New York Times reporter behind bombshell report on Cesar Chavez speaks out

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Last month, the New York Times published a bombshell study that investigated intersexual battle allegations against the civilian rights icon, Cesar Chavez.

Since the quality broke, it has sent ripples done the Central Valley and beyond.

Murals painted over; his statue astatine Fresno State was covered and past removed; streets named successful his grant were voted to beryllium replaced.

We're proceeding straight from 1 of the journalists down the story; she spoke with our ABC affiliate, KERO, successful Bakersfield, astir the travel to bring these women's stories to light.

"Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years," this the rubric of a bombshell study that dates backmost to 2021, published by the New York Times past month.

Sarah Hurtes is 1 of the investigative reporters down the story. She is present speaking retired astir the process to compile grounds that supported the accusations against the precocious labour leader.

"It took months and months, not lone to summation their spot to person their stories, but corroborate it," says Hurtes.

Hurtes says they led with bare facts; they dug done archives, utilized letters, and records from crossed the state to corroborate the women's accounts.

She says reporters spoke with countless UFW members earlier they gained the spot of the victims who had ne'er spoken publicly.

Their main focus, sharing their stories without losing show of the movement.

"The trouble was being capable to archer their stories without needfully throwing distant the full movement," says Hurtes.

During her clip speaking with national members, Hurtes says accounts began piecing together, adjacent though galore did not cognize the afloat truth.

"His relationships with underage girls were so known by respective people, but it wasn't a immense unfastened concealed successful the full assemblage to accidental that would beryllium unfair," says Hurtes.

As the communicative unfolded, the world of Chavez's bequest came much into question.

"Cesar had already been established arsenic a complicated, analyzable character, not precise overmuch of a saint," says Hurtes.

The study sparked a swift absorption crossed the Central Valley and the country. Murals person been painted over, his statue astatine Fresno State removed, and schools and streets are present acceptable to beryllium renamed.

But immoderate questions inactive remain, with galore asking, "Why now?"

Hurtes says it's not astir changing past but alternatively bringing these women's stories to airy aft years of surviving successful silence.

"I don't deliberation there's an expiration day arsenic to knowing the truth," says Hurtes.

Now, Hurtes did stock her thoughts connected the images and namesakes of the civilian rights person being removed, but she says she hopes those spaces proceed to correspond the radical who built the movement.

For quality and upwind updates, travel Brisa Colón connected Facebook, X and Instagram.