The Brian Lehrer Show The Women Leading the Farmworker Movement
Mar 31, 2026
Chabeli Carrazana, an economy and childcare reporter at The 19th who covers gender and labor, discusses reporting on women leading the farmworker movement. She walks through the revelations about Cesar Chavez and their impact. The conversation highlights survivors’ voices, hidden women organizers, debates over legacy and renaming commemorations, and how contemporary women continue to lead farmworker organizing.
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Long Hidden Abuse Documented By Investigation
- The New York Times investigation documented long-term patterns of grooming and sexual abuse by Cesar Chavez dating back decades.
- Two women spoke on the record that they were assaulted as young teens, and both described lifelong trauma including depression and substance abuse.
Listener Remembers Chavez As Family Friend
- A caller recounted personal memories of Chavez staying at his family's home and attending lectures, showing deep community ties that make the revelations painful.
- The caller described childhood practices like avoiding grapes out of solidarity with farmworkers, underscoring Chavez's cultural influence.
Women Sustained The Movement Behind The Scenes
- Women have long been central to the farmworker movement but often rendered invisible in public narratives.
- Chabeli cites Monica Ramirez and notes women organized, cooked, cared for children, and held leadership yet rarely got the spotlight.