"He's being canceled everywhere, says muralist and activist Judy Baca. She remembers marching with the UFW in the 1960s. Over the years, she's created many monuments and murals with the image of Chavez. The revelations have unnerved her. Ugh, I'm sort of in between feeling like I'm going to be sick and or crying. It's just been gut-wrenching, she says from the Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC) studio in Santa Monica."
"I never talked about it to anybody, because I just didn't want to hurt the movement, says Dolores Huerta, who turns 96 next month, reflecting on her decision to keep secret that Chavez raped her for more than 60 years."
"Baca and her team of artists have been working to update a huge mural on California history, The Great Wall of Los Angeles, to be installed along the Los Angeles River in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics. For now, they've rolled up the canvas to cover Chavez's image, and they're considering alternatives."
Cesar Chavez, once celebrated as a Chicano icon, has faced discrediting after allegations of sexual abuse and rape surfaced. The creative community is responding to this news, with the UFW canceling commemorations and calls to remove his name from schools and streets. Muralist Judy Baca expresses her distress over the revelations, particularly for Dolores Huerta, who kept her experience of rape a secret for decades. Artists are now considering alternatives for Chavez's imagery in public art, including updates to significant murals ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Read at www.npr.org
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