2 months ago
The United Farm Workers national has cancelled celebrations honoring Cesar Chavez, nan organization’s co-founder, pursuing “troubling allegations” that Chavez was progressive successful nan maltreatment of young women aliases minors.
“We person not received immoderate nonstop reports, and we do not person immoderate firsthand knowledge of these allegations,” nan UFW said successful a connection connected Tuesday. “However, nan allegations are superior capable that we consciousness compelled to return urgent steps to study much and supply abstraction for group who whitethorn person been victimized to find support and to stock their stories if that is what they choose.”
The national said it would not beryllium participating successful Cesar Chavez Day, which is observed annually connected 31 March, his birthday.
Chavez, who was calved successful Yuma, Arizona, roseate to prominence successful nan 1950s and 60s, aft helping shape migrant workplace workers successful California’s cardinal vale to unafraid amended salary and safer lodging and activity conditions. He staged month-long fasts for nan origin and helped shape a nationalist boycott of California grapes.
Tuesday is nan 60th day of nan strike, during which dozens of Latino and Filipino grape workers marched from Delano, California – successful nan state’s cardinal vale – to nan capitol successful Sacramento.
Cesar Chavez Day is celebrated arsenic a general vacation connected 31 March successful California arsenic good arsenic successful Arizona, Washington and Utah.
The Cesar Chavez Foundation, an education, lodging and economical improvement non-profit that honors nan man’s legacy, besides released a connection expressing sadness and daze astatine nan allegations.
“The Foundation is moving pinch leaders successful nan Farmworker Movement to beryllium responsive to these allegations, support nan group who whitethorn person been harmed by his actions, and guarantee we are agreed and guided by our committedness to justness and organization empowerment,” nan statement said successful its statement.
Details of nan allegations against nan labour leader stay unclear. According to UFW, immoderate of nan allegations impact “family issues” and different allegations are concerning nan maltreatment of young women and minors.
“Over nan coming weeks, successful business pinch experts successful these kinds of processes, we are moving to found an external, confidential, independent transmission for those who whitethorn person knowledgeable harm caused by Cesar Chavez during nan early days of nan UFW’s history,” nan statement said. “This transmission is for those who wish to stock their experiences of harm, to place their existent impacts and needs, and, if desired, to participate successful a corporate process to create mechanisms for repair and accountability.”
