An event in Fresno to honor César Chávez has been cancelled after the emergence of “troubling allegations” against the late labor leader.
The San Antonio Express-News reported Tuesday morning that Chávez allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual relationships with women and at least one minor. The publication cited statements and interviews with a former United Farm Workers insider and a historian who has studied the Hispanic labor movement.
Hours after the Express-News story’s publication, the Fresno-based Latino Education Issues Roundtable board announced it would not hold a “Legacy Celebration” honoring Chávez on Wednesday, as planned, “due to recent allegations and the withdrawal of several key partners.”
Nationwide, celebrations honoring the United Farm Workers’ cofounder have been canceled in light of the allegations, the LA Times reported.
Among the partners that pulled out of the event was Fresno Unified School District, the third-largest school district in the state.
“Fresno Unified will not participate in the César Chávez celebration planned for Wednesday, March 18 at the Warnors Theatre,” the district said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “Due to recent allegations about César Chávez, district officials have determined that students and staff will not be part of the program or the march afterward to the César Chávez Adult Education Center.”
César Chávez Day, a state holiday, is celebrated March 31. Other local events took place over the weekend in downtown Fresno and at Fresno State.
An annual “César Chávez Memorial Breakfast” held by the Binational of California nonprofit was cancelled by the board Tuesday afternoon due to the allegations, said Ricardo Castorena, CEO of Binational of Central California.
Castorena, said the event has long honored farmworkers and served as a fundraiser for the organization’s food pantry, which primarily serves farmworking families in the Valley.
“As far as the allegations, if the allegations are even true, I’m extremely disappointed, especially because coming from a farm working family,” Castorena said.
Fresno State officials are aware of the recent reports and are “closely monitoring developments.” The university has a statue of Chávez in its Peace Garden.
“Our university recognizes the enduring impact of the farmworker movement in the Central Valley and its significance in advancing labor rights, dignity and opportunity for generations of workers,” the university said in a statement.
César Chávez event cancelled following allegations
Wednesday’s Chávez event was scheduled to include Fresno Unified student performances, speakers and recognition of a speech and essay contest.
Speakers included Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her and Andrés Chávez, executive director of the National Chávez Center and grandson of the civil rights leader. Following the program, students would have marched to the eponymous adult education center for a garlanding ceremony at the Chávez bust.
In a statement Tuesday, the UFW didn’t detail the specifics of the allegations, but said the UFW would not be taking part in any César Chávez Day activities.
“The UFW has learned of deeply troubling allegations that one of the union’s co-founders, César Chávez, 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. Far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors,” the union said.
“Allegations that very young women or girls may have been victimized are crushing. We 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 César Chávez Foundation also issued a statement Tuesday, saying it was aware of disturbing allegations of “inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors during his time as President of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW).”
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by what we are hearing,” the foundation said.
Fresno honored former labor leader
Fresno is one of many cities in the central San Joaquin Valley that has long honored the civil rights leader.
The first meeting site of the National Farm Workers Association, a precursor to the UFW, was at the Edison Social Club in Fresno and is on the Local Register of Historic Resources.
In 2024, the city of Fresno renamed a major road after Chávez. The city faced opposition from county officials and residents, the latter of whom sued the city over the name change.
Paul Garcia, a retired educator and outspoken advocate for the renaming of Ventura Avenue to César Chávez Boulevard, supported moving forward with the Chávez celebrations.
“These accusations, that is all they are accusations, are probably unfounded, and until there is evidence they should continue honoring Cesar Chávez legacy,” Garcia said.
“Chávez is well known for his work across the country to support and aid farmworkers. He was monitored by the FBI, he was called a communist, his life was threatened, this is just another episode of someone trying to degrade his reputation and his legacy will continue as it has already,” Garcia said.
Chávez rose to prominence during the mid-1960s by organizing agricultural workers in the central San Joaquin Valley who were subject to substandard wages and living conditions.
He motivated farmworkers to strike, boycott and lobby for better working conditions. He is credited for galvanizing a boycott of non-union grapes as well as a national lettuce boycott. On March 17, 1966, he led 75 Latino and Filipino grape workers on a 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento to protest years of poor pay and working conditions.
But his legacy has long been fraught with criticism over his stance on illegal immigration and his “paranoid” and “dictatorial” approach to leadership, as reported by biographer Miriam Pawel. “Today’s UFW is a modern and progressive labor union and we will seek to learn from our history,” the UFW said in a statement.
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 3:29 PM.
The Fresno Bee
María G. Ortiz-Briones is a reporter and photographer for McClatchy’s Vida en el Valle publication. She covers issues that impact the Latino community in the Central Valley. She is a regular contributor to La Abeja, The Bee’s free weekly newsletter on Latino issues. | María G. Ortiz-Briones es reportera y fotógrafa de la publicación Vida en el Valle de McClatchy. Ella cubre temas que impactan a la comunidad latina en el Valle Central. Es colaboradora habitual de La Abeja, el boletín semanal gratuito de The Bee sobre temas latinos.
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The Fresno Bee
Melissa Montalvo is The Fresno Bee’s accountability reporter. Prior to this role, she covered Latino communities for The Fresno Bee as the part of the Central Valley News Collaborative. She also reported on labor, economy and poverty through newsroom partnerships between The Fresno Bee, Fresnoland and CalMatters as a Report for America Corps member.