American labor and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta said that she was sexually abused by United Farm Workers co-founder César Chávez in the 1960s.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Huerta said she felt compelled to speak after a multi-year investigation by The New York Times into Chávez’s sexual misconduct allegations.
“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,” Huerta said, in part. “As a young mother in the 1960s, I experienced two separate sexual encounters with Cesar.”
Huerta described the first encounter as manipulative and coercive and said she felt unable to refuse because Chávez was a leader she admired.
She said the second encounter was forced and occurred in an environment where she felt trapped.
“Both sexual encounters with Cesar led to pregnancies,” Huerta said. “I chose to keep my pregnancies secret and, after the children were born, I arranged for them to be raised by other families that could give them stable lives.”
Huerta said she later developed relationships with the children and that they are now close to her other children, but she stated that the full truth of how they were conceived remained private until weeks ago.
Huerta also stated that she long prioritized building the farmworker movement, which she called bigger than any one individual.
“I carried this secret for as long as I did because building the movement and securing farmworker rights was my life’s work,” she said. “The formation of a union was the only vehicle to accomplish and secure those rights and I wasn’t going to let Cesar or anyone else get in the way.”
Huerta’s statement comes after the United Farm Workers revealed that it had learned of the allegations against Chávez.
“I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here,” Huerta said. “I have never identified myself as a victim, but I now understand that I am a survivor — of violence, of sexual abuse, of domineering men who saw me, and other women, as property, or things to control."
Huerta’s statement also acknowledged that other women have come forward with allegations that Chávez sexually abused teens.
“The knowledge that he hurt young girls sickens me. My heart aches for everyone who suffered alone and in silence for years,” she said. “Cesar’s actions do not reflect the values of our community and our movement.”
The Chavez family said Wednesday they “wish peace and healing to the survivors and commend their courage to come forward.”
“This is deeply painful for our family ... As a family steeped in the values of equity and justice, we honor the voices of those who feel unheard and who report sexual abuse,” the family said.
“We carry our own memories of the person we knew. Someone whose life included work and contributions that matter deeply to many people,” the family continued. “We remain committed to farmworkers and the causes he and countless others championed and continue to champion. We ask for understanding and privacy as we continue to process this difficult information.”
On March 6, the César Chávez Legacy and Educational Foundation (CECLEF) notified the City of San Antonio that it canceled the annual César Chávez March for Justice.
Marches scheduled in other cities across the United States have also been canceled.
Officials react to Chávez accusations
On Wednesday, the City of San Antonio said it will still observe the César Chávez holiday on Tuesday, March 31.
The city said its holidays are approved through the annual budget process and discussions about continuing the holiday will happen in the summer.
“Regarding the name changing, the City of San Antonio follows an established process for street naming and renaming to ensure consistency, coordination, and community input. ... The City is committed to an approach that will keep the community informed (and) allow for public input as the discussion moves forward,” the city said.
District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo proposed a series of community sessions to gather public input on renaming W. César E. Chávez Boulevard and to discuss the future of the city’s César Chávez Day designation.
The city said it is actively reviewing the proposal from Castillo.
The meetings would be held in partnership with the San Antonio American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). Castillo also proposed outreach to residents and businesses located along the boulevard to collect input.
“This is about listening to our community and ensuring their voices guide decisions that shape our public spaces,” Castillo said Wednesday. “We are committed to creating a transparent and inclusive process where residents can share their perspectives and help determine a path forward that reflects our community’s values.”
Gov. Greg Abbott said the state of Texas will not observe the Cesar Chavez Day holiday, and he plans to work with lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session to remove the day from state law.
“Reports of the horrific and widely acknowledged sexual assault allegations against Cesar Chavez rightfully dismantle the myth of this progressive hero and undermine the narrative that elevated Chavez as a figure worthy of official state celebration,” Abbott said.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said Wednesday that “acts committed by Cesar Chavez against girls and women are reprehensible.”
