# After Cesar Chavez scandal, San Jose opens nominations for renaming downtown plaza > Source: > Published: 2026-06-25 19:12:27+00:00 **Getting your** [Trinity Audio](//trinityaudio.ai)player ready...As San Jose leaders reckon with the recent explosive sexual abuse allegations against the late iconic labor leader Cesar Chavez, the city opened public online nominations Wednesday for a new name to replace the downtown plaza that has carried his name for more than three decades. The city has held its [third group listening and information session this month](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/06/09/san-jose-timeline-renaming-cesar-chavez-landmarks/) where participants have highlighted the park’s role as a hub for family gatherings and community identity, urging that its rich history be preserved. Mayor Matt Mahan has encouraged residents to get involved in the process. “In keeping with the spirit of the grassroots farmworker movement, the renaming decision should not be top-down,” Mahan said. “There will be dialogue – and it’s about more than just one person. It’s been a people-driven movement for justice, dignity, fair wages and working conditions – we should preserve and celebrate that movement. At Wednesday’s meeting, officials outlined how community members can suggest names for the park. According to the city’s naming policy, a valid name must meet at least one of several criteria including a geographic location, a historical event, or an individual deceased for at least five years who made significant contributions to San Jose. Names can also be tied to an individual or group through a donation or sponsorship agreement, though city staff noted this is unlikely given that the renaming process has already begun. The name suggestion survey is open until July 7. Afterward, parks and recreation staff will spend about three weeks vetting the submissions to ensure nominees carry no similar controversies, narrowing the field to a finalized list of roughly 10 names. At the end of July, a second survey will open for the public to vote on these finalists using a ranked-choice system. The parks commission will review the top choices in September and submit its recommendations to the City Council. While the commission may recommend one or more name options, the council will make the final decision by mid-fall. Jon Cicirelli, the city’s parks, recreation and neighborhood services director, said that during discussions with the community this month, residents who looked up to the movement shared that “their heart hurts.” “This was unexpected. This was a hero, so there’s a lot of healing that needs to happen in our community,” Cicirelli told this news organization. “This is part of that process. I think we’ve heard that being able to be seen and belonging were important themes to people.” Cicirelli said during the forum that the plaza is the most significant local landmark honoring Chavez, while [other public assets featuring his name or likeness are also under review](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/03/25/san-jose-cesar-chavez-landmarks-rename-march-2026/) – and crews have already begun covering or removing the branding from some locations. Private property featuring his image is not within the city’s control. Historically, the the downtown plaza has gone through several names, including San Jose Plaza and Park Plaza, before it was named Plaza de Cesar Chavez in 1993. Once the town square during California’s Spanish era, the 2.3-acre park is situated on Market Street between East San Fernando and San Carlos streets, hosting several signature events throughout the year including Christmas in the Park, San Jose Jazz Summer Fest and Music in the Park. San Jose holds deep ties to the labor leader. Born in Arizona, he moved frequently with his farmworker family before settling in the city’s Mayfair neighborhood on the east side, where relatives lived. After serving in the Navy, [he married and returned to Mayfair](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/03/22/cesar-chavezs-mayfair-neighborhood-in-san-jose-struggling-with-identity-now-that-legend-is-tainted/). By the 1960s, he had relocated to Kern County in the Central Valley, where he co-founded the United Farm Workers union alongside Dolores Huerta, also a celebrated labor leader. The New York Times investigation alleged that Chavez sexually abused Huerta and fathered two of her children. While Huerta’s name has emerged as a popular choice in other cities, several San Jose residents are putting forward their own suggestions. Marnelli Canosa, a health equity coordinator with the San Jose-based organization LEAD Filipino, suggested honoring the collective labor movement rather than a single individual. Canosa said members of her organization suggested “Isang Bagsak Plaza” – Filipino for “one fall” – referencing a popular rallying cry used to [express unity between Filipino](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/04/02/the-story-of-cesar-chavez-is-being-rewritten-and-filipinos-are-at-the-center/) and Latino farmworkers, two of the predominant groups in the state at the time. “I’m actually so excited to just see how many people came out to be a part of this process, because this is a unique opportunity for folks to be thinking more historically about how San Jose came together,” Canosa said. “And I think ideas like Isang Bagsak speak to a more global way of people coming together.” Ignacio Ornelas, a teacher with San Jose Unified and a researcher at Stanford University, is proposing to name the plaza after the famed Mexican norteño act [Los Tigres del Norte](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/02/10/los-tigres-del-norte-tickets-concert-tour-chase-center/) — considered one of the important Bay Area bands of all time. “There is no other group in the city of San Jose that has done what Los Tigres del Norte have done for generations of working-class people – not just locally or in the United States, but internationally,” Ornelas said. “I think it’s an important name to consider. I know the council has the power to consider that name.” Residents can find the survey on the city’s [Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services webpage](https://www.sanjoseca.gov/your-government/departments-offices/parks-recreation-neighborhood-services/in-the-works), or direct inquiries via email to parkplanning@sanjoseca.gov.