In the wake of the bombshell allegations against the late farm workers rights icon Cesar Chavez, city officials may ditch his name from half of a major San Antonio roadway. Though, the future of the road’s eastern end is unclear.
You’ll find a boulevard or downtown street carrying Chavez’s name through most major cities in Texas. He was a major political activist that brought significant social change for laborers from Texas to California. But recent allegations claiming long-lasting sexual abuse and misconduct have tainted his name, even as organizations carrying his work aim to separate the mission from the man.
In the latest, San Antonio District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo called on her colleagues to consider changing the name of West Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard – the western half of a road that spans downtown from UTSA at I-10 to I-37 on the eastern edge of downtown.
“This is about listening to our community and ensuring their voices guide decisions that shape our public spaces,” Castillo said in a statement. “We are committed to creating a transparent and inclusive process where residents can share their perspectives and help determine a path forward that reflects our community’s values.”
Castillo is trying to develop a series of community listening sessions, in partnership with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), to engage with the community. It’s in hopes her neighborhoods can land on a new name for the stretch of road in her district.
In the wake of the bombshell allegations against the late farm workers rights icon Cesar Chavez, city officials may ditch his name from half of a major San Antonio roadway. (TxDOT)
Due to the severity of the accusations, says Castillo, she wants these sessions scheduled posthaste in the immediate months. She’s also asking city staff to try and nail down a fund which could cover the cost of sign replacement and other name change costs that would otherwise be taken on by her constituents. That includes changing addresses, driver’s licenses or personal checks for folks who live on the now controversial boulevard.
It’s not the first time this street has been given a new name. It was changed from Durango Boulevard to West Cesar E. Chavez back in 2011, and Castillo doesn’t want to see her constituents eat the cost of another name change.
“In the spirit of fairness, we should explore a solution to absorb these costs,” Castillo said.
This call to action from the San Antonio City Councilwoman comes on the heels of a nationwide shakeup. San Antonio was among the first cities to cancel its Cesar Chavez Parade as accusations surfaced, but it’s been a snowball effect ever since.
The City of San Antonio provided the following statement to MySA:
“The City of San Antonio follows an established process for street naming and renaming to ensure consistency, coordination, and community input.”
“The City Manager will work with the Mayor and City Council to determine the appropriate process and timing for any potential change. The City is committed to an approach that will keep the community informed and allow for public input as the discussion moves forward.”
This article originally published at Cesar Chavez to be stripped from San Antonio boulevard name? What we know.