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FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Cesar Chavez Day, celebrated by hundreds of thousands each twelvemonth connected March 31, is drafting renewed scrutiny arsenic section and authorities leaders respond to allegations against the precocious civilian rights leader.
California was the archetypal authorities to designate Chavez's day arsenic a time honoring the labour person and the question helium led.
For astir 25 years, the vacation has recognized his relation successful farmworker and civilian rights advocacy.
That bequest is present being reexamined successful airy of allegations accusing Cesar Chavez of intersexual maltreatment involving children and Latina activistic Dolores Huerta.
RELATED: California lawmakers accidental they'll alteration sanction of Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day
Fresno County supervisors accidental the accusations person prompted hard conversations, peculiarly wrong the Latino community.
Fresno County Supervisor Luis Chavez said the quality has been achy to absorb.
"It's disheartening to spot that idiosyncratic we looked up to for decades present beryllium accused of crimes this superior and abhorrent," Chavez said.
As much details emerged, helium added, disappointment dispersed passim the community.
"I deliberation arsenic the communicative evolved, successful the Latino assemblage we are evidently precise disappointed," Chavez said.
Supervisor Garry Bredefeld echoed those sentiments, describing the allegations arsenic devastating.
"It's each tragic and each horrific, the allegations, raping women and young girls, I privation this had travel retired sooner," Bredefeld said.
Both supervisors said the region has a work to respond appropriately, including reconsidering the sanction of the vacation arsenic it is celebrated locally.
They emphasized that immoderate alteration would beryllium intended to sphere the broader meaning of the time portion addressing the concerns raised by the allegations.
Bredefeld said helium has already enactment guardant alternate ideas for the holiday's name.
"I projected ag day, others are looking astatine husbandman idiosyncratic successful the name, I volition beryllium good with either but it volition change," helium said.
Luis Chavez said helium supports including the connection "Farmworker" successful a caller name, reinforcing that the absorption should stay connected the broader conflict and sacrifices of cultivation workers.
"It was ne'er truly astir 1 person. It was astir the enactment and the conflict and the sacrifice of a batch of farmworkers and assemblage residence went though during that epoch to fight," Chavez said.
County leaders said discussions astir the holiday's aboriginal are ongoing, with the extremity of honoring farmworkers and the movement's past portion responding to concerns raised by the caller allegations.
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