Sacramento, CA — Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes (D–Colton), issued the following statement in in response to a New York Times investigative report detailing allegations of abuse by César Chávez, including harm against young girls and civil rights leader Dolores Huerta:
“The profound rage, sorrow, and disappointment I feel upon learning of allegations of César Chávez’s abuse of young girls and my dear friend, Dolores Huerta, cannot be overstated. These revelations are deeply painful. They demand that we pursue accountability through due process under the law—and that we confront a deeply uncomfortable truth: we must never place any individual above reproach.
“No legacy, no movement, no title, no name is beyond scrutiny when harm has been done. When we elevate individuals to a place of reverence, we risk silencing those who are most vulnerable—And that imbalance of power can have devastating consequences.
“When the balance of power and justice are broken, the harm ripples outward. It shows up in the silencing of survivors, in inequities that persist across our communities, and in the quiet, internalized shame that too many carry alone. We cannot build a just society while excusing harm because of who someone was or what they achieved.
“César Chávez led efforts that delivered life-changing progress for workers and advanced the civil rights movement. Those contributions are significant—but they do not erase the harm that must be acknowledged today.
“To the girls and women reading this: you are powerful. You are worthy. You are not defined by what has been taken from you, nor diminished by what others have tried to silence. Your voice matters. Your truth matters. May this moment be a source of strength, not silence.”
Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes represents Senate District 29, Colton, Fontana, Highland, Loma Linda, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Rialto, San Bernardino, Upland, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, and the unincorporated communities of Bloomington and Muscoy.