The City Council voted on Tuesday, March 24, to rename Carson ‘s upcoming tribute to the late Cesar Chavez, a well-known leader of the farmworkers union movement, in the wake of of allegations that the activist had sexually abused female followers, including minors, and raped Dolores Huerta, with whom he cofounded United Farm Workers.
The council, during a special meeting, agreed to change the name of the Friday, March 27, event to United Farmworkers Dignity Day. The following Monday, national Cesar Chavez Day, will also now be known as United Farmworkers Dignity Day in Carson.
The change comes after the New York Times reported last week a series of a sexual-abuse allegations against Chavez, with Huerta, one of his partners in the labor movement during the 1960s, among the multiple victims identified in the story — which others as young as 12 years old. The revelations reverberated state- and nationwide, but particularly so in Los Angeles County, where dozens of streets, schools, parks and public buildings are named after Chavez, who died in 1993.
Since then, officials across Los Angeles County – and much of the state – have rushed to identify landmarks and events named after the famed farmworker rights activist.
The ongoing efforts to remove Chavez’s name from various buildings and parks began just a few weeks after he Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution recognizing his legacy and directing schools to teach his contributions to labor and civil rights. Carson did the same, with council members reading a proclamation honoring Chavez during a meeting earlier this month.
Now, in light of the allegations, they have changed tack. Supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath have initiated a process to have Chavez’s name and likeness removed from parks, streets, monuments, civic art and other county programs.
As for Carson, the council unanimously approved changing the name of the tribute event, which the city has typically held just before the state holiday that occurs on the last Monday of March. The newly named United Farmworkers Dignity Day event will take place at 6 p.m. Friday at the Carson Event Center, 801 Carson St.
“By transitioning to United Farmworkers Dignity Day, we are ensuring our city’s tributes are consistent with evolving regional recognitions of labor history,” Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said in a written statement. “This name change allows us to broaden the scope of the event to honor the collective movement and the tireless work of the farmworkers who built the foundation for labor rights in our region.”
In Carson, Councilmember Arlene Rojas said, the Cesar Chavez Tribute was never only about him – it was also about the entire farmworkers movement and all of the people it took to create what is now the United Farm Workers union.
Another leader, Rojas said, was Larry Itliong, a Filipino grape picker, who has long been celebrated in Carson. The city celebrates Itliong every year on Oct. 25.
“Larry Itliong and Cesar Chavez were together during that time,” Rojas said. “But it’s really about all the farmworkers that came together to try and make their lives easier. It had one name to it, but all of our celebrations were about thousands of people.”
The new name, meanwhile, emphasizes the collective work it took to form a farmworkers union, Davis-Holmes said.
“We are choosing to highlight the collective power of the union and the thousands of individuals who fought for dignity in the fields,” she said. “We believe this name more accurately reflects the ‘living force’ of the labor movement that continues to drive social and economic equity in our community today.”
The Friday tribute, according to a promotional flyer, will feature a guest speaker, a live band and other performances, and refreshments.
The city also created a Cesar Chavez essay and poster contest, with the winners scheduled to be announced during the event. But, Davis-Holmes said, while the event name has changed, the programming will remain the same.
“The essay and poster contests will continue to be a vital part of the celebration, now integrated into the broader theme of United Farmworkers Dignity Day,” she said. “While the event will not include mention of Cesar Chavez, these contests will continue to encourage our youth to reflect on the history of labor rights, the farmworker movement and the ongoing pursuit of dignity for all workers.”
These events, Rojas added, are for the community. And she urged the community to come forward and share how they want to see the farmworkers labor movement celebrated in Carson – whether it be to continue holding United Farmworkers Dignity Day in March or in a different way.
“We hope that we can get the same support from the community,” Rojas said, “and that they will embrace and celebrate Farmworkers Day.”
The mayor also invited the entire South Bay community to come celebrate with Carson.
“Carson is a city with a deep-rooted union presence, and our identity is inextricably linked to the labor movement,” Davis-Holmes said. “Our events serve as a bridge to honor the triumphs of the people who built our region. We are proud to evolve this celebration to be more inclusive of the collective efforts of all labor unions.
“We invite the entire South Bay community to join us in honoring the farmworkers of the past and the diverse workforce that makes Carson the heart of our region today.”