‘Responsibility to act’: Seattle, King County remove César Chávez name from park after abuse allegations

In response to the recent allegations of sexual abuse against César Chávez, the City of Seattle and King County have agreed to immediately remove his name from a Seattle park in the South Park neighborhood.

The move comes after Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda urged the city to act, the Seattle mayor’s office announced Tuesday.

“Renaming César Chávez Park is not simply about changing signage, it’s about redefining who we choose to honor in shared public spaces and how those choices reflect our values as we are forced to reexamine history,” Seattle City Councilmember Rinck stated. “Those values must include standing up for survivors of sexual violence. Believing survivors, protecting them, and holding abusers accountable is not separate from the movement. It is the movement. We cannot claim to fight for working people while abandoning and silencing the women who made that fight possible.”

New York Times investigation into César Chávez sparks nationwide removals

The alterations to the park’s signage followed reports from a New York Times article that detailed allegations of Chávez sexually abusing women and girls. The recent findings prompted officials nationwide to remove Chávez’s name from streets, monuments, and schools. California leaders have also proposed to rename César Chávez Day to Farmworkers Day.

Seattle officials announced last week that a community garden named after Chávez would be renamed, with the El Centro de la Raza building to undergo similar changes.

“Parks are community spaces, and everyone who visits should feel welcome there,” Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said. “When a name causes pain, we have a responsibility to act. I’m grateful to Councilmembers Rinck and Mosqueda for their leadership, and I look forward to working with the South Park community to choose a new name that reflects our values.”

The mayor’s office also stated that the city and county stand with the survivors who have come forward, and are working in partnership with community members and local organizations to lead an inclusive process to rename the park.

“King County and Seattle stand with survivors and share in the value that every person should feel safe, respected, and seen — especially in our shared public spaces,” Mosqueda stated. “The renaming of this park shows that we hear the voices of survivors, share in the demand for accountability, and take seriously our responsibility to confront this history of harm—no matter who the perpetrator is.”

As of this reporting, a search of César Chávez Park on the City of Seattle website returns a “404 Error: Page Not Found” message.

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