Dolores Huerta, the 94 year-old renowned American labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers union alongside Cesar Chavez, at the Dolores Huerta Foundation headquarters in California’s 22nd congressional district in Bakersfield Sept. 19, 2024.
A Wednesday New York Times investigation broke allegations that Chavez, who spearheaded nationwide strikes for farmworker rights and fair pay, sexually abused girls within the movement. Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union alongside Chavez, also told the Times that Chavez sexually assaulted her twice and that those assaults led to two pregnancies, both of which she kept secret.
The community is heartbroken by the news and processing how to move forward, Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga, executive director of coastside Latino cultural arts and programing organization Ayudando Latinos A Soñar, said.
“We’re heartbroken, we’re devastated, we’re saddened, all of the above,” Hernandez-Arriaga said. “We’re taking time to really pause and reflect on what this means to so many, especially survivors and children and families, farmworkers we work with, those that have had to remain in silence.”
It should also be an inflection point to remember the many people who have and continue to strike, boycott and speak out for the rights of farmworkers, she said.
“When you look at the farmworkers’ movement, there were many leaders that were a big part of this work,” Hernandez Arriaga said. “When we think about the work we have to do, again, it’s not one person, it’s a whole community. It falls on us to take this responsibility and move forward to create programs, to create resources, to build housing.”
That sentiment was reiterated in statements put out by California’s state and federal leadership.
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“The accounts of abuse are devastating and painful. Thank you to the victims who found the courage and strength to share their experiences. The survivors have held onto this pain for decades, and we owe it to them to hear their voices and to honor their truth,” State Sen. Monique Limón said in an email. “For decades, the heart of the movement has been about farmworkers, families, and allies – not one single person. That truth remains today.”
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla also said in an email that he stood with the survivors.
“There must be zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation and the silencing of victims, no matter who is involved,” his statement read. “Confronting painful truths and ensuring accountability is essential to honoring the very values the greater farm worker movement stands for — values rooted in dignity and justice for all.”
The bombshell allegations against Chavez, who died in 1993, comes the morning of a study session into 555 Kelly, a proposed five-story affordable housing development for senior farmworkers in Half Moon Bay that has stagnated within the approvals and funding process.
It’s continued advocacy for projects like these, which allows vulnerable members of the community to be “loved and visible,” that the community and farmworker advocates should turn to, Hernandez-Arriaga said.
“We have a full community of farmworkers on the coastside that are counting on us,” she said. “They’re not counting on Cesar Chavez — they’re counting on us.”
The hypocrisy of these union leaders is appalling. Unless they live under a rock, they must have known and never bothered to check with Social Services agencies. It does not take much when asking Latina women in the agricultural and services community how they are treated by their supervisors and other men who have some measure of authority. Many women are scared to tell the truth. For the union leadership to express their disgust comes only after they can no longer sweep this well-known, horrific cultural attribute under the rug.
I agree Dirk. You hit the nail on the head. Folks must have known. Just like folks must have known about the charges of rape against the President. Many of the girls, now adults, who have accused the President of raping them, were also scared to tell the truth, because people like you dismiss them as having, 'DTS.' Chavez' legacy is being held accountable as it should be and the President should too while he still with us. All I ask is that people like you stay consistent and not selectvely apply your outrage. Do you bring that same energy with respect to the Epstein files? Or does it depend on the 'culture' of the rapist?
What can I say, GoodCitizen? Trump's escapades have been exposed for years and given a lot of attention in legacy news. Very different from a total black out in the case of Chavez. If you took the the time, the Epstein scandals do not appear to affect Trump but mostly the army of liberal politicians, including Clinton, and other elites such as Gates and Fauci. But, as Terence noticed, you would squirm your way into making Trump the culprit in Chavez' despicable behavior. Remember that Bobby Kennedy, Obama and virtually all California politicians were in love with Chavez. Do you really believe that there was no hint of his criminal behavior? They did not care. Chavez served their purpose and that is what counted. Like many of Trump supporters, I do and did not condone his sordid affairs as opposed to your ilk that cannot even acknowledge any misbehavior by your elected politicians. You are suffering from DTS, a severe affliction that runs rampant in the liberal community.
