Santa Ana council members are now scheduled to decide next week whether to remove references to Cesar Chavez from city assets, including Cesar Chavez Campesino Park, following allegations the late labor leader groomed and sexually abused females in the movement.
Among the women a recently released New York Times investigation said were assaulted during the 1960s is Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Chavez.
The news report sparked cities, school districts and other organizations around Southern California to reconsider tributes to Chavez, who died in 1993.
Shortly after the release of the Times’ investigation, Mayor Valerie Amezcua and Councilmember Jessie Lopez both said in social media posts that they would be looking to change the Santa Ana park’s name. Santa Ana College and Santa Ana Unified have also started the process to remove references to Chavez, which includes a building at the community college and a high school campus.
“In light of recent allegations regarding aspects of Chavez’s leadership, personal conduct and organizational practices, the mayor consulted with the city manager to evaluate the removal of existing recognitions of Cesar Chavez on city-owned assets to remain consistent with the city of Santa Ana’s current values and community standards,” says a staff report to the council ahead of Tuesday’s meeting when council members will consider making the changes.
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