Tarrant County Commissioner Manny Ramirez said an aide to the commissioner’s colleague “lied” when he told a Spanish-speaking group that Ramirez planned to cancel the county’s Cesar Chavez holiday.
The employee’s boss, Commissioner Alisa Simmons, said she believes Ramirez and will discuss the comments internally with Community Outreach Coordinator Gabe Rivas, who spoke to a group at a breakfast meeting on Aug. 11.
“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 an email Wednesday night.
Asked whether she believed Ramirez’s staff was telling the truth about the commissioner not wanting to remove the holiday from the county calendar, Simmons said, “Your question makes it clear that you asked and my colleague has explained his position on the matter. I’ll take him at his word.”
Richard Gonzales, who writes a history column for the Star-Telegram, said Rivas told attendees that Ramirez planned to eliminate Cesar Chavez Day and replace it with Veterans Day. Rose Herrera, who has been involved in numerous community organizations, was also at the breakfast when the holiday change was discussed.
Following the breakfast meeting, the Tarrant County Cesar Chavez Committee and two local LULAC groups posted a letter online expressing their concerns about the county’s cancellation of the holiday.
Ramirez, the county’s first Hispanic commissioner, wrote in an email to activists that he was disappointed with the staffer’s comments.
“Not only did they make up this lie, they also spread it throughout our neighborhood community groups. They specifically announced the lie at the Chorizo Menudo breakfast this past Saturday,” Ramirez wrote in the email, obtained by the Star-Telegram.
“This person has never contacted me or my office about Cesar Chavez Day or heard from any of the staff that I have any interest in changing anything. Neither I nor anyone in my office has expressed any desire to eliminate this holiday.”
Ramirez declined to comment.
Born in Arizona, Chavez served two years in the Navy and in 1962 founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers. He died in 1993 at age 66. Since 2001, Cesar Chavez Day has been recognized in Tarrant County.
Cesar Chavez Day has been celebrated since 2001.
