Content warning: The following report contains discussions of sexual abuse.
The Center for the Study of the Southwest canceled a planned event for Cesar Chavez Day following allegations of sexual misconduct by the late labor activist.
According to Sandra Pantlik, vice president for marketing and communications at Texas State, the Center for the Study of the Southwest had a lecture scheduled for Cesar Chavez Day. The lecture was canceled on March 19, and all mentions of it were removed from the center’s website.
A March 18 report by the New York Times uncovered multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against Chavez, a famous labor and civil rights leader. Following the report, fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta released a statement accusing Chavez of sexual coercion and sexual violence, which resulted in two pregnancies.
Following the release of the allegations, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statement saying that Texas will no longer celebrate the March 31 holiday.
“The State of Texas will not observe the Cesar Chavez Day holiday. I am directing all Texas state agency heads to comply,” Abbott wrote in his statement. “In the upcoming legislative session, I will work with Texas lawmakers to remove Cesar Chavez Day from state law altogether.”
