Arizona cancels Cesar Chavez Day amid newly surfaced allegations

PHOENIX — Arizona will not recognize Cesar Chavez Day this year following abuse allegations against the late labor leader, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office confirmed Tuesday.

The decision comes after the United Farm Workers union and the Cesar Chavez Foundation distanced themselves from annual celebrations of its founder, citing unspecified allegations of “abuse of young women or minors.”

Chavez was born in Yuma, and the holiday has been observed as a paid holiday in Phoenix and Tucson. March 31 marks what would have been his 99th birthday.

A spokeswoman for the Governors’ Office confirmed the celebration cancellation.

“The Governor’s Office is deeply concerned by the troubling allegations against Cesar Chavez,” a spokeswoman said in a statement to KTAR News 92.3.

“As a social worker who worked with homeless youth and victims of domestic violence, Governor Hobbs takes allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against women and minors very seriously. The Governor’s Office has decided to not recognize Cesar Chavez Day this year. Our thoughts are with the victims and all those affected.”

Chavez co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with Dolores Huerta in 1962. He became a national figure through hunger strikes and grape boycotts that led to better wages and working conditions for farmworkers. He died in California in 1993 at age 66.

President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as national Cesar Chavez Day in 2014.

The Associated Press Contributed to this report.

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