Castro recommended a public community process to rename tributes to Chávez.
Julie Strentzsch, CEO of the Crisis Center of Comal County, said in a statement that she is “reminded that we see this same strength and dignity every day in the survivors of sexual assault who walk through our doors.”
“Their resilience, like Ms. Huerta’s, is powerful and deeply moving,” Strentzsch said.
Strentzsch encouraged anyone who has experienced sexual violence and needs support to reach out to their local domestic violence or rape crisis center.
“And if you’re unsure where to turn, our phone lines are open 24/7 at 1‑800‑434‑8013,” Strentzsch said.
In a statement Wednesday, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) said it “unequivocally condemns any form of sexual violence.”
“No individual, regardless of stature or legacy, is above accountability when it comes to protecting and upholding the dignity of others,” LULAC said.
LULAC said it is “unchanged” in its support of the farmworker movement.
“The actions of one person neither reflect nor diminish the integrity of the farmworker movement,” LULAC said.
The César Chávez Foundation said in a statement that it believes the survivors and the actions go against its “commitment to justice and community empowerment.”
It said that while it will change the perception of Chávez, the movement was much bigger than him.
Read the foundation’s full statement below:
Today’s revelations about César Chávez and his sexual abuse of women and underage minors are shocking, incredibly disappointing, and deeply painful. This goes completely against our commitment to justice and community empowerment.
“To the survivors: we believe you. We honor your courage, and we are very sorry for the harm you have carried in the shadows for so long. The César Chávez Foundation acknowledges the prevalence of the abuse of women and children. We are committed to restorative justice and healing for those who have been harmed, and to ensure our organization reflects the dignity and safety every person deserves.
“We are working with leaders in the field of sexual abuse and trauma. With their help, we will figure out the best ways to support this work through the Foundation and be part of the broader solution to raise awareness and prevent mistreatment of women, especially in the communities we advocate for.
“The Movement was never about one man – it belonged to the people who built it, and it belongs to the communities we continue to serve today. The Movement was built by thousands of ordinary women, men, and families from all walks of life who sacrificed for justice they believed in. Their contributions and the communities they transformed, belong to all of them. They cannot and will not be erased.
“Although these revelations change how we remember César Chávez as a person, it does not change our commitment to social justice and community empowerment. Today, our organization is carried by hundreds of women and men dedicated to our mission of inspiring and transforming communities. Our work centers on serving people through affordable housing, education, economic opportunity, and community development.
“With the full support of the Chávez Family, we are actively engaging in a necessary conversation about our organization’s identity – one which we will approach with the seriousness, community input, and care it deserves. We invite our partners and community members to join us in this critical moment to uplift our core values."
César Chávez Foundation
San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said in a statement on Wednesday night that she stands with people who have come forward with allegations of abuse by Chávez.
She also said that the alleged abuse could not have happened without “a web of complicit actors.”
Jones stated that she looks forward to developing a plan in San Antonio that recognizes labor activists in the future.
Her full statement can be read below.
My thoughts are with the survivors who courageously shared their stories of abuse. I believe them. The reality is there may be others suffering in silence, and they deserve time and space to determine when and if to come forward. I cannot imagine the pain and anguish these survivors have carried for so long.
We should not lose sight of the fact that the alleged abuse could not have happened without a web of complicit actors, and there should be consequences for the abuse they enabled and the pain they caused.
I look forward to developing a path forward for our City that recognizes the courage and hard work of labor leaders, the importance of the movement, and our irrefutable and collective responsibility to call out criminal activities and exploitation that too often preys on the most vulnerable.
Gina Ortiz Jones
Texas State Representative James Talarico said in a statement that he’s “heartbroken” to hear of the abuse allegations against Chávez.
“I stand with Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, and all other survivors — and I commend their bravery as well as their commitment to truth and accountability," Talarico said.
He concluded the statement with a push to support the farmworkers’ community “as we grapple with these painful truths.”