AUSTIN, Texas \u2014 Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.<\/p>\n
According to a memo<\/a> on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, Jos\u00e9 Vel\u00e1squez, Vanessa Fuentes, Jos\u00e9 \u201cChito\u201d Vela and Zohaib \u201cZo\u201d Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.<\/p>\n “The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.<\/p>\n For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:<\/p>\n Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed. And the council members said the outreach plan should include:<\/p>\n A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session. The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.<\/p>\n C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Ch\u00e1vez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.<\/p>\n In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.<\/p>\n Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Ch\u00e1vez<\/a>. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Ch\u00e1vez.<\/p>\n The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation \u2014 the foundation that hosted the nation\u2019s largest\u00a0C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez march in San Antonio for 29 years \u2014 announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public\u2019s feedback<\/a> on renaming C\u00e9sar E. Ch\u00e1vez Boulevard.<\/p>\n
\nEngage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
\nAssess estimated renaming costs to the city.
\nAssess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
\nFollow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).<\/p>\n
\nAn online survey for the public.
\nA stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.<\/p>\n