Organizers of the annual Cesar Chavez parade and celebration in Austin have canceled the event after sexual abuse allegations against the labor union organizer have been made public.
The accusations detailed in a New York Times investigation include sexual assault and abuse against women and girls, including civil rights leader Dolores Huerta, who cofounded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union with Chavez, who died in 1993.
The Austin event was scheduled for March 28. In an Instagram post, organizers said the decision was made after careful consideration. While Chavez’s legacy was part of the celebration, organizers said the march also honored the farmworker movement and promoted civic engagement and they hope to continue a march for justice in the future.
“For years, this march has served as a powerful reminder of the values we all fought for: equality, justice, and dignity for all workers,” said Alicia Perez-Hodge, with Hispanic Advocates and Business Leaders of Austin and the League of United Latin American Citizens.
“While we are deeply disappointed to pause this tradition, our priority remains the pursuit of justice, securing workers’ rights, and the well-being of our community.”
In a statement shared on Facebook, Huerta detailed two unwanted sexual encounters with Chávez that resulted in two pregnancies she kept secret. Huerta, 96, said she kept quiet because she thought exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement.
“The formation of a union was the only vehicle to accomplish and secure those rights and I wasn’t going to let Cesar or anyone else get in the way,” Huerta said.
The Times’ investigation includes two other public allegations of Chavez sexually abusing two minors during his time as the President of UFW.
On Tuesday, UFW and the Cesar Chavez Foundation released separate statements acknowledging the allegations.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by what we are hearing,” the Cesar Chavez Foundation said.
The UFW said it has not received any direct reports and doesn’t have firsthand knowledge of the allegations.
The organizations said they are working together to establish a process to share their experiences and work towards reconciliation.
Austin is not the first city to cancel its celebrations. Other cities, including San Antonio, Laredo, Tucson and San Francisco, have also canceled in light of the news.