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MN lawmakers push to repeal Cesar Chavez Day
Minnesota lawmakers and Latina community leaders gathered in St. Paul to introduce legislation to repeal Cesar Chavez Day. The move comes after 95-year-old civil rights icon Dolores Huerta and other women revealed lifelong trauma stemming from allegations of sexual abuse and predatory behavior by Chavez.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota lawmakers and community leaders are calling for the repeal of César Chávez Day amid serious allegations of sexual abuse against the late labor leader.
Cesar Chavez Day repeal
What we know:
The House POCI Caucus, fellow DFL lawmakers, and local community leaders held a news conference on Monday pushing to repeal César Chávez Day in Minnesota.
Minnesota currently marks César Chávez Day on March 31, his birthday. However, recent allegations of sexual abuse against Chávez have led to the reconsideration of this observance.
What they're saying:
Among the speakers on Monday was Ramona Arreguin de Rosales, who founded a charter school named after Chavez in the Twin Cities. She also helped push to rename a street in St. Paul after Chavez. Now, she's urging lawmakers to cancel the Chávez holiday.
"Now we have learned about these shocking allegations that Cesar has caused harm to young girls and women," she said. "And we must stand up and do the right thing in our community."
Rosales says she is also pushing to rename her school and urging the city to rename Cesar Chavez Street.
New York Times report
The backstory:
The New York Times reports that César Chávez groomed and sexually abused young girls and women, including fellow movement leader Dolores Huerta. Huerta revealed that she was a victim of Chávez's abuse in her 30s.
These allegations have prompted actions across the country to cancel the holiday.
Local perspective:
Last week, GOP members said they "absolutely supported" the push to repeal the holiday, so it seems likely César Chávez Day will be removed from the Minnesota calendar.