Riverside Officials Planning Community Forums On Future Of Cesar Chavez Monument, Building

Following several sexual abuse accusations against labor rights leader Cesar Chavez, Riverside officials said they planned to ask residents, especially Latino communities, about the future of a city building and monument dedicated to him and his work.

“Being strategic in anything that we do — being thoughtful in our approach — is always more prudent than trying to be the fastest and the first to do everything,” said Councilmember Philip Falcone, who represents the ward where both memorials are located. “Bringing those groups together is going to take time, and I wouldn’t be comfortable changing the name of anything or taking anything down without having their input.”

The city of Riverside, in a March 19 press release, said it removed an agenda item planned for next week’s meeting proclaiming March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day. The city instead plans to celebrate United Farmworkers Day. 

Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson also called for “thoughtful” community input on how to best proceed with discussions about the memorial statue on Main Street and the University Avenue community center currently under construction that honor the late civil rights leader. 

The city’s statements were in response to a New York Times investigation, released earlier this week that included allegations that Chavez sexually abused them in the 1970s when they were minors.

The story also included an allegation by United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, 95, that Chavez sexually assaulted her twice in the 1960s. In a Wednesday statement, Huerta said she kept the abuse a secret, because she was afraid telling the truth would harm the labor movement.

“Building the movement and securing farmworker rights was my life’s work,” she said. “The formation of a union was the only vehicle to accomplish this and secure those rights, and I wasn’t going to let Cesar [Chavez] or anyone else get in the way.” 

Falcone told The Riverside Record that he, with help from his colleagues, was planning to put together a community outreach plan to talk with several communities over the coming months, including Eastside neighborhood residents, farm workers and labor unions.

Councilmember Sean Mill said in a Thursday statement that he was disappointed to learn of the allegations and asked residents to approach the topic seriously while continuing to honor the movement’s broader impact on the city. 

Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, in a social media post, said she was planning to work with her fellow council members to “explore” removing the statue and renaming the community center. 

“We must ensure our current and future generations know that no legacy is more important than the truth,” she said. 

Since the city-owned community center on University Avenue was currently being renovated, Falcone said it would be a good time to look at renaming the building. The statue, however, is located on public property, but owned by the Riverside Latino Network, and would require the city to work with the organization on potential next steps.

“We are actively engaged in thoughtful and ongoing discussions not only amongst our board but with other community leaders and stakeholders,” Riverside Latino Network President Alex Cortez said in a Friday statement. “Conversations about the future of the Chávez monument must include the voices of the community members and organizations who helped bring it to life and who continue to care for its legacy.”

Cortez said the network found Chavez’s alleged conduct “beyond reprehensible,” saying that the organization stood with the survivors.