Phoenix moves to rename holiday as Farmworkers Day, strip Chávez name from plaza and streets

PHOENIX — Phoenix City Council will vote next week on renaming a city holiday honoring César Chávez and removing his name from city buildings and street signs following reports of sexual abuse by the late labor leader.

Mayor Kate Gallego and Councilmembers Betty Guardado and Laura Pastor asked the city manager to place the measure on the March 25 council agenda. The proposal would rename the March 31 municipal paid holiday as Farmworkers Day.

City staff would also begin the process of renaming all facilities that bear Chávez’s name and removing street signs that honor him, including the Cesar Chavez Plaza in front of City Hall.

Today, we began the process to rename the City holiday, City buildings, and streets that honor Cesar Chavez. pic.twitter.com/EDoDnM9vT6

— Mayor Kate Gallego (@MayorGallego) March 18, 2026

“What we’ve learned about Chavez’s behavior is shocking and appalling, and he does not embody the values of our city,” Gallego said in a statement. “We have a duty to honor the dignity of the survivors and move forward in a way that reflects our values.”

The move comes after The New York Times reported allegations of sexual abuse, including incidents involving minors, against Arizona native Chávez, the founder of the National Farm Workers Association. The allegations have been publicly acknowledged by the César Chávez Foundation and the United Farm Workers.

Phoenix is the latest Arizona city to act swiftly in response to the allegations. Gov. Katie Hobbs announced Tuesday her office would not recognize César Chávez Day this year. Tempe said it would rename its March 31 holiday, and El Mirage renamed theirs the Inaugural El Mirage Day of Service.

March 31 holiday to be renamed

We are devastated to learn of the allegations of sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez. We stand with those who have suffered sexual abuse and are renaming our Cesar Chavez holiday.

As Tempe has a paid holiday for employees, we will meet with our… pic.twitter.com/3sZ98zMmeu

— City of Tempe, AZ (@Tempegov) March 18, 2026

Born in Yuma, Chávez grew up in a Mexican-American family that traveled around California picking seasonal crops. In 1962, he and Dolores Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which became the United Farm Workers of America.

Chávez is known nationally for his early organizing, a hunger strike, a grape boycott and eventual victory in getting growers to negotiate with farmworkers for better wages and working conditions. He died in San Luis in 1993 at age 66.

California became the first state to establish March 31, Chávez’s birthday, as a commemorative day. In 2014, then-President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as national César Chávez Day.

The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.

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