SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) - Communities across the Central Coast are grappling with difficult questions following recent allegations surrounding labor leader César Chávez.
Recent reports allege that César Chávez sexually abused women, including some who were minors, during his lifetime. Among the women reportedly affected was Dolores Huerta, the legendary labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers, who worked closely with Chávez for decades.
On February 28, 2026, Dolores Huerta made an appearance and spoke with students at Oxnard College. Huerta came forward with experiences following an investigation released by the New York Times on Wednesday.
“I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here,” Huerta.
From schools and streets to murals and public spaces in the Central Coast, Chávez’ name is deeply embedded throughout the region. He was long seen as a symbol of farmworker rights and Latino empowerment.
From down south in Oxnard, Chávez grew up in the La Colonia neighborhood where he worked local fields. In 1958, he returned back to Oxnard to organize farmer workers and established a Community Service Organization chapter, and advocated for citizenship and voting rights.
Oxnard has highlighted Chávez through street names, murals, and Schools such as César Chávez Elementary School, César Chávez Street, and a mural in Colonia Park.
In Santa Barbara as well has Calle César Chávez, and in northern county, you can find street names named after him as well.
UCSB distinguished Professor of Chicana and Chicano studies, Aida Hurtado, spoke more on the instant reaction the community took once hearing about the allegations.
"We have to give Latinos, Latinx people credit for reacting so quickly. And, and just going to it, I mean, it's like within an hour people were taking things down," said Hurtado. "The hope is the reaction. There's no doubt. People just said it. She says it happened. We believe you. And that in itself is empowerment. We're not splitting up. We still have a lot of work to do, especially with the farmworker community. We don't want this as a distraction, even though we're acknowledging it. Our purpose is very clear. And I think that, it almost reaffirms our purpose."
Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo has introduced legislation to rename the March 31 state holiday currently honoring Chávez to 'Farmworker Day.'
“Farmworkers are essential to our everyday lives — from the food we eat to the economy we enjoy,” Macedo said. “The fight for dignity in the fields was never about one person... it is about the millions of workers who sweat, toil and aspire for a better life.”
Congressman Salud Carbajal expressed concern over the allegations, saying he stands with victims and emphasized the importance of recognizing farmworkers as a whole rather than focusing on one individual.
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