Huerta speaks out against Cesar Chavez’s assault

95-year-old Dolores Huerta and deceased Cesar Chavez founded the United Farm Workers and brought attention to the American labor movement. However, Huerta was keeping a secret that she believed would be detrimental to their movement. “I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here,” Huerta said in a statement on March 18.

Huerta says she experienced two separate sexual encounters with Chavez. Huerta said, “The first time, I was manipulated and pressured into having sex with him, and I didn’t feel I could say no because he was someone that I admired, my boss and the leader of the movement I had already devoted years of my life to. The second time I was forced, against my will, and in an environment where I felt trapped. I had experienced abuse and sexual violence before, and I convinced myself these were incidents that I had to endure alone and in secret.” Both of these encounters resulted in pregnancies for Huerta which she kept clandestine and arranged for them to be raised by other families to give them stable lives.

Oakley Moran ‘27 said, “I think it was really brave of Dolores Huerta not only to carry that secret about Cesar Chavez for so long but also to eventually speak up about it. I respect that she was willing to come forward even after so many years.”

This is not the only claim that has been made against Chavez. The New York Times began a deep investigation after receiving a tip in 2021. Several women have made allegations about Chavez throughout the years. According to the NYT, Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas –two daughters of organizers who marched in rallies alongside Chavez– said that they were sexually abused by him for years when they were girls, from around 1972 to 1977. He frequently molested Ms. Murguia, she said. She endured so much agony from the situation that she attempted to end her life multiple times by the age of 15. As a consequential figure in Mexican-American history, Chavez abused his authority and influence to exploit women and leave them feeling impotent and paralyzed.

Dylan Elder ‘27 said, “I think she should have, if anything, came out sooner. I understand her concerns about disembodying the farming union, but overall, I think she definitely made the right choice.”

Lawmakers and community leaders have reacted to Chavez sexual abuse allegations by revoking or changing Cesar Chavez Day and removing landmarks of him.