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California legislators announced this week the introduction of new legislation to designate March 31 as Farmworkers Day, replacing Cesar Chavez Day.
The announcement Thursday follows sexual abuse allegations against labor rights activist Cesar Chavez that came to light earlier this week.
State Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, and Senate President Pro Tem Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, announced the legislation in a statement.
“This holiday will be a time for California to honor the past, reflect on the present, and renew our collective dedication to equity and justice for farmworkers,” read the statement, which did not mention Chavez.
The statement also said that legislators will work with local governments and school districts to modify laws and statutes as required.
State Sen. Dave Cortese, D-San Jose, who co-authored the legislation, also issued a news release in which he paid tribute to the survivors of Chavez’s alleged abuse.
“The Farmworker movement has always been bigger than any one individual,” Cortese said in the news release. “It was built by organizers, by families, and by women whose contributions and voices have been silenced for way too long and kept in the shadows. March 31st has always been about them, not just one individual. It’s time we recognize it as such.”
