Latino leaders and others told the Lansing city council during a public hearing last Monday night why the city should rename part of a city street after activist Cesar Chavez.
The civil rights icon died in 1993.
In 1994, Lansing officials renamed part of Grand River Avenue street for Chavez. But a public vote reversed the decision the next year.
Marisol Garcia says the rebuke still stings.
“It does because I have children,” says Garcia. “For them to see that the city of Lansing is not accepting of an important leader to our community…it’s hurtful.”
The Old Town business association has dropped its opposition to the change, which is seen as a main obstacle to the change.
The city council is expected to consider renaming part of Grand Avenue for Chavez when it meets this week.
