March 19, 2026
Dear SRJC Community, 

Like many of you, I woke up yesterday morning to the reports and accusations of sexual misconduct involving César Chavez, along with Dolores Huerta sharing her own experiences of abuse. For many in our community, this news is painful and difficult to reconcile. 

César Chavez has long stood as a symbol of the civil rights and farmworker movements. Over time, that work has continued to evolve, lifting the voices of others, including Dolores Huerta. I am saddened for Dolores Huerta and all those who have come forward to share their experiences. Survivors deserve to be heard, and we have a responsibility to ensure our understanding of this history is honest and holds those in power accountable all the way to the highest office in our country.  

As the César Chavez/Dolores Huerta holiday on March 31 approaches, this moment calls on us to reconsider how we recognize that day. Our focus should center on the farmworkers who labored under harsh circumstances, and on the leaders and organizers, including Dolores Huerta and Larry Itliong, whose efforts advanced this work. I will be working with college leadership and the Board of Trustees to consider an approach that more fully reflects these contributions. 

Please know that we are approaching this with care and respect for the history and complexity of this movement. Our commitment is to create a campus environment where the values of justice and safety are not just celebrated in our past, but active in our present.  

The fight for fair wages, safe working conditions, and dignity for workers continues today. This is a moment to reflect, to learn, and to engage in ways that advance equity and justice in our communities.

We will continue to move forward thoughtfully and transparently as we determine how best to honor the true spirit of the farmworker movement and all those who built it.

In Community,  

Dr. Angélica Garcia, Ed.D.
Superintendent/President
707-527-4431, angelicagarcia@santarosa.edu