Inland Empire farmworkers react to accusations against César Chávez

The sex assault accusations against César Chávez have sparked strong reaction from farmworkers and community organizations who benefit from labor rights.

Several farmworkers told NBC Los Angeles Wednesday learning about the allegations felt personal and heavy, bringing out a lot of mixed emotions.

While Chávez died nearly 33 years ago, people who right for worker and immigrant rights, know another civil rights icon Dolores Huerta. Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers union with Chávez, revealed on Wednesday she, too, was a victim of Chávez, with the assaults ending in two pregnancies.

“A harm done to one is a harm done to all,” Luz Gallegos, executive director for Todec Legal Center, said. “It’s a heartening situation to learn of this truth, but we stand with Dolores and the other ‘compañeras’ that for years, decades they lived with this pain.”

Gallegos is now leading the Todec Legal Center, which was started by her parents who had strong ties to Chávez for years. She said the organization was built to help immigrants and their families, many of whom are farmworkers.

“César was a leader and full force that organized and fought for justice,” Gallegos said. “I have many memories of meetings, picketing marches and boycotts, not eating grapes.”

Pedro Zacarias, a farmworker, acknowledged that he’s enjoying labor benefits that were achieved on the backs of civil rights leaders like Chávez.

“It was a movement that allowed us to get breaks and created a union for us,” Zacarias said in Spanish. “It was a fight that took years and it was major for all of us.”

As many who have admired Chávez struggle to come to grips with the accusations, Gallegos said the labor movement wasn’t just singularly done by Chávez.

“It’s a legacy of movement of people that put their lives on the line to fight for farmworker justice,” she said. “And we are still fighting. It’s not over.”

The city of Riverside is reviewing next steps for the César Chávez statue and César Chávez Rec Center, a spokesperson said.