For years, several South End locations bore the name of prominent Latino labor leader Cesar Chavez. But months after news reports detailed allegations that Chavez had sexually abused young women and teenagers, local sites have either been renamed or are being considered for new names.
Community leaders were initially shocked and unsure how to address the various places that honored him, including a garden at El Centro de la Raza in Beacon Hill and a city-managed park in South Park. Chavez's name and image were also found in a museum dedicated to Latino history in Washigton state.
In March, an investigation by The New York Times found that Chavez, a labor and Latino civil rights activist who advocated for farm workers and led national boycotts, had groomed and sexually assaulted numerous girls from 1972 to 1977. The investigation also found that he had sexually assaulted Dolores Huerta, a fellow labor leader who cofounded the United Farm Workers with Chavez. Chavez died in 2013.
At El Centro, the garden had a banner that bore Chavez's name. Veronica Gallardo, the director of facilities and cultural events at El Centro, said that after news of the allegations broke, his name was covered with tape, upon which someone wrote, "We stand with Dolores."
When the banner was altered, Gallardo said El Centro knew something needed to be done, so the organization removed the name and started thinking about what to call the garden.
"You have to really be thoughtful in the process," Gallardo said.
At first, Gallardo said El Centro considered naming the garden after Huerta but ultimately settled on "El Centro Demonstration Garden" because it better represented the local community.
"The demonstration garden is a community garden, so it was really important for us to just rename it 'El Centro Demonstration Garden,' because that's what it is."
The garden at El Centro is maintained by volunteers through the King County Master Gardener Program, a branch of the Washington State University Extension Program. Food harvested from the garden is used for the food bank. The garden also hosts a variety of educational opportunities and community events.
El Centro said in a March statement that it would remove public art throughout Roberto Maestas Plaza along with images of Chavez displayed on traditional altars.
After the investigation was published, places across the United States began removing Chavez's name or considering new names. The state of California renamed Cesar Chavez Day to Farm Workers Day, and Austin, Texas, is considering renaming a street.
The Sea Mar Museum of Chicano/a Latino/a Culture in South Park is dedicated to telling the stories of Latinos/as in Washington state. Erasmo Gamboa, the museum's curator, said that when the allegations against Chavez surfaced, the museum immediately worked to remove almost everything with his name or image.
"It was devastating when the country learned about this, because we have very few icons," Gamboa said. "No person, man or woman, should be excused for what Chavez did to these young people and to Dolores Huerta. I mean, that is just outright inexcusable."
But while the museum's focus was never on Chavez, Gamboa said his efforts inspired numerous farmworker movements in Washington, many of which were grassroots campaigns led by University of Washington students and community members.
Chavez spent little time in Washington, Gamboa added. He spoke at a rally at Garfield High School on Dec. 19, 1969. Earlier that day, Chavez had led a picket outside a Safeway in the University District and was named a First Citizen of Seattle by Mayor Wes Uhlman.
"To me, the more important thing is not Chavez himself, but … what farm-working people experienced in Washington state, and we're going to continue to focus on that," Gamboa said.
In South Park, a small park at 700 S. Cloverdale St., under Highway 99, was named after Chavez. The land is owned by King County but managed by Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Shortly after the investigation was published, the city took down signs with Chavez's name. Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda have pushed for the park to be named after Huerta.
The city's park naming policy states that name changes can occur only if the individual's character does not serve the best interest of the community or conflicts with the department's mission and values.
A future name change for the park will occur through an administrative process involving both the city and county rather than through legislation. Any proposed name must meet certain criteria, such as having historical or cultural significance or reflecting the geography of the area. Names may also honor indidivuals who have been deceased for at least three years or who made significant contributions to parks, recreation, or culture in the local community.
Community members were invited to provide input to the parks naming committee by April 14. Approximately 120 submissions were submitted, according to the city parks department. The committee will review suggestions and submit a recommendation to the superintendent of Seattle Parks and Recreation, who will make the final naming decision.
The city parks department said an announcement about the park's new name is likely to be made in the next few weeks.
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