California Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday he’s open to renaming Cesar Chavez Day, following allegations of long-term sexual abuse against the beloved civil rights leader. The governor’s comments came after a New York Times investigation revealed claims from women who say Chavez sexually abused them in California during the 1960s and 1970s while he held significant power within the farmworkers’ movement.
Newsom shared how tough it’s been to process this news. He mentioned his close relationship with one of the victims, Dolores Huerta, a co-founder of the United Farm Workers, saying, “It’s been hard to absorb this. Jenn and I are very close with Dolores [Huerta], so many of us are and have been for decades and decades, and none of us knew.” Per Newsweek, he added that he and his wife, Jennifer, stand with the victims.
The allegations included detailed accounts of abuse occurring in California’s Central Valley, specifically in Delano, where Chavez was based. Some instances were described as happening over several years throughout the 1970s, with one alleged assault taking place in a secluded grape field near Delano in the mid-1960s.
It is heartbreaking that many people with power abuse it
Dolores Huerta herself released a statement detailing her own experiences. She said she was pressured and forced into having sex with Chavez on two separate occasions, leading to the birth of two of her children. This is a heartbreaking revelation from someone so deeply intertwined with Chavez’s legacy.
Newsom also reflected on the widespread impact of Chavez’s legacy, noting that nearly three dozen schools in California are named after him. He noted the personal connection he felt, having marched many times on the federal holiday dedicated to Chavez in late March. He even has multiple photos of Chavez in his office, including a black-and-white image of Chavez and Robert F. Kennedy that he said is “the first photo I wake up to” when brushing his teeth.
Cesar Chavez Day celebrates his work fighting for farmworker rights and the establishment of the United Farm Workers union, which led to better wages and working conditions. California observes it as a paid federal holiday, and other states, such as Arizona, Texas, and Utah, also mark the day. Newsom told reporters that while he’s open to discussions about the holiday’s future, it’s still too early to make definitive decisions.
Newsom drew a parallel between Chavez’s allegations and Epstein’s, noting a troubling pattern of men in power exploiting their positions to abuse women. “It’s amazing how lazy we are, that we’re not getting under the hood and dealing with the real structural reasons why.” Newsom said, emphasizing that these actions are “about power, it’s about dominance, aggression, it’s not about empathy, care, and compassion.”
Newsom has been critical of Trump’s ties to Epstein, even initiating investigations into censorship at TikTok, so it is no surprise that he could draw that parallel. In the meantime, several celebrations across the country have been cancelled, including celebrations at the United Farm Workers.
Published: Mar 20, 2026 07:08 am