Weather 
WATTS, LOS ANGELES () — A well-known mural in Watts featuring farmworker movement leader Cesar Chavez has now undergone a major facelift to replace him with civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, following sexual allegations against Chavez.
Muralist “Misteralek” was putting the finishing touches on the revamped mural on Friday. He decided to paint over Cesar Chavez, that sat opposite of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the mural located at the Watts Century Latino Organization and was created in 2021.
“After learning about all the new allegations and all the new stuff that came out, I felt somewhat responsible of changing the mural because it’s my art piece, right, I created it,” said Misteralek.
Earlier this week, Huerta said she was also among the women and minors who were allegedly sexually assaulted by Chavez.
“I felt it was brave of her at her age to be dealing with this stuff,” Misteralek said.
“It is an incredible disappointment to learn what’s come out about Cesar Chavez, but the movement and the struggle is bigger than a single person. And there’s always more people that were instrumental to fighting for migrant workers’ rights and the rights of Latinos across California,” said Autumn Ybarra, executive director of the Watts Century Latino Organization. “So pivoting to the Dolores Huerta was pretty easy to do.”
That revelation prompted the change to this community mural, with Huerta now replacing Chavez.
“It really illustrates the type of person that she was. It was someone that was at the rallies doing activism and speaking loud for people defending our rights,” said Misteralek. “I believe in my heart that this was the right decision and I hope the community gets to enjoy a beautiful mural after this.”
© 2026 Television,
