Colorado officially designates March 31 as ‘Farm Workers Day’ after fallout from Chávez allegations
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Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed legislation into law Tuesday that recognizes March 31 as Farm Workers Day, renamed from César Chávez Day following allegations of sexual abuse by the labor and civil rights leader.
“Today is about honoring all those who have fought for justice and the rights of workers,” Polis said in a statement. “From Dolores Huerta and the countless others who have dedicated their lives to this farmworkers movement, today we honor you and the legacy you’ve built. I appreciate the legislature for taking swift action to rename this optional state holiday to ‘Farm Workers Day’ and am happy to sign it today.”
The bill passed unanimously in both chambers.
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A New York Times investigation earlier this month found that Chávez, who died in 1993, allegedly sexually abused and raped girls and women while helping lead the farm workers’ movement in California in the 1960s and 1970s. That included Dolores Huerta, his co-leader, who said she became pregnant twice because of his abuse and arranged for the children to be cared for by others. Since that revelation, governments across the country have started the work of renaming the holidays, parks and other memorials named after Chávez. They city of Denver renamed its holiday “Sí Se Puede Day” and celebrated Monday.
Colorado lawmakers also immediately introduced legislation to change the voluntary state holiday named after Chávez.
The bill was amended in the Senate, however, to rename the holiday for only two years. That will require a bill next year to adopt a replacement name, or it will revert to César Chávez day in 2028.
“My concern is that this story is not yet done unfolding. We have not yet fully uncovered what harms may have been committed, what the response from people directly impacted is, and what our response as a state ought to be,” Senator Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat, said on the Senate floor last week. “This amendment is rooted out of wanting to give the community the space and opportunity to process, metabolize and heal from these devastating allegations.”
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She said it will allow time for the Latino community in Colorado to discuss how to permanently revise the holiday.
“(It will) allow them to determine who or what is worthy of recognition,” Gonzales said.
But House Majority Leader Monica Duran, who sponsored the bill in the House, expressed disappointment in the amendment and said it was not the bill she fought for.
“A two-year sunset puts an expiration date on dignity,” she said Monday on the House floor. “It tells farmworkers and survivors that their truth comes with a timeline. That’s not justice. That’s compromise.”
Representative Lorena García said there is an undefined community engagement and decision-making process for how the Legislature will revisit the issue next year.
“Does a change to a holiday without a time limit eliminate ongoing community engagement and input?” she said. “No, never.”
Still, the House agreed with the amendment, so the bill would become law in time for the holiday.