Modesto César Chávez celebration luncheon to go on despite abuse allegations
The César Chávez Community Celebration Committee said it will not cancel its annual Sí Se Puede Luncheon, in celebration of Chávez on March 30, despite recent allegations against the late labor leader.
“Not so much because of César or Dolores (Huerta), but it is because of the farmworkers,” said Maggie Mejia, founder and treasurer of the Chávez Community Celebration Committee.
The labor union United Farm Workers, co-founded by Chávez and Huerta, said in a statement Tuesday that it had learned of “deeply troubling allegations” involving the sexual abuse of young women and minors.
The union said it has not received any firsthand reports but considers the allegations serious enough to take action. The UFW said it will not participate in any events celebrating César Chávez Day on March 31. The day also has been a state holiday in California since 2000 and a federal commemorative holiday since 2014.
Chávez is widely recognized as a significant figure in California history and among the Latino community. He rose to national prominence in the mid-1960s by organizing farmworkers and bringing light to the poor wages and living conditions they endured.
“Today’s UFW is a modern and progressive labor union and we will seek to learn from our history,” UWF’s statement read. “Farm workers are winning new union contracts, and the United Farm Workers is fighting to protect immigrant communities from the wage cuts, violence and attacks farm workers face today. The work to support the farm workers who feed our nation is more important than ever, and this work will continue.”
The city of Modesto already celebrated Chávez on Saturday — before the allegations surfaced — with a free family event at the Modesto Senior Citizens Center.
Stanislaus State University and Modesto Junior College will be closed March 31 in observance of César Chávez Day.
In a statement to The Bee, Stanislaus State said it is legally obligated to recognize the state holiday by providing a day off for faculty, staff and students. If any changes occur at the state level, the university said it will communicate updates and adjust accordingly.
“At the same time, we are deeply troubled by the recent allegations concerning Cesar Chavez. As a historical figure, whose legacy is honored in various ways across CSU universities, this moment calls for reflection grounded in our values,” said university spokesperson Rosalee Rush. “At Stan State, we are unwavering in our commitment to fostering an environment rooted in respect, integrity, and the safety and dignity of every member of our Warrior community.”
Mejia said she knew about the allegations since last week but was asked to keep it under the radar until the news broke. She admits that she is heartbroken but that it will not deter the movement and the work that needs to be done to support farmworkers, many of whom she said are facing deportation and suffering under the current administration.
Gubernatorial candidate and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the CCCCC luncheon. Mejia said she has not yet spoken with him about the recent news, but the event will still go on.
She added that she wishes Republicans would take the same level of accountability. “You can’t judge César when we’re not judging our own president and his friends.”
Mejia has been involved with the UFW movement since she graduated from Patterson High School in 1968. Her father was a labor contractor and would sometimes take her to the fields to help him. Throughout the years, she picked apricots and worked tomato machines before landing an office job with Patterson Frozen Foods.
“I saw what every farmworker went through,” she said.
About four years ago, she founded the CCCCC based in Modesto. She also was one of the leaders who championed to change the name of the former 4th Street Park to César E. Chávez Park in honor of the UFW leader.
The city told The Bee that it is just now learning of the allegations against Chávez, so there is no update about the fate of the park’s name at this time.
Nationwide, celebrations honoring the United Farm Workers’ co-founder have been canceled in light of the allegations, the LA Times reported.
In Fresno, the Latino Education Issues Roundtable board announced Tuesday that it would not hold a “Legacy Celebration” honoring Chávez on Wednesday, as planned, “due to recent allegations and the withdrawal of several key partners.”
In Sacramento, though, the annual Chavez march is scheduled to go on as planned. Francisco Garcia, who served as the march’s main organizer for 15 years, told The Sacramento Bee that the event has never focused entirely on Chávez. “We never romanticized the idea of Chavez,” Garcia said. “We honored the work that he did in the past with the farm workers, but we were more about today, more about the struggle of our people.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 6:19 PM.
