Cesar Chavez controversy sparks debate over legacy

One of the most esteemed figures in the Latino civil rights movement, Cesar Chavez, was accused of having abused young women and minors for years, a New York Times investigation found.

The United Farm Workers co-founder had groomed and sexually abused girls who worked in the movement. The recent abuse allegations have sparked a movement to denounce Cesar Chavez.

Carlos Galindo-Elvira, Former Phoenix City Councilman, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the issue.

“It was heartbreaking,” Galindo-Elvira said about initially hearing the news. “You look at the role that [Chavez] played in the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, and the advocacy that was done on behalf of farm workers. What you learn about him throughout the Latino community and the greater community as a whole…so of course it was shocking.”

Latino admirers of the once-celebrated civil rights leader had worked quickly to erase his name, likeness and image from honors and memorials. However, cities across the country will still celebrate the accomplishments of the movement on March 31st, but now under a different name. In Tucson they have renamed the day to Dolores Huerta Day, after the co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association who was also an alleged victim of Chavez’s abuse.

“It’s going to take some time to really process what has happened and to understand what the long term ramifications are going to be,” Galindo-Elvira said.

The movement started in California and spread across the southwest, according to Galindo-Elvira. As a center for the southwest, Phoenix had it’s own unique tie to the association as well.

“In Santa Reta Hall, [Chavez] conducted a fast which inspired many and brought many Arizonans to the fold of what was the farm workers movement,” Galindo-Elvira said. “Of course, the coining of the phrase ‘si, se puede’ by Dolores Huerta was in Arizona.”