ELGIN — State Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) released the following statement Friday in response to newly published allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct by the late Cesar Chavez.

“It is tragic that Dolores Huerta and other survivors carried the weight of this abuse done to them for decades and were forced to keep silent on this issue, given the stigma of speaking up in our culture.

“Being able to push back against the stigma and voice the pain they have gone through speaks to the courage and bravery of these women – a deeply vulnerable action that I commend them for.

“Getting to know Dolores Huerta has been an honor and privilege. Being able to hear stories about her own personal life and her own struggles with the farmworker movement has been influential in my own life. It is in knowing her stories that makes the behavior described about Chavez especially reprehensible and unconscionable.

“We must make one thing clear: this should not tarnish the hard work and effort given by farmworkers for decades in the name of this movement. Dolores Huerta and the workers leading the movement for farmworker justice understood that it could only happen if it was rooted in the values that highlight the strengths of the Latino community – that of resilience, compassion, respect and integrity.

“I stand in solidarity with Dolores Huerta and all survivors of the alleged actions taken by Cesar Chavez. I  hope that by them speaking their truth, others are encouraged to do the same.