Statement on Abuse Allegations Against César Chávez
March 23, 2026
The Southwest Hispanic Research Institute at the University of New Mexico has a forty-year history of multidisciplinary research on the Latinx/Hispanic/Chicanx populations of New Mexico and the United States. Our organization has evolved as a result of the Chicano Movement, and the spirit of that quest for inclusion, equity, and justice lives on through our endeavors today.
We are deeply disappointed and angered by the allegations against César Chávez that were exposed through recent reporting in the New York Times. These allegations detail abuse against women and young girls, actions that have caused sadness and pain for many people in our communities and have a generational impact. These actions are indefensible. We stand beside Dolores Huerta, Ana Murguia, Debra Rojas, and with all survivors of sexual violence.
Dolores Huerta was born in Dawson, New Mexico, and she has always been proud of her New Mexican roots. Before becoming a labor activist, she was a teacher. She became active in the Farmworkers’ Movement after realizing that many of her farmworker students were coming to school hungry. She has led a life dedicated to bettering the lives of others.
We encourage members of our UNM community to show solidarity by participating in the Farmworker Awareness Week event being held at Jardin Ollin La Casita that SHRI shares with the Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies on March 31, 2026, at 1:30pm. This event has been organized by students, staff, community members, and faculty, including Chicana/o Studies, El Centro de la Raza, the College Assistance Migrant Program, and the High School Equivalency Project. It is important to remember that the legacy of this movement is bigger than one person, and the struggles of farmworkers and Latinx people across the United States continue today.
We will remain vigilant in investigating, exposing, and dismantling the structures that uphold all types of institutionalized violence, including sexual violence. We will engage in the ongoing conversation on this and related topics, including how to move forward with removing Chávez’s name where it has been emblazoned throughout our communities. SHRI is committed to creating space where these discussions can take place.
If you, or someone you know, is the survivor of sexual or gender violence, please know that there are resources here on campus, in Albuquerque, and across New Mexico to support you.
