Austin’s annual César Chávez march scheduled for March 28 is off, as local organizers respond to newly surfaced allegations of sexual misconduct against the late farm labor icon. The cancellation follows fresh reporting and public statements accusing Chávez of abusing young women and minors, and organizers say they are choosing to put survivors and the broader farmworker movement ahead of celebrating any single figure.
Organizers Hit Pause, Put Survivors First
Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin (HABLA), People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources (PODER), and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) jointly pulled the plug on the March 28 event “out of caution and respect for all parties,” according to CBS Austin. Susana Almanza of PODER said, “We are devastated to hear these accusations, but the movement built by the UFW is bigger than any one man,” while HABLA's Alicia Perez-Hodge called the decision painful but necessary for the community.
Dolores Huerta Breaks Her Silence
Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, released a statement describing two sexual encounters with César Chávez in the 1960s that she says she felt coerced into and that resulted in pregnancies, with both children placed for adoption. “I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here,” she wrote. Her disclosure followed a multi-year investigation reported by The New York Times, and her full statement is published on Medium.
Union And Texas Cities Halt Celebrations
The United Farm Workers announced it would step back from César Chávez Day activities this year to create “space for those who may have been victimized,” according to CBS News Texas. The outlet also reports that events planned in Houston, San Antonio, and Corpus Christi have been scrapped as organizers and local leaders reevaluate how to mark the movement’s history.
Officials Talk Renaming, State Holiday On The Line
Four Austin officials, City Council Members Vanessa Fuentes and José Velásquez, Mayor Pro Tem José “Chito” Vela, and Travis County Attorney Delia Garza, publicly backed renaming Cesar Chavez Street, calling the revelations “deeply disturbing.” The Mexican American Legislative Caucus signaled it is ready to lead an effort to remove Chávez’s name from the state holiday, according to CBS Austin. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has already announced the state will not observe César Chávez Day this year and instructed state agencies to follow suit while lawmakers debate what comes next.
Where Things Stand
For now, organizers say the pause is meant to center survivors and protect the integrity of the labor movement even as arguments over street names, memorials, and the state holiday gather steam. In practical terms, Austin residents will not see the March 28 march go forward, and the conversation is shifting to how the city and the state might honor farmworkers in the future without elevating one man above the cause itself.
