'Heartbreaking and Devastating': Allegations Against Cesar Chavez Shake South Seattle Leaders

Allegations of abuse against Cesar Chavez, the revered community activist who helped lead the national movement for farm workers, have sent shockwaves among the ranks of local community leaders. The news has left leaders grappling with a sense of loss and unsure how to address the various namesakes across South Seattle that honor him.

There are several places named after him across the region, including a garden at El Centro de la Raza in Beacon Hill and an affordable housing project operated by Sea Mar Community Health Centers in South Park. Both groups are considering changing these names in the future. There's also a city-managed park in South Park named after him.

State Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, who represents South Seattle, has worked closely with farm workers and other labor rights groups to create stronger protections in Washington state. She said she is still grieving the news that Chavez reportedly assaulted young girls.

"When it came public, it was just heartbreaking and devastating, I just, I broke," she said. "This has got to stop, the violence and the silence has got to stop."

Chavez was a prominent Latino civil rights activist who championed for farm workers' rights and cofounded United Farm Workers, a labor union. A New York Times investigation published March 18 found that Chavez had groomed and sexually assaulted numerous girls from 1972 to 1977.

The investigation also found that he had also sexually assaulted Dolores Huerta, another prominent activist for farm workers' rights who cofounded the union.

Estela Ortega, co-founder and executive director of El Centro de la Raza, said that she was deeply disappointed because they have Chavez's imagery in artwork around the center and that a garden they operate is named after him.

The organization is looking into renaming the garden to potentially honor Huerta and taking down his imagery, but do not have a timeline of when they might change it. Separating the movement from Chavez and centering survivors is how they are choosing to move forward.

"We are just in shock with all of the news coming out," Ortega said.

Kristina Hoeschen, a spokesperson for Sea Mar, said the organization was also appalled to hear the news and is in the process of reconsidering a name change in the future for Cesar Chavez Village, which has 25 townhome-style rental apartments of affordable housing in South Park.

The Emerald contacted Seattle Parks and Recreation, which manages Cesar Chavez Park, to ask if there were any plans to rename it, but the city did not reply by the time of publication.

On the national level, Washington is one of a handful of states that recognizes "Cesar Chavez Day" on March 31, his birthday. This year, Gov. Bob Ferguson said he would not issue a proclamation to mark the day.

The state also recognizes "Dolores Huerta Day" on April 10, her birthday.

Magdaleno "Leno" Rose-Avila was a Chicano activist who worked directly with Chavez and Huerta in the UFW organizing for women's labor rights in Colorado. He was also the head of a foundation in the activist's name after being asked to do so by Chavez's family. In Seattle, he was the first director of the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs in Seattle and former executive director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Rose-Avila said shock could not even begin to describe what he felt when the news broke and that he was unaware of any allegations during his time working with Chavez.

"I knew there was machismo and racism and sexism in the union, but I didn't know it was to that level, or I would have walked away from it early," Rose-Avila said, adding that he worries that there may be more victims.

He said he and Chavez shared many disagreements throughout their work together over leadership and how contracts were being administered and that he always challenged the union on different issues.

"I almost got fired because I stood up to Cesar," Rose-Avila said. "Cesar wasn't an angel or a god, as some people would put it. I knew from working with him in the union."

Saldaña said that after learning of the allegations, she is reminded to not put people on pedestals. She added that Chavez is a symptom of a greater problem in agricultural communities, where women often face harassment.

"We are all flawed human beings, but when we come together as flawed and with the worst things about us, we are able to contribute to a bigger movement," Saldaña said.

Editor's Note: This story was updated on March 20 to clarify information about Cesar Chavez's alleged victims.