The Cesar Chavez mural that welcomed people to East Austin is gone.<\/p>\n
The mural was painted over this week, leaving the side of a building at the corner of Cesar Chavez Street and Waller Street blank. <\/p>\n
Its removal comes a week after a New York Times investigation<\/a> revealed multiple allegations of sexual assault by Chavez against young women and girls, including civil rights leader Dolores Huerta.<\/p>\n Eric Barth, a co-owner of the building who runs his architecture firm from it, said the decision to paint over the mural was a result of the allegations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe felt like it was no longer something that we wanted to be associated with the business,\u201d Barth said. \u201cThat was a discussion we had with the community leaders and the neighborhood leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2023, Arte Texas, a group that restores neighborhood murals, worked on the Cesar Chavez project with local artist Tanner Martinez. After years of vandalization, the restoration gave the mural an updated look and a new quote associated with the farm worker movement. Bertha Rendon Ortiz, the founder of Arte Texas, said Chavez\u2019s face and legacy have always been there.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been here 46 years and we\u2019ve always seen that mural,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen you enter the East Austin neighborhood you would see Cesar Chavez\u2019s face, you would see a field, you would see farm workers and you would see the message \u2018Si Se Puede\u2019. It was iconic.\u201d<\/p>\n Rendon Ortiz said it is heartbreaking to see the mural be painted over.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was our hero, he gave us hope,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Austin organizers and city leaders were also quick to respond to the allegations. The annual Cesar Chavez parade and celebration scheduled for Saturday was canceled<\/a>. Austin City Council members said they would explore renaming Cesar Chavez Street.<\/a><\/p>\n Gov. Greg Abbott also directed all Texas state agencies to not observe<\/a> Cesar Chavez Day on March 31. The Texas Education Agency followed suit and directed<\/a> schools to “cancel or otherwise redirect events and activities tied to Chavez.” <\/p>\n