Woman Sues Cesar Chavez Nonprofits Over Alleged Sexual Abuse

A woman who says she was sexually abused by the late labor leader Cesar Chavez has filed a lawsuit against two nonprofits associated with him, marking the first legal action since the allegations became public in March.

The complaint, filed last week in Kern County Superior Court in Southern California, names the Cesar Chavez Foundation and the United Farm Workers Foundation as defendants. The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, accuses the organizations of failing to investigate complaints about Chavez over the years. The suit alleges negligent supervision, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and sexual harassment.

According to the complaint, the woman met Chavez in the early 1970s after moving to California's Central Valley to help organize farm workers. In 1973, she and her family lived in the Keene compound that served as offices for the United Farm Workers. She says Chavez tried to get her drunk and dance with her at a party that year, then followed her home and raped her. She alleges he assaulted her again a few years later.

The lawsuit claims the two foundations made efforts to hide evidence of sexual misconduct by Chavez and other union leaders, and that women who spoke up were verbally attacked and accused of trying to ruin the movement.

The woman, now in her 80s, is seeking a jury trial and damages, including for lost earnings and punitive damages. Her attorney, V. James DeSimone, said she is committed to the process and that the abuse has caused her lasting stress and anxiety. He expects other survivors may come forward.

The Cesar Chavez Foundation said it recently became aware of the complaint and is reviewing it with legal counsel. In March, after the initial allegations, the foundation said it believed the survivors and apologized for the harm they endured. The UFW Foundation did not respond to a request for comment, and the United Farm Workers union, which is not named in the suit, declined to comment.

Chavez, who died in 1993, was long celebrated as a champion of farm workers' rights. Following the abuse revelations, many events and honors bearing his name were canceled or reconsidered.

DeSimone said the goal is not to stop the nonprofits' work but to ensure accountability. "No cause, no organization, should be above the law," he said.