Cesar Chavez, a civil rights activist and labor leader, has been accused of sexually assaulting Daniella Huerta, a lifelong friend and co-founder of United Farm Workers, as well as underage girls.
Born on March 31, 1927, Cesar Chavez, a Mexican American, was a notable Latino community leader known for the changes he made for laborers and for the legislative transformations that helped create better protections for farmers. Having been raised in agriculture, Chavez experienced the harsh realities of farming and the poverty it produced. During the Great Depression, Chavez and his family struggled to maintain their land and ultimately lost it; this would later become the catalyst that ignited his movement.
Inspired by civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, Chavez believed in the power of nonviolent movements. He believed that the power of peace could triumph over injustice and lead to the success of his cause. Through this philosophy, he organized his iconic three-hundred-mile march across California, starting in Delano and ending in Sacramento. Additionally, Chavez led strikes and boycotts of specific products and foods. For instance, in 1965, Chavez marked the commencement of the Delano Grape Strike, which boycotted table grapes for five years due to the dangerous pesticides farmers were required to use to grow them. This movement attracted 10,000 farmers.
That said, Cesar Chavez was not alone in his fight against labor injustice; he worked alongside a lifelong friend, Daniella Huerta, who shared his philosophies and mission.
Huerta worked alongside Chavez and co-founded United Farm Workers (UFW), a farmworkers’ union that sought to “empower migrant farmworkers and to improve their wages and working conditions” and “promote nonviolence and to educate members on political and social issues.” Phrases like “Sí se puede,” coined by Huerta, became their mission statement, translating to “Yes, it can happen.” The movement became so significant that March 31 was dedicated to Chavez and the cause he represented.
However, years after the movement—and after his death on March 5, 2013—Daniella Huerta came forward with a sexual assault accusation against Chavez, along with two other women. According to The Guardian, A New York Times investigation alleged grooming and sexual misconduct during Chavez’s time as a UFW president. Huerta, who is now 95, stated, “I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here.” She explained in the interview that the love and dedication to the cause had prevented her from speaking out earlier, as she did not want to damage the movement.
Specifically, she stated that “exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for.” She further described multiple incidents of forceful sexual behaviors by Chavez, which led to pregnancies that she ultimately gave away to other families.
Additionally, The New York Times’ report details the accounts of two women—daughters of movement leaders in the UFW—who claim to have been groomed and sexually abused as children.
As these allegations surface, states have begun canceling celebrations planned for Chavez Day on March 31st. Current leaders at UWF have commented on these incidents as “shocking” and stated, “The United Farm Workers will not be taking part in any Cesar Chavez Day activities.” They also provided a detailed statement expressing their sorrow on their website.
As these allegations continue to unravel, it leaves many people suffering from grief over a potential hero, and questioning the morals of important figures like Chavez.