All posts tagged: Cesar Chavez

Epstein accusations fly in Senate after César Chávez Monument row

Epstein accusations fly in Senate after César Chávez Monument row

U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah (left) and U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) Chip Somodevilla | Kayla Bartkowski | Getty Images Jeffrey Epstein allegations flew during a spat between Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., over the fate of the César Chávez National Monument. Heinrich, the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, objected to a bill on Tuesday to defund and close the monument after multiple women accused Chávez — an icon in the farm labor movement — of sexual assault. Heinrich objected to the bill, citing concerns that erasing the monument would diminish the work of other leaders in the farm labor movement. “I agree unequivocally that we should no longer have a monument named after Cesar Chavez,” he said on the Senate floor after objecting. “But we absolutely should not erase the monuments telling of the story of the farm labor movement. That is a story that belongs to many people, including the survivors of Chavez’s violence.” Chávez, who died in 1993, was accused by several women who …

Cesar Chavez Mural Painted Over in San Francisco After Allegations

Cesar Chavez Mural Painted Over in San Francisco After Allegations

A mural of Cesar Chavez in San Francisco’s Mission District was painted over this week, becoming one of the first visible public reckonings with newly surfaced allegations of sexual abuse against the labor leader. The artwork, which covered the facade of the Latin Rock Music House at 25th and York Streets, was removed Wednesday by the building’s owner, Richard Segovia, along with artist Carlos “Kookie” Gonzalez, according to ABC7 Eyewitness News. The decision came days after a New York Times investigation detailed allegations that Chavez abused women and girls connected to the United Farm Workers movement.  Related Articles “I did this to let everyone know,” Segovia said. “Let’s get the ball rolling.”  Gonzalez, who has painted Chavez multiple times over the past three decades, said the allegations prompted an immediate reassessment. A planned new mural featuring Chavez has already been revised to instead center labor leader Dolores Huerta, who has publicly said she was among those harmed.  The removal marks a rapid shift in how Chavez is being publicly commemorated, particularly in California, where his legacy …