Cesar Chavez Day may soon officially be a thing of the past in El Paso.
The El Paso City Council is set to consider renaming the holiday set for March 31, 2027, to Farmworkers Appreciation Day during its regular meeting Tuesday, Oct. 13. The move comes after revelations that Chavez, a famed labor and civil rights leader, sexually abused multiple women and girls.
"In March 2026, the city of El Paso took steps to re-examine regional historical recognitions," a document accompanying Tuesday's agenda states, "creating an opportunity to further recognize the collective contributions, culture, and sacrifices of farmworkers."
The New York Times released an extensive investigation earlier this year that included dozens of on-the-record interviews that exposed
a pattern of sexual abuse by the famed union leader, including the sexual assault of underage girls and the rape of his closest confidant, Dolores Huerta.
El Paso was among a number of cities that abandoned the annual celebration — Tuesday's vote will officially replace the previous Cesar Chavez Day commemorations with Farmworkers Appreciation Day.
"The shift from Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers (Appreciation) Day reflects the effort to broaden the focus from one prominent labor leader to the generations of farmworkers whose labor has sustained communities and agriculture," the agenda document states.
Prohibiting future contracts with Flock, surveillance tech
The City Council is also set to approve a resolution barring future contracts with Flock Safety or other surveillance tech providers.
The resolution follows up on the City Council's Sept. 15 vote calling on city staff to draft a resolution directing the city manager "to refrain from entering into, executing, renewing, or extending any contract, agreement, or other arrangement" with surveillance companies. The City Council action required the city manager to return within 30 days with a resolution.
Gov. Greg Abbott in late August canceled all state funding for Flock cameras or similar technology, effectively halting most Flock programs across the state.
In addition to voting to prohibit future contracts with Flock and similar companies, the City Council has already directed that all cameras in the city be disconnected and removed within 60 days.
The resolution does not prohibit the use of automated license plate reader technology, including handheld readers, vehicle-mounted systems, or technology used specifically for parking enforcement, access control, or toll collection, by any operational departments within El Paso.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso City Council to weigh holiday renaming to honor farmworkers
