JOINT STATEMENT
March 18, 2026
We are heartbroken. We are outraged. And we are clear: what has been revealed is not acceptable.
Our hearts are with the survivors who have come forward after decades of silence, carrying the weight of harm that should never have been theirs to bear. We believe you. We stand with you. And we support your healing in whatever form it takes. Accountability matters, and reparations are due.
As organizations working at the intersection of community, gender equity, and the prevention of violence, we know this truth: survivors are too often not believed, not protected, and asked to carry the burden of silence. That silence is not accidental. It is shaped by power, by fear, and by systems rooted in white supremacy culture that prioritize reputation over truth, hierarchy over accountability, and the protection of institutions over the safety of women and girls.
The first-hand accounts of harm inflicted by Cesar Chavez force us to confront a painful truth: movements for justice are not immune from harm. Power, when left unchecked, can be abused even by those we uplift as leaders. Survivors should never have to choose between telling the truth and protecting a movement.
For the Sí Se Puede Collective, this moment is especially personal. This is our neighborhood. This is where Cesar Chavez once lived. His legacy is etched into our streets through murals, plaques, and the stories we’ve carried forward with pride. That is what makes this so painful. We are grappling, in real time, with what it means to hold space for both the history that shaped our community and the harm that has now come to light.
For YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley and Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence, this moment reflects what we see every day: gender-based violence is pervasive, and survivors are too often met with silence, disbelief, or systems that fail to respond. Accountability must not depend on status, influence, or legacy.
We hold this truth alongside another: the Farm Workers Movement is bigger than any one individual. It transformed the Latino community by securing labor rights, improving living conditions for agricultural workers, and creating a pathway from powerlessness to collective voice. It was built and sustained by a collective—by organizers, by families, by communities, and by women whose leadership has too often gone unnamed, unseen, and unrecognized. Women like Dolores Huerta, who carried both the movement and, in silence, her own pain. We stand with Dolores Huerta, and with all survivors who have carried these truths for far too long.
Abuse transcends race, ethnicity, class, religion, and sector. It exists in every community, including those fighting for justice.
This moment is especially stark. As we mark Women’s History Month, a time meant to honor the contributions and leadership of women, we are also reckoning with harm inflicted on women within one of the most significant civil rights movements in our nation’s history. At the same time, we are living in a national context where credible allegations of harm against women have not prevented individuals from rising to the highest levels of power. This is not coincidence, it is a pattern.
Let this be a turning point.
Let it be a reminder that no one should be placed beyond accountability. Leadership must never be conflated with infallibility. Movements must be strong enough to tell the truth about themselves.
And let it be a call – TO ALL OF US – to build cultures where survivors are believed, where power is examined, and where justice is not selective.
We remain committed to that work, here in our communities, and alongside those who continue to come forward with courage.
This is the time to build movements and cultivate a new generation of leaders—leaders who center justice and power in practice. This is the moment to shape young leaders who will carry these movements forward with integrity, accountability, and truth.
To survivors everywhere, we see you, we believe you. If you or someone you know are in need of support, resources are available.
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence 24/7 hotline: 408-279-2962
YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley 24/7 hotline: 1-800-572-2782
In solidarity,
The Sí Se Puede Collective
Jessica Paz-Cedillos, CEO | Mexican Heritage Plaza
Victor Vasquez & Saúl Ramos, Co-Executive Directors | SOMOS Mayfair
Maritza Maldonado, Executive Director | Amigos de Guadalupe
Shawn Gerth, Executive Director | Veggielution
Veronica Goei, Executive Director | Grail Family Services
YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley
Adriana Caldera Boroffice, CEO
Next Door Solutions
Colsaria Henderson, Executive Director
