Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street

AUSTIN, Texas — Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.

According to a memo on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, José Velásquez, Vanessa Fuentes, José “Chito” Vela and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.

“The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said. 

The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.

For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:

• Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed.
• Engage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
• Assess estimated renaming costs to the city.
• Assess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
• Follow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

And the council members said the outreach plan should include:

• A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session.
• An online survey for the public.
• A stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.

The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.

César Chávez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Chávez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.

In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.

Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Chávez. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Chávez.

The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation — the foundation that hosted the nation’s largest César Chávez march in San Antonio for 29 years — announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public’s feedback on renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard.

Also, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has directed all public schools to suspend any instruction or activities related to Chávez.

Chávez died on April 23, 1993, at the age of 66.