Hispanic group begins push to rename Ross Avenue for César Chávez

Hispanic group begins push to rename Ross Avenue for César Chávez

07:57 AM CDT on Friday, July 4, 2008
By ALEJANDRO MARTÍNEZ Al Día amartinez@aldiatx.com

A group of Hispanic activists that pushed for Industrial Boulevard to be renamed after labor leader César Chávez has a new target: Ross Avenue in downtown Dallas.

The César Chávez Task Force agreed in June to go along with naming Industrial Boulevard something other than "César Chávez," provided the city name another street for the Latino rights icon.

The Trinity River Corridor Committee wants Industrial to be renamed after the river or something related to water or the project.

This week, the task force met and its members voted unanimously to push for that street to be Ross Avenue.

Alberto Ruiz, the committee's leader and spokesman, said the number of Latino residents and businesses along Ross Avenue justifies renaming it César Chávez Avenue.

Also, Our Lady of Guadalupe Sanctuary, the Catholic church from where the 2006 "megamarch" for immigrants' rights originated and drew nearly half a million people, is there, he noted.

"We decided to promote [the renaming of] Ross Avenue because it is the street with the most significance and symbolic value," Mr. Ruiz said.

Mayor Pro Tem Elba García said Thursday that the city would continue to look for a street that would bear Chávez's name. She added that she supports Ross Avenue as a potential candidate.