owner on this street asking for their signature and approval of the renaming of Cesar Chavez Street," Gavino Fernandez said.

Thirty-three years later, Fernandez finds himself trying to get the street’s name changed once again.

"We feel compelled as an organization that we need to stand up and take action and remove his name from our street, in our community," Fernandez said.

Dig deeper:

​Chávez was known as a champion for farmworker rights, bringing attention to poor working conditions and a lack of benefits. Through his organizing efforts, Chavez helped start the United Farm Workers labor union.

​"They fought many battles—boycott lettuce, boycott grapes—throughout the whole country. So once he started winning those battles, then, yeah, he became a recognized and honored person throughout the Latino community," Fernandez said.

​The push for change follows sexual abuse allegations against women and young girls, which allegedly happened while Chavez was in leadership. One of his co-founders, Dolores Huerta, revealed on Wednesday that she, too, was assaulted by Chavez.

In an Instagram post, Huerta wrote in part: "I am nearly 96 years old, and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for."

"We feel that it is appropriate and right to do this and to send a strong message to women and our audience that silence is not a remedy," Fernandez said.

Gov. Greg Abbott posted on X that the state would stop observing Cesar Chavez Day at the end of March and that he would work with lawmakers to remove it altogether.

What's next:

Parade organizers canceled the celebration in Austin, and other cities have followed suit.

There is a divide among local community members over whether Cesar Chavez Street should revert to its original name, First Street, or instead be renamed in honor of Dolores Huerta. Some people want to see everything removed, while others hope to separate the man from the movement.