SOPHIE HUMMEL / CONTRIBUTOR

A César Chávez quote on the wall of the Learning Commons was removed. The quote previously read: “Students must have initiative; they should not be mere imitators. They must learn to think and act for themselves.” 

USD Professor Emily Reimer-Barry, PhD, who teaches courses in theological ethics utilizing feminist and anti-racist teachings, requested its  removal after reflecting on Dolores Huerta’s story as she walked past it.

Dolores Huerta is one of three women named in a New York Times investigation that accused  Chávez   of   alleged  sexual abuse, molestation and rape. The Times research includes over 60 interviews, including Chávez’s relatives,  top aides and former  members of  the United Farm Workers (UFW).  

Chávez co-founded the UFW in 1962 with Dolores Huerta and led boycotts to push for equitable conditions for farm workers. The UFW announced they will not be participating in any events named after Chávez, and current president Teresa Romero expressed her condemnation of the sexual abuse and rape allegations.

Reimer-Barry said removing Chávez’s name from public spaces is part of a broader responsibility to support survivors.

“We really have a responsibility to lift up  the stories of survivors and try to approach our outreach in a trauma-informed way,” Reimer-Barry said. “That means  not forcing survivors to walk past a quote by someone  who  has   these    allegations.”

In a written statement, the University of San Diego explained why the quote was removed.

“The decision to remove the Cesar Chavez quote from the Learning Commons was made based on feedback from our community and in following the example of our local community partners and civil rights leaders,” a public affairs representative  for the University wrote in a statement. “Violence against women has no place in our society. We echo the sentiments that have been shared in the wake of this painful revelation: unwavering support and solidarity for survivors, and the conviction that one man’s actions aren’t reflective of a movement’s legacy or its future.”

Reimer-Barry argued that removing the quote from the wall demonstrates what the quote advocates for and that institutions should explicitly acknowledge survivors in any decisions to remove or rename dedications honoring Chávez.

“Sexual violence is pervasive in general and in farmworker life,” Reimer-Barry said. “Whether we’re talking about campus culture that tolerates or normalizes sexual violence, or farmworker culture, the multiple systemic threats they are subject to are reflected in these testimonies. These are really hard testimonies  that  we  need  to  listen  to.”

USD junior Grace McColl expressed similar agreement with the University’s decision to remove the quote.

“I respect USD’s decision to take down his quote,” McColl said. “I think colleges hold the utmost responsibility to portray ethical standards of who role models should be.”

The San Diego Community College District announced on April 6 that they will temporarily rename César E. Chávez     Community College. While the district begins the process of finalizing a permanent name change, the school will be called the “College of Continuing Education Harbor View.” The campus, which serves thousands of  students, is located in Barrio Logan and offers a variety of tuition-free programs.

The San Diego Community College District acknowledged its consideration of survivors of sexual violence in its decision to rename the school. 

“Several who commented during the April 6 meeting expressed support for survivors of sexual violence and emphasized that Chávez’s actions do not tarnish the work of thousands who helped shape the farmworker movement,” the district wrote in a statement on their website. 

USD senior Dan Noel said naming places after Chávez shifts attention away from the movement.

“A lot of parks, and roads are named after [Chavez] …Now that you’ve named it after him, instead of the movement, it puts him on a pedestal more than the movement itself,” Noel said.

Several additional landmarks, streets  and  public  spaces  in  San Diego are being considered for renaming. 

USD  sophomore Maddie Whalen explained she had been expecting the announcement of the renaming. 

“I’ve seen a lot of news about name changes, so I wasn’t really surprised to hear that they were changing the name of the community college,” Whalen said.

Various landmarks, signs and names across San Diego continue to be reviewed as institutions weigh how to respond to the allegations.

The quote was removed from the LCs. Photo courtesy of Emily Reimer-Barry