COPAL believes deeply in the fundamental principle that every person deserves to live with respect and dignity.
The recent statement shared by Dolores Huerta, in which she shares she experienced sexual harm from César Chávez, is profoundly painful and unsettling. This moment is especially difficult for many within the organizing, labor, and immigrant rights movements, communities that have long drawn inspiration from the historic struggles led during that era.
We recognize that important advances for workers’ rights and immigrant justice emerged from that movement. At the same time, we must be clear: truth matters, and harm must be named. There is no place for gender-based violence in our movements. Leaders are human, and while they may contribute to transformative change, they can also cause harm that must be acknowledged and addressed.
Movements do not belong to one individual. They belong to the people, to the farmworkers, families, women, and communities who continue to organize for dignity today.
We acknowledge the immense courage it takes for a woman to speak about harm, particularly when it involves a powerful or widely respected figure. Creating cultures where survivors can speak and be heard is essential to building movements rooted in justice.
For COPAL, dignity is not selective. It is a human right that must be upheld in our workplaces, our communities, and within our own movements.
This moment reminds us of the importance of critical consciousness, ethical leadership, and accountability. Our commitment to immigrant justice, labor rights, and human dignity requires us to confront uncomfortable truths while continuing to organize toward a more just and humane future.
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About COPAL
COPAL Minnesota is a member-based organization driven to improve the quality of life for Minnesota’s Latine communities. For more information, please visit www.copalmn.org.
