Portland City Council Unanimously Votes to Rename César E. Chávez Boulevard to Campesinos Boulevard
The Portland City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to rename César E. Chávez Boulevard to Campesinos Boulevard. The change honors the broader Latino farmworker movement rather than a single individual. In Spanish, "campesinos" translates to "farmworkers." This decision follows a New York Times report that revealed César E. Chávez allegedly sexually abused several women and girls, including Dolores Huerta. The Por La Causa Committee, a coalition of community leaders and former farmworkers, organized the effort to rename the street to acknowledge the movement's collective legacy while addressing the harm caused by the individual. Councilor Loretta Smith sponsored the ordinance, noting that a movement is built by the workers who endure backbreaking labor. Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane co-sponsored the ordinance and expressed a desire to remove the old signs swiftly to avoid reminding residents of the abuse. The council waived the requirement for 2,500 residents to support a name change and adjusted the rules for the transition period of the old and new signs. The Bureau of Transportation Director Millicent Williams stated that it may take more than a year to produce the new signs.
Sources
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Months after abuse allegations made against César Chávez, Portland changes street name
KATU
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Portland council votes to rename Cesar Chavez Boulevard
KPTV
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Portland leaders vote to remove Cesar Chavez’s name from major street
Oregon Public Broadcasting - OPB