PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — The late civil rights icon Cesar Chavez is being accused of abusing two young girls and his fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta for years.
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The legacy of Chavez, who created the United Farm Workers union in the 1960s, is now facing a reckoning following the sexual abuse allegations. Momentum is building to rename local streets and schools named after Chavez, including in Pontiac.
Pontiac City Councilman Mikal Goodman said when he saw the allegations come down, he immediately thought of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue, a sprawling thoroughfare that goes through his city that was once called Oakland Avenue.
"It’s really hard to deal with, but at the same time, something has to be done about it because we can’t just ignore," Goodman said.
The allegations stem from then-underage girls who claimed they were sexually assaulted by Chavez in the 1960s and 1970s, and Huerta coming forward with claims of her own. The civil rights leader herself released a statement that says in part, "I have kept this secret long enough. My silence ends here."
Goodman said the avenue does not represent Pontiac anymore.
"There were already members of the community that were like yup, time to fix this, time to change this," Goodman said.
Goodman said he is looking into renaming the avenue, preferably changing it to Dolores Huerta Avenue. He said the process has to go through multiple approvals and steps and could take a year or even longer to complete, but he has already started looking into the process.
Tony Juma, owner of Chavez Street Auto Care in Pontiac, supports the change.
"If the allegations are true, I think it’s a good idea to change the name," Juma said. "It bothers me to hear anybody’s done anything like that."
Juma said he would even consider changing his own business name that he has had for around 15 years in light of the allegations.
"We gotta bring the situation to justice," Juma added.
In southwest Detroit, Cesar Chavez Academy is also addressing the issue. The charter school is run by the private education management company The Leona Group.
CEO Georgia Rodgers released the following statement regarding the allegations:
"The Leona Group regards all allegations involving harm or abuse, especially towards children, with the utmost seriousness and focus. We consider the recently alleged acts of a prominent historical figure to be horrific and unimaginable. Our school district, Cesar Chavez Academy, is not defined by any one individual, but by the values we live out each day. Our schools are composed of dedicated caring individuals who prepare students to be successful in life. Our values are rooted in respect, dignity, accountability and an enduring commitment to children and the community. We are monitoring the impact of this deeply disturbing situation and will respond accordingly to protect the sanctity of what we do and who we serve."
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