United Farm Workers is boycotting its own Cesar Chavez Day celebrations — citing allegations too explosive to even discuss publicly

The United Farm Workers (UFW) is boycotting its own Cesar Chavez Day celebrations this year over deeply troubling allegations against the late civil rights icon. The UFW, which Chavez co-founded, is stepping back from annual events meant to honor him. The UFW Foundation, a nonprofit connected to the union, has also canceled “all Cesar Chavez Day activities this month.”

According to CNN, the Cesar Chavez Foundation said the allegations relate to “inappropriate sexual behavior with women and minors during his time as president of the United Farm Workers of America.” The UFW released a statement saying Chavez “behaved in ways that are incompatible with our organization’s values.” The union has not shared specifics, saying some reports are “family issues” not for them to disclose.

The UFW did say that “far more troubling are allegations involving abuse of young women or minors.” The union also noted it has not received any direct reports and lacks firsthand knowledge of these claims. Both the union and the Cesar Chavez Foundation are setting up a confidential channel for anyone who wants to share harmful experiences and are working on accountability measures.

The fallout from these allegations is being felt across the country

Events in Houston, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Lansing, Michigan, have been canceled. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs confirmed the state will not recognize the commemorative holiday this year. Instead of celebrating, the UFW is asking allies and supporters to focus on “Immigration justice events and acts of service to support farmworkers” this year. This comes at a time when ICE’s armed patrols targeting Latino communities have become a major concern for immigrant rights groups.

Cesar Chavez was born in 1927 near Yuma, Arizona, and grew up working on California farms. He co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, which later became the United Farm Workers of America. He advocated for fair wages, humane treatment, and safer working conditions through nonviolent marches, boycotts, and hunger strikes. His first hunger strike in 1968 lasted 25 days.

After his death in 1993, schools were named after him, California established a state holiday in his honor in 1995, and President Barack Obama decreed March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day nationally in 2014. President Joe Biden placed a bust of Chavez behind his Oval Office desk on his first day in office. However, journalist Miriam Pawel’s biography noted his leadership purges within the UFW and his opposition to undocumented immigrants, whom he believed threatened union farm labor.

Juan Jose Gutierrez, executive director of the Full Rights for Immigrant Coalition, who worked with Chavez personally, expressed his “utter disappointment” over the news. He called it a “bitter pill to swallow” because of how iconic Chavez is. 

“Children, even now, know about Cesar Chavez and many generations before him were inspired by him,” he said. Gutierrez added, “I still can’t recover,” and said that if the allegations are proven credible, it would be a “blow to his legacy,” no matter how much time has passed. The broader farmworker community also faces fresh challenges, as Trump’s promise to protect American workers has not always translated into action for those in the agricultural sector.

US Rep. Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona, said, “It is ok to feel angry, shocked, heartbroken, saddened, confused, and dismayed – all at the same time.” She noted that while there are “more questions than answers,” it is important to remember that “one person does not define a movement. We, the people, are the movement.”