United Farmworkers Struggle With Fallout from Cesar Chavez Allegations

Here are the morning’s top stories on Thursday, March 25, 2026

• The sexual abuse accusations against the late Cesar Chavez have sparked condemnation and soul-searching on the West Coast…and also fears the scandal could undermine ongoing efforts to improve the lives of farmworkers. 
• Fallout continues from the last-minute cancellation of a gubernatorial debate that was scheduled Tuesday on the USC campus… after four candidates of color said the debate criteria unfairly excluded them.
• A judge in Shasta County heard arguments Wednesday over a proposed ballot measure that appears to violate state law.

César Chavez was a hero to farmworkers. Now they confront the pain of alleged abuse.

As word of the damning sexual abuse accusations against César Chavez spread this week, California’s farmworking communities struggled to process and reconcile the disturbing details with the image of a labor icon and civil rights fighter many considered a hero.

Reached by phone, people described feeling stunned and disjointed after learning the news from a neighbor’s call, conversations with relatives, work meetings or social media.

“It’s almost too difficult to believe what is happening,” Maria García Hernández, a farmworker for more than 30 years, said in Spanish on Wednesday afternoon. The 52-year-old, who lives in Tulare County, said she and her parents benefited from Chavez’s advocacy to include undocumented farmworkers in the last major comprehensive immigration reform in the 1980s.

The fallout from the revelations was almost immediate. California lawmakers announced they plan to rename the state holiday named after Chavez as Farmworkers Day. Cities, states and organizations, including the UFW, moved to postpone or cancel celebrations planned for March 31 in honor of the Mexican American labor leader’s birthday. Officials are considering renaming streets, parks, libraries, schools and other buildings named after Chavez.

Gubernatorial debate called off at the last minute

The University of Southern California cancelled the debate, after four candidates of color said its criteria unfairly excluded them.

USC used a combination of polling percentages and candidate fundraising to determine which six candidates to invite. The results of that formula – developed by USC – excluded four Democrats – Xavier Becerra, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee and Antonio Villaraigosa. They all cried foul – with Becerra saying the criteria were “exclusionary.”

The way fundraising was evaluated benefitted San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who joined the race late but quickly got donations from wealthy donors. He was invited to debate, even though he’s polling lower than Becerra and Villaraigosa.

Adding to the controversy – Mahan is supported by a major USC donor and the co-director of the USC center that developed the criteria. The university says the formula was objective and not influenced by politics. Nonetheless USC cancelled the debate.

Judge weighs whether Shasta County election measure stays on ballot

Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Hanna is expected to decide by the end of the week whether Measure B should be removed from Shasta County’s June primary ballot.

The proposed charter amendment would make sweeping changes to the county’s elections system. Some provisions appear to conflict with state law, including requiring voter identification at polling places, mandating hand counts of all ballots and restricting access to vote-by-mail.