Groups move swiftly nationwide to remove images, honors for César Chávez, while others promote access to sexual assault and mental health counseling services
By Frank X. Moraga • www.AmigosNAZ.com ©2026
COCONINO COUNTY — Flagstaff joined other cities nationwide in canceling or renaming their annual César Chávez celebrations in light of the sexual assault allegations linked to the late farm labor leader.
For Coconino County, the cancellation included what would have been the 8th annual Community Recognition Breakfast, which was scheduled for Friday, March 20, 2025.
A new Hispanic community recognition event is scheduled for later this year.
In Arizona, actions have included the cancellation of the Tucson César Chávez March, while legislation is quickly moving forward to cancel César Chávez Day.
Since early this month, cities across the nation either canceled or renamed their celebrations ahead of the labor leader’s birthday on March 31, 2026. Their actions followed news of a potential explosive story by a national publication that was first reported by the San Antonio Express-News on March 6, 2026. The reports focused on revelations of a “sensitive matter” involving Chavez.
Those reports were confirmed when an extensive story by the New York Times was published on March 18 detailing allegations of years of sexual abuse by Chavez of minors and sexual assault incidents involving farmworkers rights labor leader Dolores Huerta. Huerta confirmed those assaults in the story.
