investigation<\/a> this week, detailing multiple accusations of sexual misconduct against late labor and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. <\/p>\n\u201cIt\u2019s a shame. Cesar Chavez\u2019s name carries all over the country, in our schools,\u201d Gilbert Flores, a former Lubbock County Commissioner, said. \u201cWe looked up to Chavez as a leader, as an example. I don\u2019t think this can be forgiven.\u201d <\/p>\n
Numerous women, including his co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association \u2013 Dolores Huerta \u2013 say Chavez sexually assaulted them over the span of multiple years. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat Cesar asked her to be silent and not to share her experience \u2013 it triggered me. It made me very angry,\u201d Christy Martinez-Garcia, the city councilwoman for District 1, said. <\/p>\n
Flores experienced life before and during Chavez\u2019s civil and labor rights work. He says he knows what it was like to face racism and hatred, and to appreciate Chavez for standing up for the Latino community. <\/p>\n
The accusations against Chavez are disappointing, he said, marring his legacy and any of the good Chavez accomplished. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think a majority of people do and did respect him for the person he was and the efforts he made to help the community, but that\u2019s unforgiveable,\u201d Flores said. \u201cI don\u2019t look up to him anymore. Maybe as a civil rights leader, but not as a man.\u201d <\/p>\n
Chavez died in 1993, leaving the women he\u2019s accused of assaulting without justice. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat can you do to have some justice? I would say punish his name. Punish his legacy,\u201d Flores said. <\/p>\n
Efforts to erase Chavez\u2019s name and image are underway across the country. <\/p>\n
Here in Lubbock, Martinez-Garcia worked to rename parts of Canyon Lakes Drive after the leader in 2008. Now, she says she wants to work to remove it. <\/p>\n
\u201cI will be working as a councilwoman, as the person who initiated and led the effort to name the street Cesar E. Chavez Drive,\u201d Martinez-Garcia said. \u201cIt\u2019s not something we need to be connected with at this time and I think it\u2019s going to be important for us to rename the street.\u201d <\/p>\n
Martinez-Garcia did not say who she would recommend be honored if Cesar E. Chavez Drive is renamed in Lubbock. <\/p>\n
According to the city code, a formal application or petition must be submitted to the city planning department. The Planning and Zoning Commission will then review the request and send its recommendation to City Council. <\/p>\n
City Council has the final vote on any name changes. <\/p>\n
Both Martinez-Garcia and Flores say while these allegations are disappointing, they will not divide the Hispanic community. <\/p>\n
\u201cI actually think it\u2019s going to unite it,\u201d Flores said. \u201cWe need to stand together and do what is right and correct the wrong.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t let one person\u2019s actions impact your decisions about this beautiful culture and community,\u201d Martinez-Garcia said. \u201cThere are so many folks in our community that have done wonderful things and are doing great things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lala Chavez issued this statement on Thursday night:<\/p>\n
Lala Chavez, Board of Trustees for L.I.S.D.<\/p>\n
I want to take a moment to speak openly and honestly about the recent news concerning Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.<\/p>\n
Like so many others, I have long supported the farmworkers\u2019 movement and everything it stood for\u2014fair wages, dignity, respect, and justice for working families. That commitment is something I carry with me still, and it has not changed.<\/p>\n
But I also believe that supporting a movement means being willing to confront difficult truths when they come to light. The recent information about Cesar Chavez is deeply disappointing and painful to hear. It challenges the image many of us grew up with, and it forces us to reflect on how we define leadership and legacy.<\/p>\n
At the same time, we must center the voices of those who come forward. Dolores Huerta has been a pillar of this movement\u2014her leadership, sacrifice, and courage have helped shape the fight for workers\u2019 rights in ways that cannot be overlooked. She deserves not only recognition, but respect and belief. We must listen to her, we must support her, and yes\u2014we must believe her.<\/p>\n
This moment is not about turning our backs on the farmworkers\u2019 movement. It is about strengthening it. It is about making sure that the values we claim to stand for\u2014justice, fairness, and accountability\u2014are truly reflected in the people we choose to honor.<\/p>\n
That is why I believe it is in the best interest of our communities to re-examine the way we commemorate historical figures. I am calling for streets and public places currently named after Cesar Chavez to be renamed in honor of Dolores Huerta. This is not about erasing history, but about moving forward with honesty and integrity. It is about uplifting a leader whose contributions and character deserve to be recognized in full.<\/p>\n
We have an opportunity right now to show that our communities are guided not just by tradition, but by truth. That we are willing to grow, to listen, and to stand on the side of what is right\u2014even when it is difficult.<\/p>\n
I stand with the values of the movement. I stand with the workers. And today, I stand with Dolores Huerta.<\/p>\n
Thank you.<\/p>\n
Lala Chavez<\/p>\n
Board of Trustees for L.I.S.D.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 KCBD. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Some leaders in Lubbock are calling for change, as a man once heralded as…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":212265,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[21021,15804,319,66,168,170,169,32408,83129,8059,374,27],"class_list":["post-212411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-lubbock","tag-accusations","tag-cesar-chavez","tag-kcbd","tag-local","tag-lubbock","tag-lubbock-headlines","tag-lubbock-news","tag-madeleine-hall","tag-martinez-garcia","tag-sexual-misconduct","tag-south-plains","tag-texas"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=212411"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/212411\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/212265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=212411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=212411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=212411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}