DOVER, Fla. — A recent investigation by The New York Times revealed allegations that civil rights icon Cesar Chavez groomed and sexually abused women and minors.
Chavez and legendary labor activist Dolores Huerta co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in the 60s, which later became the United Farm Workers union.
WATCH: 'A big blow:' Tampa Bay farmworker advocates react to sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez
Huerta, 95, came forward saying she can no longer stay silent.
Huerta said she had two separate sexual encounters with Chavez in the 60s, where she was pressured one time, and then forced against her will the other time.
The investigation found that Chavez had been grooming and sexually abusing women who worked in the movement.
The news has created a shockwave locally. From Dover to Wimauma, I listened to what local farmworker advocates had to say about the investigation.
"It's a big blow to the farmworker movement," Teresita Matos-Post said.
Matos-Post is the executive director of the Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, a Wimauma faith-based organization that has been providing hunger relief to hundreds of farmworkers for decades.
"It's something that touches you to the core," Matos-Post said.
She said it is not shocking to hear about this, but people need to be held accountable, regardless of their status in society.
"It's important to bring these things to light so that people know the cost of our food," Matos-Post said.
I met up with Aurea Rodriguez, who has volunteered to help deliver food to migrant families in Dover for about two decades, and said she is not surprised by the news.
"Heartbreaking, but I’m not shocked. Why? Because I know working in the field with farm workers for years, this happens on all levels - from the owner, to the patron, to the labor - the farm workers in the field, and especially the women," Rodriguez said.
She said women have been silenced for years out of fear of retaliation.
"Women feel that they don’t have a place to go, that they can’t talk to nobody, and if they say something - the husband going to leave them homeless, they’re going to take their kids," Rodriguez said.
Across the nation, people are holding back on celebrations and even covering up statues of Chavez.
Mercedes Soler, the owner and president of Solmart Media, a Spanish-language radio broadcasting group based in Sarasota, said a man like Chavez shouldn't be celebrated.
"We shouldn't be celebrating a man who was raping little girls," Soler said. "Women shouldn't have to carry that burden when men rape them and abuse them. The burden should be carried by the criminal. That's the men in this case."
She said the movement is not the man.
"The movement continued, and it did incredible things. It does extraordinary things up until today, so let's celebrate that," Soler said.
Share Your Story with Annette
Annette Gutierrez knows safety is important for every community. She’s focused on finding solutions and getting results for both crime and our roads. She takes pride in sharing stories from Sarasota and Manatee counties, so send Annette tips on how she can help.
.
'I didn’t ask for this,' landscapers cut woman's trees without her permission causing thousands in damages
Denise Harris said she was inside her home back in December when she heard noises outside and opened her front door to find a crew already at work.
