Sacramento’s annual César Chávez march canceled after sexual abuse allegations surface
TEACHERS UNION IS PLANNING TO RALLY AT 11:00 THIS MORNING AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE. THERE IS GROWING FALLOUT OVER THE CLAIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE AGAINST THE LATE CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, CESAR CHAVEZ. THEIR ACCUSATIONS THAT FOR YEARS CHAVEZ SEXUALLY ABUSED WOMEN AND MINORS WHILE HE LED THE UNITED FARM WORKERS UNION. AND THE FALLOUT HAS BEEN QUICK, WITH EVENTS BEING CANCELED, STATUES BEING COVERED UP AND TALKS OF RENAMING PARKS AND SCHOOLS, EVEN HOLIDAYS THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED IN HIS HONOR. AND WE’RE LEARNING NOW THAT THE SACRAMENTO CESAR CHAVEZ MARCH COALITION HAS CANCELED ITS ANNUAL MARCH. THAT EVENT DREW PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE, THE COALITION SAYS. INSTEAD, IT’S GOING TO FOCUS RESOURCES ON MAY DAY AND THE DAY WITHOUT AN IMMIGRANT EVENT, WHICH COMES UP ON MAY 1ST. THE GROUP RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT SAYS, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYONE THAT THESE APPALLING ACTS AGAINST WOMEN AND CHILDREN CANNOT BE IGNORED OR SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. THE ALLEGATIONS CAME IN A NEW REPORT FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES. TWO OF THE WOMEN SAY THEY WERE ONLY 12 AND 13 YEARS OLD WHEN THEY WERE ASSAULTED. LABOR RIGHTS LEADER DOLORES HUERTA WORKED ALONGSIDE CHAVEZ. SHE CLAIMS SHE WAS ALSO SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY THE LATE ACTIVIST. SHE SAYS THE ASSAULTS LED TO TWO PREGNANCIES. SHE CHOSE TO KEEP THE CHILDREN SECRET AND ARRANGED FOR THEM TO BE RAISED BY OTHER FAMILIES. SHE SAYS SHE HAS STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THEM. IN A STATEMENT, HUERTA SAYS SHE STAYED QUIET BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED EXPOSING THE TRUTH WOULD HURT THE FARMWORKER MOVEMENT SHE WAS FIGHTING FOR. SHE SAYS IN PART, QUOTE, THERE ARE NO WORDS STRONG ENOUGH TO CONDEMN THOSE DEPLORABLE ACTIONS THAT HE DID. CESAR’S ACTIONS DO NOT REFLECT THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR MOVEMENT. MEANTIME, THE CHAVEZ FAMILY ALSO RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT THEY HONOR THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO FEEL UNHEARD AND WHO REPORT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THIS HAS BEEN DEEPLY PAINFUL FOR OUR FAMILY. IN THE MEANTIME, A STATUE OF CHAVEZ AT FRESNO STATE IS NOW COVERED. SACRAMENTO HAS A STATUE OF HIM IN CESAR CHAVEZ PLAZA IN DOWNTOWN, AND NOW LOCAL LEADERS ARE TAKING SOME ACTION TRYING TO RENAME THAT PLAZA. SACRAMENTO MAYOR KEVIN MCCARTHY ANNOUNCED A COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE TO FAST TRACK THIS PROCESS. IT ACTUALLY STARTED LAST NIGHT. IT’S ALWAYS HEARTBREAKING, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU FIND OUT THAT SOMEONE YOU HELD IN SUCH HIGH REGARD, YOU KNOW, ALSO, YOU KNOW, CHOSE TO USE THEIR THEIR POSITION, THEIR POWER TO TO HARM OTHERS. THERE’S CONSENSUS THAT IT SHOULD BE RENAMED. I THINK THAT EVERYONE AGREES. AND IT’S A, AS A MATTER OF SAYING LIKE, WHERE DO WE START AND WHAT ARE PEOPLE’S IDEAS? AND RIGHT NOW ON THE KCRA 3 APP AND KCRA.COM, YOU CAN READ BOTH DOLORES HUERTA’S AND THE CHAVEZ
Sacramento’s annual César Chávez march canceled after sexual abuse allegations surface
Updated: 8:37 AM PDT Mar 19, 2026
An annual march in Sacramento celebrating the legacy of the late César Chávez, a civil rights activist who’s now being accused of sexual abuse involving young women and children, is no longer happening this year.A multi-year New York Times investigation included interviews with two women who said Chávez molested them while they were underage in the 1970s. Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the nation’s largest farmworkers union alongside Chávez, also said Chávez sexually assaulted her. She said she had two secret children after two sexual encounters with him.Since then, events honoring Chávez are being canceled, and officials are either working toward or considering renaming locations named after Chávez. Notably, the California Museum is already planning to remove Chávez from the California Hall of Fame, a first in Hall of Fame history.The march in Sacramento is the latest to distance itself from Chávez.| MORE LIKE THIS | Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s open to renaming César Chávez Day in California after sex abuse allegations”I think I can speak for everyone that these appalling acts against women and children can not be ignored or swept under the rug,” a statement from the Sacramento César Chávez March Coalition read.Instead of observing César Chávez Day on March 31, the coalition said it will focus its resources on May Day and the Day Without an Immigrant event that will take place on May 1. The coalition also plans to focus resources on next year’s International Women’s Day.Chávez and Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became United Farm Workers. The union is also choosing not to observe March 31 following the allegations. Republican Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo has since filed legislation to rename California’s state holiday to Farmworker Day.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
An annual march in Sacramento celebrating the legacy of the late César Chávez, a civil rights activist who’s now being accused of sexual abuse involving young women and children, is no longer happening this year.
A multi-year New York Times investigation included interviews with two women who said Chávez molested them while they were underage in the 1970s.
Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the nation’s largest farmworkers union alongside Chávez, also said Chávez sexually assaulted her. She said she had two secret children after two sexual encounters with him.
Since then, events honoring Chávez are being canceled, and officials are either working toward or considering renaming locations named after Chávez. Notably, the California Museum is already planning to remove Chávez from the California Hall of Fame, a first in Hall of Fame history.
The march in Sacramento is the latest to distance itself from Chávez.
| MORE LIKE THIS | Gov. Gavin Newsom says he’s open to renaming César Chávez Day in California after sex abuse allegations
“I think I can speak for everyone that these appalling acts against women and children can not be ignored or swept under the rug,” a statement from the Sacramento César Chávez March Coalition read.
Instead of observing César Chávez Day on March 31, the coalition said it will focus its resources on May Day and the Day Without an Immigrant event that will take place on May 1. The coalition also plans to focus resources on next year’s International Women’s Day.
Chávez and Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became United Farm Workers. The union is also choosing not to observe March 31 following the allegations.
Republican Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo has since filed legislation to rename California’s state holiday to Farmworker Day.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel