Farm work is personal for many people in the state of California, where nearly three-quarters of America's fruits and nuts are grown.
That's why, when sexual abuse allegations against famed farmworker union activist Cesar Chavez came to light in March, it sent shockwaves throughout the state.
As the daughter and granddaughter of farmworkers, this is deeply personal, state senator Suzette Martinez Valladares said during a meeting to discuss removing Chavez's name from streets, parks and schools - as well as renaming Cesar Chavez Day to Farmworkers Day.
The legacy of farmworkers belongs to families like mine across California - not to any one individual, Valladares said, while she and other lawmakers shared stories of how their families worked in the fields picking crops under the hot sun.
As a prominent labour organiser, Chavez helped lead a major strike against Delano grape growers in the 1960s, which sparked boycotts across the country, in order to gain better wages and conditions for workers. His mantra, si, se puede - which means yes, we can in Spanish - has been adopted by activists and politicians who came after him, and was even used by Barack Obama's presidential campaign during his first run for office.
In 1994, Chavez was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton, and in 2014 President Barack Obama declared 31 March to be Cesar Chavez Day.
However, his legacy today has taken a sharp turn, after civil rights leader Dolores Huerta - who helped Chavez co-found the National Farm Workers Association - went public in the New York Times alleging he raped her decades ago.
The newspaper's investigation also included testimony from two other women, who were the daughters of farmworkers, who said he molested them when they were underage in the 1970s. Huerta, 95, said she kept quiet about the sexual assault because she feared it would have hurt the farmworkers movement if she spoke up. Huerta is also a revered and beloved figure in the farmworkers movement with many schools and streets named in her honour - although not nearly as many as Cesar Chavez.
In light of these claims, California lawmakers voted unanimously to rename the state holiday Farmworkers Day. Similar votes are happening across the United States, where Chavez's name is emblazoned on dozens of schools, streets, and other public buildings nationwide. Chavez statues have already begun to be removed and murals vandalized.
Though some artists and activists have started transformations in their representations of Chavez, others argue against complete removal from murals, calling for a more nuanced approach that recognizes the contributions of farmworkers alongside their critiques of Chavez's actions.
As the community continues to grapple with these revelations, many express a commitment to honor the broader legacy of the labor movement while acknowledging the pain and complexity these revelations bring.
