City of Davis cancels annual César Chávez Celebration following sexual misconduct allegations

The City of Davis mayor and over 30 Yolo County elected officials express solidarity with survivors

The City of Davis has cancelled its annual César Chávez Celebration for 2026 in response to recent allegations of sexual misconduct against the late farmworker leader.

The City of Davis issued a statement about the event’s cancellation on March 19, citing accounts published by The New York Times and other major outlets detailing a pattern of sexual abuse and rape by Chávez, a long recognized leader of the farmworker movement.

“For many years, the City of Davis has hosted a César Chávez Celebration,” the statement reads. “This year, in light of the recent information about Mr. Chávez’s sexual mistreatment of women and girls, the City will not hold such an event.”

Among those who came forward was Dolores Huerta, another prominent leader in the farmworker movement, along with Debra Rojas and others. These women had held onto their accounts for years, not wishing to harm the movement they had helped build, according to a separate statement released by Davis Mayor Donna Neville in which she expressed her support for the survivors.

“Yesterday was the day for the truth,” Neville said. “It was time to tell their stories and to share this painful past with us. This took more than courage. It took the moral fortitude to do what is right and to share a hard and painful truth so that we would all learn from history. I stand by these women and support them in their bravery.”

Neville also addressed the broader farmworker community, acknowledging the grief many may be feeling while affirming that the movement’s legacy extends beyond any single individual.

“The farmworker movement was never built by one man,” Neville said. “It was a collective action, built on the fearlessness of thousands of workers, organizers and families who put their lives on the line to fight for dignity and justice. That fight continues, and the farmworker legacy belongs to everyone who fought this battle, and who continues to fight, to protect farmworker rights, including Dolores Huerta and the other brave women who spoke out yesterday.”

The response extended beyond the City of Davis. On March 18, more than 30 current and former Yolo County elected officials signed a joint statement titled “Yolo County Leaders Stand Together with Survivors,” co-initiated by Yolo County Board of Education Trustee Melissa Moreno and Davis Vice Mayor Gloria Partida. Signatories include members of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, Davis, Woodland, West Sacramento and Winters city councils as well as multiple school boards.

The statement also reflected on abuse within movements for social change and spoke to a hopeful future of harmony.

“Huerta's statement does not condemn movements working to better humanity, nor does it diminish them,” the statement reads. “Rather, it illuminates the troubling ways that those with less power are forced to confront and navigate abuse within the very spaces meant to uplift them. We must continue working towards unity and collaboration.”

The statement went on to outline more concrete pledges from the signatories, who vowed to hold individuals accountable regardless of who is implicated.

“As current and former elected officials, we commit to respecting and maintaining appropriate boundaries in both public and private spheres, and to holding one another accountable for our behavior and actions,” the statement reads. “No matter who the abuser is, accountability must extend across all systems and spheres. We honor the courage it takes to come forward, especially from communities fighting injustice, and encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses sexual abuse or harassment to do so.”

The Yolo County officials also highlighted local resources and support networks, including Empower Yolo’s 24/7 crisis line and RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline.

As for the future of the city’s commemorative programming, the City of Davis said in a statement that it plans to redirect its efforts toward a new event honoring the immigrant community.

“The City [of Davis], working through its Human Relations Commission, will focus its efforts on a future event that supports our immigrant community and recognizes the contributions they bring to Davis, making it a wonderful place to live, work and recreate,” the statement reads. “The date and location of that event has yet to be determined.”

Written By: Alma Culverwell— city@theaggie.org