BadCitizen - You're walking a fine line like other repeat offenders at the SMDJ. Donald Trump was not found guilty of rape, there is a distinction between rape and sexual assault. Maybe Trump will come after the SMDJ as he has done against other media outlets who allow and promote such falsehoods
So Alex Padilla and other California state and federal leadership are now expressing “zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation and the silencing of victims, no matter who is involved,” when they completely ignore the abuse, exploitation and the silencing of victims of criminals and terrorists who’ve illegally crossed our borders? Oh yes, let’s not forget Democrats allowing biological males to invade the safe spaces of biological females. I’d like to say the hypocrisy is astounding but then we’re speaking of Democrats who hate Trump more than they love America or women. Now that one of their Democrat and union darlings has been exposed, they must circle the wagons or express feigned emotions, as CA Is Burning intimated.
Just wait. I can see it now…some of these Democrats will go through mental gymnastics to find a way to blame Trump for this debacle. A debacle which, as Mr. van Ulden has implied, was likely well known by union leaders. I would hope investigative reporters dig deeper and expose union leaders or anyone else who knew about, but failed to “tell” on Mr. Chavez. And is there anyone with deep pockets who hid this secret? UFW? Will we see lawsuits galore?
Meanwhile, when are we going to see the names of buildings, schools, bridges, etc. renamed to remove Cesar Chavez? Perhaps we can start with returning Cesar Chavez Street in San Francisco back to Army Street.
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(6) comments
The hypocrisy of these union leaders is appalling. Unless they live under a rock, they must have known and never bothered to check with Social Services agencies. It does not take much when asking Latina women in the agricultural and services community how they are treated by their supervisors and other men who have some measure of authority. Many women are scared to tell the truth. For the union leadership to express their disgust comes only after they can no longer sweep this well-known, horrific cultural attribute under the rug.
Dirk I agree. Such feigned emotions are too late, telling the truth only comes out for democrats when they are cornered.
I agree Dirk. You hit the nail on the head. Folks must have known. Just like folks must have known about the charges of rape against the President. Many of the girls, now adults, who have accused the President of raping them, were also scared to tell the truth, because people like you dismiss them as having, 'DTS.' Chavez' legacy is being held accountable as it should be and the President should too while he still with us. All I ask is that people like you stay consistent and not selectvely apply your outrage. Do you bring that same energy with respect to the Epstein files? Or does it depend on the 'culture' of the rapist?
What can I say, GoodCitizen? Trump's escapades have been exposed for years and given a lot of attention in legacy news. Very different from a total black out in the case of Chavez. If you took the the time, the Epstein scandals do not appear to affect Trump but mostly the army of liberal politicians, including Clinton, and other elites such as Gates and Fauci. But, as Terence noticed, you would squirm your way into making Trump the culprit in Chavez' despicable behavior. Remember that Bobby Kennedy, Obama and virtually all California politicians were in love with Chavez. Do you really believe that there was no hint of his criminal behavior? They did not care. Chavez served their purpose and that is what counted. Like many of Trump supporters, I do and did not condone his sordid affairs as opposed to your ilk that cannot even acknowledge any misbehavior by your elected politicians. You are suffering from DTS, a severe affliction that runs rampant in the liberal community.
BadCitizen - You're walking a fine line like other repeat offenders at the SMDJ. Donald Trump was not found guilty of rape, there is a distinction between rape and sexual assault. Maybe Trump will come after the SMDJ as he has done against other media outlets who allow and promote such falsehoods
So Alex Padilla and other California state and federal leadership are now expressing “zero tolerance for abuse, exploitation and the silencing of victims, no matter who is involved,” when they completely ignore the abuse, exploitation and the silencing of victims of criminals and terrorists who’ve illegally crossed our borders? Oh yes, let’s not forget Democrats allowing biological males to invade the safe spaces of biological females. I’d like to say the hypocrisy is astounding but then we’re speaking of Democrats who hate Trump more than they love America or women. Now that one of their Democrat and union darlings has been exposed, they must circle the wagons or express feigned emotions, as CA Is Burning intimated.
Just wait. I can see it now…some of these Democrats will go through mental gymnastics to find a way to blame Trump for this debacle. A debacle which, as Mr. van Ulden has implied, was likely well known by union leaders. I would hope investigative reporters dig deeper and expose union leaders or anyone else who knew about, but failed to “tell” on Mr. Chavez. And is there anyone with deep pockets who hid this secret? UFW? Will we see lawsuits galore?
Meanwhile, when are we going to see the names of buildings, schools, bridges, etc. renamed to remove Cesar Chavez? Perhaps we can start with returning Cesar Chavez Street in San Francisco back to Army Street.
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