In a memo released Wednesday, District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo proposed exploring a possible renaming process with public participation.
SAN ANTONIO — This year’s Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice was canceled by organizers on March 6 for unclear reasons. Now a New York Times investigation has shed light on why: allegations of sexual abuse involving the late civil rights leader leader Cesar E. Chavez.
The annual march, typically held on the last Saturday of March to coincide with Cesar Chavez Day, draws thousands of participants for a two-mile march on the city’s west side.
In response to the allegations, San Antonio District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo on Wednesday asked the city manager to organize community meetings to gather input on potentially renaming Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard as well as the city’s Chavez-related holiday.
“When I read it, I was disheartened and disgusted,” Castillo said, referring to the reported allegations. “What came to mind is how do we engage the community to hear if this is something they would like to initiate a conversation about?”
In a memo sent to City Manager Erik Walsh on Wednesday, hours after the Times’ bombshell report, Castillo proposed exploring a possible renaming process with public participation. She emphasized San Antonio’s deep labor history and suggested there are other local labor leaders who could be recognized.
“There’s opportunity and a wealth of labor organizers that we can continue to honor,” Castillo said, adding that the broader mission of labor rights should remain the focus.
The report and its details had immediate and wide-ranging impacts. In a social media post Wednesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the state will no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day, which is March 31, and directed that all state agency heads comply.
On Thursday evening, a joint statement from Castillo, District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur, District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District Councilman Ric Galvan said they were already planning “a thoughtful a deliberate process to change the city streets that bear his name.”
“We intend to bring residents, community organizations and impacted businesses together to gather feedback and consider a renaming proposal that reflects community priorities and neighborhood identity,” the statement reads.
The League of United Latin American Citizens said in a statement that it condemned sexual violence and Chavez’s actions, adding it “stands with all victims of sexual abuse.”
“The actions of one person neither reflect nor diminish the integrity of the farmworker movement,” the organization said. “LULAC remains unchanged in its support of the farmworker movement and the countless men and women who, for generations, have labored in the fields, often unseen and unheard, to sustain their families and feed this nation. Their contributions are indispensable, and their voices must be respected and protected.”
“Community organizing is about a movement and not an individual,” Castillo said. “It’s important to highlight the role of labor organizers as a whole in fighting for workers’ rights.”
In the New York Times report, members of the Chavez family said the allegations are “deeply painful” and expressed support for those who come forward with claims of sexual misconduct.
Organizers of the march said planned to meet privately and plan to release a statement Thursday.