The city of Riverside will be among municipalities nationwide this year nixing any mention of Cesar Chavez on the holiday named for him following revelations that the civil rights activist allegedly sexually abused women and girls for years.
“We are aware of actions taking place both locally and nationally and determining what appropriate steps will be taken here,” Riverside Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said Thursday night.
She said a ceremonial proclamation planned during the City Council meeting on Tuesday recognizing Cesar Chavez Day will be tabled in favor of a proclamation designating “United Farmworkers Day” on March 31.
The mayor’s announcement follows numerous related ones across California and the country.
According to city officials, going forward, there will be a reassessment of the current Cesar Chavez Community Center on University Avenue, along with the Cesar Chavez statue a block from City Hall on the Main Street pedestrian mall.
Administrators are expected to soon begin soliciting input from the community on prospective new names.
Riverside County officials did not announce any formal steps in reaction to the allegations against the now disgraced labor leader. However, the Executive Office released a statement Thursday night recognizing the “serious and difficult information” that has impacted those who previously considered Chavez a hero.
“We recognize the weight of what has been shared and the impact this moment may have on many in our community, particularly within the Latino community and among those connected to the farmworker movement,” the EO stated. “Issues of harm and abuse must always be taken seriously. We stand with those who may be impacted and affirm the importance of support, care and access to resources.”
There was no word on what some of the county’s other government entities may be considering in the wake of the allegations, which stemmed from a New York Times investigative piece.
Reporters uncovered evidence that Chavez had been an alleged sexual predator, exploiting his leadership position in the National Farm Workers Association to groom and abuse females of various ages.
Among his accusers is Dolores Huerta, who had been a co-organizer in the collective empowerment movement during the 1960s. She was impregnated twice by Chavez, according to public statements.
In Los Angeles, some activists are seeking the re-christening of streets and other facilities in honor of Huerta instead of Chavez.
The city of Denver, Colorado, this week declared Cesar Chavez Day 2026 would be “Si Se Puede Day” — Yes, We Can Day — removing all recognition of the labor leader. Published reports indicated there are well over 100 places or objects nationwide saluting Chavez.
His birthday, March 31, was formally declared a state holiday in California beginning in 2000. However, counties and municipalities have always had the option to include or exclude it on their holiday calendars for local government workers. Courthouses are always closed.