Farmworkers Day is celebrated for the first time in California today after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill renaming Cesar Chavez Day late last week.
The annual federal holiday falls on Chavez’s birthday, March 31. California’s change comes as the labor leader was accused of sexual assault by multiple women, including fellow civil rights activist Dolores Huerta.
In Boyle Heights, dozens of activists and residents gathered Tuesday morning along Cesar E. Chavez Avenue to recognize the new holiday while also reflecting on what it represents for farmworker communities.
For some, the day was less about Chavez himself and more about honoring farmworkers’ labor.
“Thank you to everyone who works on the farm,” Maria De La Barrio, a peace activist who organized the event, said to those who harvest fruits and vegetables across the state.
At the same time, De La Barrio used the gathering to call on city leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, to reconsider how Chavez is publicly memorialized.
“Karen Bass must bring love. Now is the time to speak for justice. People must speak up for farmworkers,” she said. “You can get rid of the name Cesar Chavez, but you can’t get rid of the history.”
De La Barrio called on Bass to restore the street’s original name, Brooklyn Avenue, arguing that history extends beyond a single figure.
Following the allegations, Chavez’s name and image have been removed or covered from plaques, monuments, statues, signage and more across the country. USC also plans to remove or replace campus signs memorializing Chavez, according to the Daily Trojan.
José, a local resident, said the focus on allegations risks overshadowing decades of organizing work that improved conditions for agricultural workers.
“The name change should have been to another Latino name, but changing it to Brooklyn is an act of erasure of Latino culture,” José said in an interview conducted in Spanish. He did not provide a last name out of concerns for his privacy and safety.
He added that the United States lacks unity when it comes to race and called for greater solidarity within the community.
“Cesar Chavez did wrong, but you can’t forget the rights he fought for,” he said. “The bad doesn’t erase the positive things that were done.”
He added that public figures are often judged more harshly for their shortcomings than remembered for their impact.
Others at the event expressed skepticism about posthumous allegations, which can’t be tried in court.
“She’s speaking far too late. How can you accuse someone who is no longer here to defend themselves? There were plenty of years for her to bring this up, but the timing and speed of this erasure feel all wrong,” Irma, an attendee of the gathering, said in an interview conducted in Spanish. She preferred to be referred to by her first name only for privacy and safety.
She pointed out that Chavez had long been publicly honored, including countless tributes such as street names and murals, without any objection from Huerta before. She questioned the quick action in removing all traces of Chavez.
Despite the debate, Irma said the meaning of the day would remain unchanged for many in the community. As for the street, even if it were renamed, she said, people would likely continue referring to it as Cesar Chavez Avenue.
Emily S. Chavez contributed to this story.