Austin officials are contemplating a name change for Cesar Chavez Street following serious allegations of sexual assault against the late civil rights leader. The street, which stretches from MoPac Expressway through downtown to U.S. 183, was renamed in Chavez’s honor shortly after his death in 1993.
The initiative to name the road after Chavez was spearheaded by the local nonprofit El Concillo Mexican-American Landowners de East Austin in the early 1990s. In light of recent allegations, the organization is now advocating for the street to be renamed once again.
Gavino Fernandez Jr., a spokesperson for El Concillo, expressed the group’s sense of responsibility towards the women who have come forward with their experiences. “We feel compelled that we have to be accountable and be respectful of the women victims who were part of this experience,” he stated. “It is not in the best interest of our organization to be affiliated any longer with him.”
During a recent interview, Council Member Vanessa Fuentes emphasized the urgency of the situation. “These are very serious allegations,” she remarked. “Dolores Huerta is a living leader of the labor movement, and her sharing her story and personal experiences with Cesar Chavez is something we have to take seriously. We need to believe her, and I believe we need to act quickly in acknowledging what happened there.”
Fuentes, along with fellow council members José Velásquez and Chito Vela, released a statement advocating for the name change, asserting their support for those who have experienced harm. “We unequivocally stand with every individual who was harmed and those who bravely shared their stories,” the statement read. “The center of our city and the heart of East Austin should reflect our commitment to justice. We support the renaming of Cesar Chavez Street and will begin the discussion with the community at the forefront.”
Council Member Zo Qadri, who represents a district that includes parts of Cesar Chavez Street, voiced his agreement with the proposed renaming. “Abusers should always be held accountable, no matter who they are,” he stated. “Whether it is the President of the United States or the co-founder of a labor organization, we must hold people accountable, and survivors deserve justice.”
A mural dedicated to Chavez adorns a building at the corner of Waller and Cesar Chavez streets, and the University of Texas at Austin features a statue of him on its campus. Fernandez Jr. mentioned that the future of these projects would depend on the organizations that manage them.
On the same day, the organizers of the annual Cesar Chavez parade and celebration in Austin announced the cancellation of the event, which was set to take place on March 28. Additionally, Governor Greg Abbott directed all Texas state agencies to refrain from observing Cesar Chavez Day, stating his intention to ask the Legislature to remove the holiday from state law in the upcoming session.
Prior to Abbott’s announcement, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus Executive Committee had expressed plans to replace the state holiday with one that honors other influential leaders, including Huerta. Recent investigations have surfaced accusations from women and girls claiming they were abused by Chavez, including prominent civil rights figure Dolores Huerta.
Any change to the street name would require approval from the City Council. While the new name has yet to be determined, Fuentes assured that community input would play a significant role in the decision-making process. Both Fuentes and Fernandez Jr. have expressed an interest in potentially naming the street after Huerta, highlighting her strength in coming forward and emphasizing that the fight for civil rights and the farm workers’ movement transcends any single individual.
“We are not talking negative about the movement,” Fernandez Jr. clarified. “The movement continues, the injustices continue. We are not chastising that. We are chastising the person that was involved in that movement.”
