On a sunny afternoon at Venice Beach’s Magic Monday roller skating event in Los Angeles, Johnny Itliong reflected on recent revelations that have prompted a reassessment of Cesar Chavez’s legacy. The news that Chavez faced allegations of sexual abuse involving daughters of farmworker organizers shook the community and deepened ongoing debates about the recognition of Latino and Filipino American leaders in the farm labor movement.

Johnny Itliong, 61, is the son of Larry Itliong, a Filipino American labor organizer who played a pivotal role in the farmworker movement but has historically been overshadowed by Chavez. Unlike Chavez, whose name graces schools and streets nationwide, Larry Itliong’s contributions are less widely acknowledged despite his central work leading the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee and helping to initiate the 1965 Delano grape strike.

For decades, Johnny Itliong has been advocating to elevate his father’s legacy, asserting that Chavez and his associates took disproportionate credit for collective efforts. He maintains that Larry Itliong’s organizing, multilingual communication with workers, and commitment to improving farm labor conditions were foundational to the movement’s success. This longstanding effort has come at personal cost, including strained family relationships and financial difficulties.

The recent allegations against Chavez have intensified calls among some activists to broaden the narrative of farmworker history. Johnny Itliong, along with Asian American civil rights activists such as pastor Eric Chen, see the moment as an opportunity to highlight the impact of Filipino American leadership without idealizing any individual. They have organized discussions and public events aiming to shift celebrations from Chavez’s birthday to a more inclusive recognition of the movement’s diverse contributors.

Larry Itliong’s life intersected with major labor milestones, including organizing workers from Alaska to California and orchestrating the pivotal 1965 strike. Historians note his critical role in uniting Filipino and Mexican American laborers, which laid the groundwork for the United Farm Workers (UFW). However, tensions between Filipino and Latino factions, as well as Chavez’s rising prominence as a charismatic Mexican American leader, eventually sidelined Itliong’s earlier efforts.

Scholars such as Dartmouth’s Matt Garcia acknowledge these dynamics, explaining that Itliong’s focus on traditional union organizing differed from Chavez’s broader civil rights-oriented approach. While no evidence suggests a deliberate conspiracy to erase Itliong’s contributions, Chavez’s personal appeal and societal tendencies to valorize singular figures ensured he became the primary face of the movement.

The UFW has recognized that many contributors to farmworker rights remain underappreciated and emphasized the importance of continued organizing in Larry Itliong’s spirit. The Chavez family declined to comment on the allegations.

Johnny Itliong’s personal history includes hardships, such as his father’s death from ALS in 1977, turbulent family life, and struggles with maintaining relationships with his own children. Despite these challenges, he remains committed to preserving and promoting his father’s legacy.

In the Central Valley town of Delano, places like Larry Itliong Unity Park and a school mural stand as testaments to his contributions. Family members express pride in his achievements and a desire to educate future generations.

At a recent panel hosted by the Pilipino Workers Center in Los Angeles, Johnny Itliong joined fellow activists to advocate for a more nuanced retelling of farmworker history. Panelists urged the public and officials to reconsider the singular celebration of Chavez and to recognize the collective nature of the movement involving many unsung leaders.

The event concluded with a traditional Filipino unity clap, symbolizing solidarity and ongoing commitment. For Itliong and others, the recent controversy is both a moment of reckoning and a call to action to honor all those who have fought for workers’ rights across ethnic lines—an effort they say is far from complete. Following the panel, Itliong returned to the Venice Beach rink, blending activism with a community pastime that connects him with the present even as he carries the weight of the past.