“Cesar Chavez is just a man.”

By: Gabriela Yareliz

One woman was 13 when the abuse began. Some were 8 or 9. Horrible to let that sink in.

Dolores Huerta and other women have come forward to detail the abuse they suffered at the hands of Cesar Chavez, the NYT is reporting in an explosive report. There are archives, recordings and 23andMe tests linking.

It saddens me to think of how long women have silently carried their stories of molestation, abuse and rape (in some cases secret pregnancies) and giving children up for adoption and the shame that all this brings, culturally. Sadly, I find that in my culture this is not rare or strange. And it honestly makes my blood boil like when the water is popping out of the pot.

When my mom brought the news to my attention, I was shocked. I hadn’t heard, yet. I, like many others, have always held Chavez in high esteem. I worked with (and advocated for) farmworkers during my undergrad years. I have always been passionate about the plight of the farmworker. This broke my heart. It made me wonder what triggered this revelation. I am glad it happened. The truth shall set us free.

I can imagine people stayed silent on this for a long time for many reasons. I am sure one is that this man is so revered in Hispanic culture. You don’t understand the amount of murals his face has made its way into. We have few heroes, and here is one that turns out to be worse than a piece of sh*t. Typical.

One of the women, Ms. Esmeralda Lopez said to the NYT recalling what she told her mother after meeting him (where he propositioned her)— “Cesar Chavez is just a man.” A sick man at that.

I can’t even write about this in any poetic form—

I am tired of society going off of optics or what things seem.

I am tired of people’s agendas, charisma and/or talent overriding their character.

I am tired of weak preying men who lack character. The society we have now is a reflection of what is rotting people to their core.

I am tired of (and enraged by) men who abuse girls.

I am tired of men who abuse women.

I am tired of men who think it’s ok to cheat on their wives.

I am tired of men who attempt to look pious and “lead”, when they use power for personal gain and manipulation of innocents.

I am tired of a culture that allows, shields and looks the other way when there is abuse present.

I am tired of young women not having support and feeling alone.

I am tired of a culture that normalizes all of this behavior and excuses it, allowing it to thrive.

I am tired of a culture that always shifts blame and/or responsibility to a woman because it can.

We are tired here, and so f***ing pissed.

“Cesar Chavez is just a man,” Ms. Lopez said. These mf are all “just men”.

The only thing we have to hold onto is the justice God promises will come. Nothing will be hid. Everything will be unveiled. No one will be able to hide.

For the time being, strip that mf of his presidential honors, his day, his parades and blot him from the murals. Replace him with Dolores Huerta, a woman who led the movement while suffering heinous abuse. Honor her for carrying all of this weight for years. For carrying two of his children as a result of such abuse. It’s backbreaking pain. Heartbreaking pain. Honor the tragic silence she kept because she didn’t want to harm her own community. Let’s honor that strength and resilience, because that sh*t is supernatural.

I am sick to my stomach because Cesar Chavez was “just a man.” But I say we honor Dolores Huerta because she is not “just a woman.” She represents a Hispanic woman in all of her strength, dignity, resilience and poise.