The El Paso County Commissioners Court is poised to approve a resolution to revise El Paso County’s holiday leave policy, renaming the currently recognized Cesar Chavez Day holiday.
The county looks to rename March 31 to Farmworkers Appreciation Day following the emergence of sexual abuse accusations against the labor leader. The revision is currently as item ‘P’ on the Commissioners Court’s regular session agenda for Monday, March 30.
The county’s resolution is the latest effort to abandon the name of the late Mexican American farm labor and civil rights activist. El Paso city officials announced on March 18 that the city would recognize “Community and Labor Heritage Day” in place of the celebration of Chavez.
The New York Times conducted an extensive investigation that included dozens of on-the-record interviews that exposed a pattern of sexual abuse by the famed union leader, including the alleged sexual abuse of underage girls and the rape of his closest confidant, Dolores Huerta.
Cities across the United States quickly responded, covering statues of the labor leader, renaming the day designated to commemorate his work organizing farm workers, or abandoning the commemoration. Paintings of the labor leader were quickly painted over.
Precinct 2 Commissioner David Stout presented the resolution for Monday. He issued a statement expressing the seriousness of the accusations and recognizing the courage of the survivors in speaking out about the abuses.
“I am deeply troubled by the recent allegations and historical accounts of abuse associated with Cesar Chavez,” Stout said in a statement. “The farmworker movement and the broader fight for civil rights are bigger than any one person.
“They were built by generations of farmworkers, women, organizers, and immigrant families who demanded dignity, safety, and fair treatment. Their sacrifices and their courage are what shaped that movement, and their stories should remain at the center of how we remember this history.”
His fellow commissioners have supported the resolution.
“I fully support it,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Jackie Butler told the El Paso Times. “In El Paso, this day reflects the history and contributions of farmworkers and immigrant labor that are part of who we are. For a lot of families here, that’s personal. I also think it’s about collective power. It’s about dignity, workers’ rights, and the role Latino history and civic engagement play in shaping our community.”
Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@usatodayco.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso County to vote on renaming Cesar Chavez Day holiday March 31
Reporting by Jeff Abbott, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
