Wave of Cesar Chavez events pulled as ‘troubling allegations’ made against civil rights leader

A wave of events honoring Cesar Chavez have been pulled amid “troubling allegations” made against the civil rights leader.

The United Farm Workers union said in a statement on Tuesday it will halt celebrations after learning of “profoundly shocking” allegations against one of the union’s Chicano founders.

The union pointed out claims have been made that Chavez “behaved in ways that are incompatible with our organization’s values.

“Some of the reports are family issues, and not our story to tell or our place to comment on,” it read. “Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors.”

Those allegations include that “very young women or girls may have been victimized,” by its founder.

The statement pointed out that the union itself “have not received any direct reports, and we do not have any firsthand knowledge of these allegations. “

“However, the allegations are serious enough that we feel compelled to take urgent steps to learn more and provide space for people who may have been victimized to find support and to share their stories if that is what they choose.”

The statement went on to point out that in response the union “will not be taking part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities,” planned across the country.

Instead the group encouraged their supporters and allies to take part in “immigration justice events and acts of service to support farmworkers or empower vulnerable people in their own communities.”

The union said it will establish an external, confidential channel for those who may have experienced harm by Chavez to be able to “share their experiences of harm, to identify their current impacts and needs, and, if desired, to participate in a collective process to develop mechanisms for repair and accountability.”

The statement followed news of cancellations on Monday of events that had been planned in Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Tucson, San Francisco and others across the country.

Chavez has been hailed as a hero of migrant farm workers in California, bursting onto the scene in the 1960’s. Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, Gilbert Padilla, and other early organizers, founded the United Farm Workers of America in 1962, according to its website.

The civil rights leader died in 1993.

The Cesar Chavez foundation released a similar statement on Tuesday about the allegations.

“The Cesar Chavez Foundation has become aware of disturbing allegations that Cesar Chavez engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors during his time as President of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW),” the statement read.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by what we are hearing.”

The foundation said it was “working with leaders in the Farmworker Movement to be responsive to these allegations, support the people who may have been harmed by his actions, and ensure we are united and guided by our commitment to justice and community empowerment.”

The Post has reached out to the UFW and Chavez foundation for comment.

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