Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García’s office announced on Apr. 8 that it has begun the process of renaming the Pilsen Post Office at 1859 S. Ashland Ave., which is currently named for farmworkers’ rights activist Cesar Chavez. The move follows a recent New York Times report that detailed credible accusations of rape and sexual abuse against Chavez, prompting local residents to call for the removal of his name from public buildings.
The initiative, called the Our Community, Our Legacy program, aims to involve high school students in the 60608 ZIP code in selecting a new name for the post office. According to García’s news release, this approach seeks input from young community members and encourages civic engagement through classroom activities.
Students will have until May 15 to suggest names for consideration. Teachers participating in the program will guide students through research about potential honorees who could be chosen as the new namesake of the post office. Nominations must come from deceased individuals with a clear connection to Pilsen or Illinois’ 4th District and who have demonstrated commitment to public service, education, labor, or civil rights.
“This is an opportunity to promote civic learning, community leadership and meaningful participation,” García’s team said in a statement. “A classroom-based process ensures thoughtful, structured input and avoids a volume-driven contest.”
García’s office will review submissions before determining finalists and selecting one winner whose name will be proposed in legislation introduced by García in Congress. In addition to calls for renaming the post office, some community members have also advocated changing the name of Cesar E. Chavez Multicultural Academic Center and removing his image from local murals.
The broader impact of this decision reflects ongoing conversations about how communities choose whom they honor on public buildings following revelations about historic figures.
