'It was my cross to bear.' Reconciling with Cesar Chavez's abuse
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What significant revelations about Cesar Chavez are discussed?
For decades, the name Cesar Chavez has stood for activism and leadership.
I'm in New York today as a part of a nationwide tour on a campaign to ask consumers to refrain from buying drugs.
But perceptions of who Cesar Chavez was changed dramatically this week when a New York Times investigation found that the widely lionized civil rights leader had sexually abused girls and women. The Times investigation, based on interviews with several women as well as Chavez's close allies and relatives, got a swift reaction. Here in California, some events that were meant to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day have been canceled. That's a state holiday here, commemorating Chavez's birthday. And cities across the state are considering renaming schools and streets that bear his name. Here's California Governor Gavin Newsom.
We're just going to have to reflect on all of that and, you know, reflect on a farm workers movement and a labor movement that was much bigger than one man and celebrate that.
So much of the story about that movement centers on a key figure, Dolores Huerta.
Yes, we can. Yes, we can.
Huerta popularized that chant as well as co-founded alongside Chavez what would become the United Farm Workers of America. That's a labor union for farm workers. Huerta told the New York Times that she too was abused by Chavez when their organizing efforts were just beginning.
How did Dolores Huerta's experiences with Chavez shape her activism?
Consider this. Dolores Huerta built a lasting movement with Cesar Chavez. And after waiting decades, she has finally decided to share the story of how Chavez abused her. From NPR, I'm Elsa Chang.
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Dolores Huerta told The New York Times that she felt pressured to have sex with Cesar Chavez while on a work trip in 1960. Then, six years later, after they had founded the Union for Farm Workers, she says Chavez raped her. Both of these encounters resulted in pregnancies that Huerta felt forced to conceal. She gave the children to other people to raise. Shortly after that Times story came out, Huerta spoke to journalist Maria Hinojosa, host of Latino USA. Maria joins us now.
What was the impact of the New York Times investigation on public perception?
Hi, Maria. Hey, how you doing? Good. I want to talk about this incredibly difficult interview you had with Huerta this week. I know that you have interviewed her before. How did she sound to you this week? Was it just so fundamentally different in this new set of facts? It was profoundly different.
I've interviewed Dolores on multiple occasions in all different kinds of settings.
Mm-hmm.
And I don't like to use this word because I don't want to be disrespectful, but she felt broken. What people need to remember is that Dolores Huerta did not get an advanced copy of the New York Times article. That means that she's reading it in real time like everybody else. And if we were shocked, you can only imagine Dolores Huerta reading the extent to which Cesar Chavez was a manipulator, a groomer, and somebody who assaulted and raped.
An abuser of girls.
How did Dolores Huerta describe her emotional state during the interview?
It sounded like Dolores did not know that.
Right. An abuser of girls. I mean, this is pretty horrible. So Dolores, if you know Dolores, she is the most positive, energetic 90-something-year-old that I have ever met. I mean, she never tires. She's always optimistic. So it was really painful to hear her in this shock and emotional turmoil.
There was one moment that especially burned into me when I listened. You asked about why she chose for decades not to come forward with her story of Chavez's abuse and her choice to support him in spite of it. And I want to play that part of her answer.
I do believe that, yeah, that would have been the end of the movement pretty much at the very, very beginning. And I can see all of the accomplishments, you know, the leadership that came out of the movement, you know, the millions of farm workers that have been helped throughout the United States of America.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What significant revelations about Cesar Chavez are discussed?
0:00–1:43
2
How did Dolores Huerta's experiences with Chavez shape her activism?
1:43–3:08
3
What was the impact of the New York Times investigation on public perception?
3:08–4:03
4
How did Dolores Huerta describe her emotional state during the interview?
4:03–5:16
5
What reasons did Huerta give for not confronting Chavez earlier?
5:16–6:26
6
How did Huerta's silence affect the movement she helped build?
6:26–7:29
7
What are the implications of Huerta's story for the future of the movement?
7:29–8:55
8
What is the overall message Huerta wants to convey about her experiences?
8:55–12:03
Speakers
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