SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — In National City, a mural depicts prominent labor leaders, including Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.
In between their paintings is another leader not as well-known among the general public — Larry Itliong.
ABC 10News morning anchor Melissa Mecija spoke to his son, Johnny Itliong, about the allegations of sexual assault against Chavez.
The New York Times first reported Wednesday that it found credible evidence that Chavez groomed and sexually abused young girls who worked in the movement. One of his named victims was Huerta, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with Chavez. Huerta, now 95, revealed that she was a victim of abuse by him in her 30s.
Johnny told ABC 10News he was not surprised because the stories about Chavez were talked about for years.
"It’s disgusting,” Johnny Itliong said, when talking about the allegations against Chavez.
Larry Itliong was a Filipino-American labor organizer who played a central role in the founding of the United Farm Workers union. Johnny remembers helping his family in the fields as a young child.
"The whole time I’ve been trying to correct the history of the farm labor movement of the UFW, and I’ve been told my whole life to not really push that agenda of exposing that part of Cesar’s wrongdoings and to stick to the history part," Johnny said.
Johnny said his father is often overlooked in history books and that Chavez took credit for a lot of the work his dad did. Larry Itliong was key in the Delano grape strike and brought in the Mexican farm workers to join forces.
Johnny said his father was much older than Chavez and that Chavez would send his father away when the news cameras would come. He said it is time Chavez got exposed for who he really is.
He wants people to know that his father sacrificed so much for so many people.
“He made a difference. He changed United States for us,” Johnny said.
Johnny hopes these latest developments will bring recognition to others, like his father, who contributed to the fight for farm workers' rights.
ABC 10News reached out to the Cesar Chavez Foundation and the UFW for a response but have yet to hear back.
