Phoenix leaders have approved wiping the name of Cesar Chavez from city property after a bombshell report on sexual misconduct by the late labor icon.
Farmworkers Day is now the name of the upcoming city holiday that was originally created to honor Chavez’s birthday.
His name will also be removed from street signs, a plaza that’s home to City Council chambers and more.
“Cesar Chavez might have been the face of the farmworker movement and a movement that a lot of us followed for a very long time. But the movement made him. He didn’t make the movement,” said Councilwoman Betty Guardado.
The New York Times recently reported that Chavez sexually assaulted underage girls and raped fellow organizer Dolores Huerta.
In the 1970s, Huerta coined the catchphrase “sí se puede” while in Phoenix to fight a state law against organizing farmworkers.
Councilwoman Anna Hernandez said more needs to be done about sexual violence.
“These revelations about a social movement icon should serve as a motivator for change. We cannot simply erase Cesar Chavez’s name from our buildings and think that we’ve helped,” Hernandez said.
A press release from the city on Wednesday outlined the following changes:
Holiday: March 31, 2026, will be designated as Farmworkers Day. The name of future observances will require additional City Council action.
Street Signs: All 43 ceremonial street signs along Baseline Road (75th Avenue to 48th Street) identifying Cesar Chavez Boulevard will be removed within a week.
Facilities: Cesar Chavez’s name will be removed from city facilities as soon as possible. The process to rename each facility will proceed according to each site’s governing authority.
Park, Community Center, Dog Park, and Amphitheater: The Parks and Recreation Board will follow its formal public notification and hearing process before approving any name changes. This process will begin tomorrow, March 26, at the Parks Board meeting.
Library: Phoenix Public Library will defer to Phoenix City Council’s guidance in renaming Cesar Chavez Library.
Plaza: Current signage will be covered immediately. Future City Council action will be required to determine a new name.
Senior Center (not yet built): The planned Cesar Chavez Senior Center, a future project funded by the 2023 General Obligation Bond, will be referred to as the Laveen Senior Center in working documents until a new name is decided by the City Council.
Public Art: Artwork referencing Cesar Chavez will move through the city’s established deaccession and recontextualization processes, including Arts and Culture Commission review and required artist notification under the federal Visual Artists Rights Act. The bronze sculpture at the park will be covered while it goes through this process. All locations will be evaluated for potential replacement art in the future.
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