Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez said that a colleague’s staffer “lied” when he told a Hispanic organization that Ramirez was planning to cancel the county’s recognition of Cesar Chavez Day.
Gabe Rivas, a staffer for Commissioner Alisa Simmons, allegedly told the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) that Ramirez was planning to nix Cesar Chavez Day and replace it with Veterans Day. Following the meeting, LULAC posted a letter online to voice its concern over the assertion.
“Join us in this fight! Add your voice to this campaign letter and be ready to take action. Together, we can protect our history and ensure that Latino representation is valued in Tarrant County,” the letter read.
However, Ramirez claimed that he never planned to end the county holiday, and Simmons has stated that the Rivas debacle would be addressed, reported Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“Not only did they make this lie up, but they also spread this lie throughout our neighborhood community groups. Specifically, they announced the lie at the Chorizo Menudo breakfast this past Saturday,” Ramirez wrote in an emailed statement, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
“I did not authorize Mr. Rivas to make that statement. I have already discussed this with Mr. Rivas and will address it internally,” Simmons said in her own statement to the Star-Telegram.
Cesar Chavez Day has been a paid holiday for Tarrant County employees since 2000. The City of Fort Worth also honored Chavez with the unveiling of Cesar Chavez/Dolores Huerta street toppers on 28th Street in 2021.
“This individual never once reached out to me or my office about Cesar Chavez Day or heard from anyone on staff that I had any interest in changing anything. Neither I, nor anyone in my office have expressed any desire to remove this holiday,” Ramirez told the Star-Telegram.