Will Modesto leaders change Cesar E. Chavez Park’s name? Council members react
Modesto City Council members are reacting to revelations brought forth in a New York Times investigation and as people, organizations and governments across California change their views on Cesar Chavez.
In an article based on a years-long investigation, two women said Chavez sexually abused them as children in the 1970s. Fellow labor rights icon Dolores Huerta also said Chavez raped her while both were engaged in farmworker unionization efforts.
“The disturbing information revealed by Dolores Huerta and the young women surrounding the Farm Worker movement concerns me greatly,” Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen said in a statement. “I’m saddened to know of the pain they have lived with throughout their lives. I admire their willingness and strength to share their experiences.”
Councilmember Nick Bavaro said he was “deeply troubled” by the allegations.
Councilmember Eric Alvarez called them “horrible and deeply concerning,” adding the news also is “very devastating to our Latino community.” He said in a statement, “I cannot begin to imagine the pain and trauma they have endured.”
On Wednesday — the same day The Times published its investigation — labor organizers in Sacramento canceled their annual Cesar Chavez march. The California Legislature announced it will move to change the name of its state holiday, and a majority of the Sacramento City Council declared support for renaming Cesar E. Chavez Plaza.
In Modesto, a mural in front of the Peace/Life Center on 13th Street featuring Chavez and Huerta now has a sign reading “No Mas! Stand with Survivors” that covers Chavez’s face. The Cesar Chavez Community Celebration Committee said it will not cancel its annual Sí Se Puede Luncheon, with its organizer saying she was heartbroken “but that it will not deter the movement and the work that needs to be done.”
“March 18, 2026, will always be etched in my mind and heart (as) a dark day in which we all mourn at the violation of women and young girls in California and all over the world that have been violated by a sexual predator,” said Councilmember Jeremiah Williams in a statement. “Let us uplift all of those who have been hurt, traumatized and victimized and their families to a renewed health and safety.”
Williams added that he hopes United Farm Workers, the organization co-founded by Huerta and Chavez, can “now truly be united” and that its movement should “never be about one person.”
What will become of Modesto’s Cesar E. Chavez Park remains up in the air as of Thursday. The park has undergone an extensive, $17.1 million renovation, which is planned to wrap up this summer. City leaders say a process must be followed before any naming decision is made.
“My position is ‘wait and see’ until these heinous allegations are completely investigated before the City Council considers any action in renaming César E. Chávez Park,” Councilmember Nick Bavaro said in a statement.
Alvarez stated the City Council’s priority is “ensuring the space serves families and reflects the values of our community” and he is confident the name of the park “will be under review very soon.”
Councilmember Chris Ricci’s statement, posted on social media, said the city should “substantiate the claims and, if credible, restore the name of 4th Street Park before any reopening.”
Chavez Park used to be named 4th Street Park. The renaming was based on the 1975 march led by Chavez and the United Farm Workers that ended in front of E.&J. Gallo Winery. UFW organized Gallo workers and boycotted the winery in protest of worker conditions in its vineyards.
The process to change the name of the park may be similar to when Modesto’s Mellis Park was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Park in 2021. A few years before that, Modesto spokesperson Heather Graves said the process started with someone making a request before the city’s Culture Commission, followed by public outreach and a city meeting to gauge interest.
Alvarez told The Bee on Thursday that his office is working directly with the West Modesto Community Collaborative to host a town hall to “gather input on potential new names for the park.” The town hall will be held sometime in April, likely in the evening, he said.
“It’s important that the community takes ownership of the new name,” Alvarez said. “It’s the community’s park and we want to make sure their voices are heard.”
City Councilmembers Rosa Escutia-Braaton and David Wright did not respond to a request for a comment for this story.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM.
