San Antonio’s César E. Chávez Legacy foundation plans closure after abuse allegations trigger cancellations and scrutiny

Foundation behind the city’s signature Chávez march moves to wind down operations

A San Antonio nonprofit that has organized the city’s annual César E. Chávez March for Justice for decades is preparing to shut down following widely publicized sexual abuse allegations involving the late labor leader. The organization, the César E. Chávez Legacy and Educational Foundation, had already canceled the 2026 march after notifying city officials that the cancellation involved a “sensitive matter,” without providing additional details.

The cancellation halted what would have been the 30th edition of the march. City records and internal communications show the city has provided annual support funding for the event, budgeted at $200,000. As of early March, city staff documented that $60,000 had already been spent for 2026 planning; the foundation said it would return those funds.

Allegations prompt a broader retreat from commemorations

The San Antonio decision unfolded amid a national pullback from Chávez-branded events after allegations surfaced that Chávez sexually abused women and girls while he led the United Farm Workers union. In response, the union said it would not participate in parades honoring its founder and indicated it would pursue additional steps focused on accountability and repair, including establishing a confidential mechanism for potential victims to report information.

Across multiple cities and states, commemorations tied to César Chávez Day were renamed, postponed or canceled, reflecting the speed at which the allegations reshaped public plans for late March. In San Antonio, the fallout has also reached city symbolism: local leaders have begun discussing whether public assets bearing Chávez’s name should be reconsidered, including a downtown boulevard.

What is known about the San Antonio nonprofit’s role

The César E. Chávez Legacy and Educational Foundation has been the primary organizer of San Antonio’s large-scale march since the late 1990s, positioning the event as a civic demonstration centered on labor rights and community engagement. The 2026 cancellation created immediate operational questions about event contracts and public spending already committed for logistical needs.

The foundation’s public messaging on the cancellation offered an apology to participants and encouraged residents to continue civic engagement, but did not publicly specify the issue prompting the decision. City officials, in turn, acknowledged the lack of detail provided to municipal leadership at the time the march was called off.

Key timeline

• March 6, 2026: City officials document that the foundation canceled the March 28, 2026 march, citing a “sensitive matter,” and that $60,000 in city spending would be returned.

• March 17–18, 2026: The United Farm Workers and other institutions publicly pivot away from celebrations as allegations of abuse of women and minors circulate nationally.

• Mid-March 2026: San Antonio officials begin weighing whether commemorations and namings tied to Chávez should continue.

Public institutions and partner organizations across the country have moved quickly to pause commemorations as the allegations prompt reassessment of how Chávez’s legacy is presented.

As the foundation winds down, the immediate question for San Antonio is whether the March for Justice will continue under a different organizer and name—and how the city will handle funding, branding, and public honors linked to a figure now at the center of serious abuse allegations.