Dolores Huerta allegedly assaulted by UFW co-founder Cesar Chavez
Dolores Huerta claims that Cesar Chavez sexually assaulted her while he was leading the farm worker movement and co-founding the United Farm Workers Union.
A Georgia organization focused on Latino civic engagement has canceled a scheduled essay contest following accusations against the late farm worker activist Cesar Chavez.
Galeo announced Wednesday that its Legends Essay Contest has been canceled this year and that any mention of Chavez will be removed from future contests.
“Galeo is deeply saddened and disillusioned by recent allegations of sexual abuse of women and minors by Cesar Chavez,” the group said in a statement. “This news weighs heavily on our hearts as many in our community looked up to him as a leader and role model. The testimonies and statements of the survivors who have come forward are heartbreaking and truly disturbing.”
This essay contest focuses on farmworker leaders and “Georgia’s unsung heroes.”
Here’s what you need to know:
What is Galeo?
“We will continue to elevate the voices of communities across our state and advance a vision of leadership that prioritizes empathy, equity, and empowerment, not others,” the group said in a statement.
GALEO was founded in Norcross, Georgia in 2003 and was previously known as the Georgia Associated of Elected Officials, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization.
The organization works to improve civic engagement and representation for Georgia’s Latino community, from advocacy to voter reporting and fundraising.
According to the 2024 report, there were 498,298 registered Latino voters in Georgia, making up 4.1% of the electorate. This is an increase of more than 100,000 people from 2020.
Gwinnett and Cobb counties had the highest increases in Latino voters for the 2024 election cycle, but Fulton, DeKalb, and Hall counties also saw significant increases. Hall County is currently planning to build a future ICE processing facility in Oakwood, but it is facing significant opposition from within and outside the county.
What was Cesar Chavez accused of?
Prominent labor leader Cesar Chavez has been accused of sexual assault and abuse of young women and girls, according to a New York Times investigation. Ana Murguia told the Times that Chavez coerced her when she was 13 years old.
Fellow civil rights activist Dolores Huerta accused Chavez of raping her in 1966. Huerta shared the full statement on the blogging platform Medium.
“I am almost 96 years old and have kept this secret for the past 60 years, believing that revealing the truth would be detrimental to the farm worker movement I have spent my life fighting for,” Huerta wrote. “I have always encouraged people to speak out. Following the New York Times’ multi-year investigation into sexual misconduct by Cesar Chavez, I can no longer remain silent and must share my story.”
Huerta said part of her desire to come forward came from knowing that her abuse was not isolated and that other women and girls were also victims.
Mr. Chavez died in 1993 after serving as a leader of the United Farm Workers and is buried at the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in California.
How did others react to Chavez’s report?
The Times report drew immediate support for the victims from groups across the country, and political leaders opted to rename roads and remove statues.
Chavez’s name is emblazoned on schools, parks, public libraries, state buildings and even California holidays, all of which are now under scrutiny.
The UFW has distanced itself from Chavez in the days since the report, canceling his birthday celebration on March 31st. Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said the state would not honor him this year, and Milwaukee City Councilwoman Jocasta Zamarripa also announced the city would cancel the celebration.
California Sen. Alex Padilla supported removing Chavez’s name from various landmarks in a statement.
“Facing painful truths and ensuring accountability is essential to honoring the very values that the large farm worker movement stands for: values rooted in dignity and justice for all people,” he said.
Eileen Wright is an Atlanta Connect reporter for USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. X Find her at @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
