# Why I proposed a bill to replace Cesar Chavez Day with Farmworker Day
**SACRAMENTO, CA** – California’s identity as the "breadbasket of the world" is not a title earned by political figures, but one forged in the soil by the relentless dedication of the men and women who harvest our nation’s food. As our state’s agricultural sector continues to drive a $49 billion industry and generate over $100 billion in total economic activity, it is time that our public commemorations reflect the actual workforce rather than a single, increasingly controversial individual.
This week, I introduced a legislative proposal to rename the March 31 state holiday from "Cesar Chavez Day" to "Farmworker Day." This move is not merely a policy preference; it is a necessary corrective to the moral failings that have recently come to light regarding the holiday’s namesake.
For too long, California has tethered the recognition of our agricultural backbone to César Chávez. However, the recent, horrific revelations that Chávez sexually assaulted numerous women—including minors—make it impossible to continue honoring him with a state-sponsored holiday. We cannot, in good conscience, maintain a day of celebration that casts a dark shadow over the very industry it intends to uplift.
The agricultural sector, which provides over one-third of the nation’s vegetables and three-quarters of its fruits and nuts, deserves a day of recognition that is untainted by the history of its current honoree. By transitioning to "Farmworker Day," we pivot our focus away from a flawed icon and toward the collective dignity, grueling labor, and specialized skill of the hundreds of thousands of workers who wake before dawn to ensure our nation is fed.
I am well aware that introducing this legislation is an uphill battle, particularly given the entrenched ideological commitments of the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento. Many in the capital are hesitant to dismantle a legacy that has been curated for decades, regardless of the evidence that has emerged regarding Chávez’s personal conduct.
Nevertheless, progress requires the courage to speak truth to power and to prioritize the integrity of our state’s values over political convenience. Renaming this holiday is a long-overdue evolution. It is time for California to stop celebrating a man whose actions stand in direct opposition to the values we claim to hold, and instead offer a holiday that belongs to the workers—the true heroes of the fields.
Our farming community deserves a day of honor that they can share with their families without apology or complication. It is my hope that my colleagues in the legislature will look past party lines and recognize that when a historical figure fails the test of basic moral decency, the state’s obligation is to the people, not the statue.
