A painful reckoning is unfolding across New Mexico after civil rights icon Dolores Huerta publicly accused labor leader Cesar Chavez of sexual abuse.Huerta, who was born in Dawson, New Mexico, said she is a survivor of two separate sexual encounters with Chavez in the 1960s. In a public statement, Huerta said one encounter involved manipulation and pressure, while the other was forced against her will. She said both encounters led to pregnancies she kept secret for decades.“I am nearly 96 years old, and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for,” Huerta said, adding she is now speaking out not only for herself, but for other women and girls she believes were also harmed.The allegations have sparked swift reaction from leaders in New Mexico and across the country. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called the allegations “shocking and horrifying” and said she supports a full and thorough investigation.Some leaders are also calling for Chavez’s name to be removed from public spaces across New Mexico, including schools, streets and community centers.At the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Executive Director Zachary Quintero said the response has been one of heartbreak and betrayal.“We’re shocked and horrified,” Quintero said.He also emphasized that Chavez’s legacy should not define the broader labor and civil rights movement.“One man does not reflect an entire movement,” Quintero said.Huerta has long-standing ties to New Mexico. In a 2023 interview with KOAT, she spoke about being born in Dawson, a former coal mining town northeast of Cimarron, and said her family’s roots in New Mexico go back 14 generations. If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, resources are available, including the NM Sexual Assault Helpline. Responders are available 24/7 online or by phone at 1-844-667-2457.
A painful reckoning is unfolding across New Mexico after civil rights icon Dolores Huerta publicly accused labor leader Cesar Chavez of sexual abuse.
Huerta, who was born in Dawson, New Mexico, said she is a survivor of two separate sexual encounters with Chavez in the 1960s. In a public statement, Huerta said one encounter involved manipulation and pressure, while the other was forced against her will. She said both encounters led to pregnancies she kept secret for decades.
“I am nearly 96 years old, and for the last 60 years have kept a secret because I believed that exposing the truth would hurt the farmworker movement I have spent my entire life fighting for,” Huerta said, adding she is now speaking out not only for herself, but for other women and girls she believes were also harmed.
The allegations have sparked swift reaction from leaders in New Mexico and across the country. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called the allegations “shocking and horrifying” and said she supports a full and thorough investigation.
Some leaders are also calling for Chavez’s name to be removed from public spaces across New Mexico, including schools, streets and community centers.
At the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Executive Director Zachary Quintero said the response has been one of heartbreak and betrayal.
“We’re shocked and horrified,” Quintero said.
He also emphasized that Chavez’s legacy should not define the broader labor and civil rights movement.
“One man does not reflect an entire movement,” Quintero said.
Huerta has long-standing ties to New Mexico. In a 2023 interview with KOAT, she spoke about being born in Dawson, a former coal mining town northeast of Cimarron, and said her family’s roots in New Mexico go back 14 generations.
If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, resources are available, including the NM Sexual Assault Helpline. Responders are available 24/7 online or by phone at 1-844-667-2457.
