Allegations that Cesar Chavez, globally recognized farmworker rights activist and namesake of San Francisco State University’s student center, sexually abused underage girls and notable activist Dolores Huerta in the 1960s-70s broke just under two weeks before California’s federal commemorative holiday in his honor. 

Ana Murguia and Debra Rojas shared with the New York Times that they were sexually abused by Chavez when they were young girls and he was in his 40s. In addition to Murguia and Rojas, Dolores Huerta, labor and feminist activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers foundation, came forward with rape allegations against Chavez. In Huerta’s statement today, she said she kept the abuse and resulting pregnancies a secret for 60 years out of fear of harming the farmworker movement.  

SFSU’s student government Associated Students released a statement on Instagram declaring that they will “develop a course of action with the respective communities and share updates” to address the renaming of the student center building and the mural depicting Chavez. 

Bobby King, SFSU’s director of communications in the office of the university president, recognized the concerns these allegations may cause. 

“SFSU recognizes the concern these reports may cause and is committed to thoughtful dialogue around complex historical legacies while continuing to foster an inclusive and supportive campus environment,” King’s statement read. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom made statements in response to the allegations, saying that he would be open to renaming the holiday altogether. 

“All of us are processing it, and these kids have to process this now,” Newsom said. “There are almost three dozen schools in the state are named after Cesar Chavez.” 

Schools and cities across California are reevaluating tributes to Chavez. Earlier today, Fresno State University chose to cover a statue of Chavez with black cloth. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan stated that city council members will review locations and monuments honoring Chavez to reduce further harm to victims. 

Other organizations tied to Chavez’s activism are canceling events tied to Cesar Chavez Day. This includes the United Farm Workers foundation that he co-founded and dedicated his life’s work to progressing.

The CSU Chancellor’s Office sent an email acknowledging the allegations against Chavez. 

“The CSU is firmly committed to fostering university environments centered on respect, integrity and the safety and dignity of all members of our campus communities. We are carefully reviewing this information and considering appropriate courses of action,” the CSU’s statement read.

Abuse within social movements is not uncommon. Katynka Martinez, professor and  chair of Latina/Latino studies at SFSU, acknowledged the role “charismatic” leaders have in perpetuating abuse.

“I’m well aware of abuses that happen in those kinds of situations where people remain focused on the larger cause and how behavior is excused,” Martinez said. “People are not believed. People are not supported. People are told that they’re drawing attention away from what folks should remain committed to.” 

Mimi Perez, co-vice president of Movimiento Estudiantil para la Liberacion de las Americas (MELA) de San Pancho and AS director of social justice and equity, raised concerns about the silencing of marginalized people within social justice movements. MELA de San Pancho is a student-led Latinx organization dedicated to political action and community building. 

“I think that this situation hopefully could be a pivot point into looking into spaces that we claim are social justice spaces,” Perez said. “I think this is the moment where we need to firmly stand on accountability and how things function because that’s the whole point of the civil rights movement.” 

Perez expressed her admiration for Dolores Huerta, saying she was inspired and humbled by Huerta coming forward about the abuse. 

“It takes a lot, especially in the Latino community,” Perez said. “We have a hush policy, there’s a culture around not talking about these things. Not talking about abuse, not talking about sexual violence, especially when it comes to women speaking up.” 

Kay Stevens, a labor and employment studies student at SFSU, explained that the labor union movement has a “deep history of misogyny,” creating a culture of acceptance of men “using their power in order to abuse women and girls.” 

“We’re not going to be able to have conversations about this specific person doing this specific bad action without also having conversations about how misogyny allows for the abuse of women and girls in male dominated spaces, of which the union labor movement is one,” Stevens said. 

Renaming the student center building is the predominant issue at hand. Martinez encouraged students to take the lead in this process, but also stressed that renaming the building after a single person could have damaging implications. 

“I hope the University will take [students’] concerns seriously and that if there is a renaming of the student center, that we don’t just do the easy thing and just give it another human being’s name,” Martinez said. “I’m so bored with the beatification of leaders. We have got to move beyond that if we really want to recognize the power that we as people have. ”

Stevens said the campus community should look at how the building was named in the first place. 

“If you are trying to honor someone in the labor movement, then you find someone else in the labor movement,” Stevens said. “If you’re trying to honor specifically someone who’s important to Latin American history, then find a different person important to Latin American History.”

This story was originally published on GoldenGateXpress on March 18, 2026.