On January 14th Fort Worth city council voted to honor both Cesar and Dolores Huerta with streets named in their honor. The streets are Cesar from Beach & 28th to Main street which will cross North 35 and include a freeway sign. Dolores Ave. will start on 28th and Main where Cesar Street ends and will go west to Jacksboro Hwy. For now, the designations are honorary which means that the streets can remain as 28th street but will carry a toper sign with both their names respectfully. Going forward the goal is to make the name change permanent. To ensure this happens I am asking that you forget 28th Street and start calling the streets Cesar and Dolores Ave. from now on. Of course, as with all things you can never please everybody. 

Some are criticizing us by saying we (me and some others) settled and sold out E mas, why settle for sign toppers? Some have said that Cesar was a racist, that others deserve to be honored ahead of him and Dolores. Some said, “Why be like the stereotypical Mexican and always pick Cesar to honor”. Most of this was Facebook reactions to the announcement last week. To be clear the overwhelming response was positive sans some boo birds. However, as with any public stand you take, do not expect 100% approval.  

  That said, I will attempt to respond to some of the criticism here, not for the boo birds but the people that worked tirelessly on this effort. First let me say to those that felt our efforts fell short, where were you when we kept asking for help and input, this effort took well over 7 years. I have lost count some say it is closer to 10.  As for settling, we were offered 2 new bridges yet to be built as, “…If you go with the bridge naming you will stand out and not be like everybody else that just have a street”. This was offered to us by more than one elected official like a shiny trinket. We said no, that would have been settling. As for Cesar was a racist- that is almost laughable. Pero, I will respond to that as I have on many occasions when I heard this thrown out – Not True! When Cesar and Dolores were fighting for decent wages and humane working conditions for the farmworkers, the growers started bringing in illegal labor from south of the border. 

“Classic move of divide and conquer. As you can read on another hero of the Chicano Civil rights movement Jose Angel Gutierrez’s book A Gringo Manuel on How to Handle Mexicans”.

  Classic move of divide and conquer. As you can read on another hero of the Chicano Civil rights movement Jose Angel Gutierrez’s book A Gringo Manuel on How to Handle Mexicans. And I guess it worked since some people still call Cesar a racist for standing up to the growers for their illegal practices. In response to others in our community should be honored perhaps ahead of Cesar and Dolores. I would not dispute that we have many worthy people in our community that may also deserve to be honored with a street. So, to you I say, “Have at it”. And, I hope you have a few years to dedicate to this effort. To be clear, I am not trying to be sarcastic but just real. As for why we must always pick Cesar? Simple answer. We did – but you don’t have to. And by the way, I hope that everyone knows both Cesar and Dolores represent a lifelong commitment of fighting for those that very often do not have a voice. This despite personal financial sacrifice, physical harm and incarnation. Which by any measure is a lot more than a throw away comment on Facebook. 

  Last, I want to thank the members of LULAC Council 4568, District 21 Director Felix Alvarado, Cesar Chavez committee member Richard Gonzalez and of course Councilman Carlos Flores for his work on this matter. And yes, there is still much work to do. This is only a symbolic victory. Pero, in my eyes an important one. My hope is that when people especially young people see the Cesar Chavez coming off the freeway or when they see Cesar and Dolores Ave meet on 28th it gives them a sense of pride. And, for those that may not know who Cesar and Dolores they perhaps will take the time to find out and understand.