Farmworkers Mural Reimagining
Context
Following allegations of abuse regarding Cesar Chavez that emerged in March 2026, Sonoma State University took action to remove artwork and other symbols honoring him around the campus. This included the removal of a section of the Tiene la Lumbre Adentro / He Has the Fire Within: SSU César E. Chávez Memorial mural displayed in the University Library.
In the months since the allegations, the Sonoma State community has partnered with the original artist of the mural, Johanna Poethig, to reimagine aspects of the mural in a way that centers farmworkers’ collective leadership and recognizes them as the heroes of the farmworker movement.
Upcoming Events
Preview New Concept Renderings
Sonoma State University will once again welcome artist Johanna Poethig on Friday, September 4, from 1:30–2:30 p.m. via Zoom [Add to Google Calendar]. Please join us for this important conversation about community, art, and the evolving legacy of the farmworker movement. Poethig is the original artist of Tiene la Lumbre Adentro / He Has the Fire Within: SSU César E. Chávez Memorial, currently displayed in the University Library. Following allegations of abuse that emerged in March 2026, the Sonoma State community has partnered with Poethig to reimagine aspects of the mural in a way that centers farmworkers’ collective leadership and recognizes them as the heroes of the farmworker movement. In May, Poethig visited campus for a community conversation and workshop with students, faculty, staff, and local community members. On September 4, Poethig will share how she has incorporated community perspectives into the evolving work. She will present a concept rendering for the planned full-scale mural revision.
Reception & Unveiling of New Mural
Please join us on Thursday, March 11, from 5-7pm in the Schulz Library for a reception and ceremony as we unveil the reimagined Farmworkers Mural. This is a time for the campus community to come together to celebrate the reimagined mural and the impact of the collective movement. During this time, the Library will also be featuring an exhibition with additional pieces designed by Poethig on display.
Project Milestones
Sonoma State University will once again welcome artist Johanna Poethig on Friday, September 4, from 1:30–2:30 p.m. via Zoom, where she will share how she has incorporated community perspectives into the evolving work and present a concept rendering for the planned full-scale mural revision.
The University hosted a a community conversation and workshop with the original mural artist, Johanna Poethig, which invited students, faculty, staff, and local community members to reimagine aspects of the mural in a way that centers farmworkers’ collective leadership and recognizes them as the heroes of the farmworker movement.
The University worked with the artist, Johanna Poethig, to physically remove the sections of the mural which depicted the likeness of Cesar Chavez.
Following the allegations of abuse by Cesar Chavez, the University took action to cover sections of the mural which depicted his likeness.
Additional milestone updates and events will be added as they are confirmed.
About the Artist
Johanna Poethig is a visual, public and performance artist who has exhibited internationally and has been creating public art works, murals, paintings, sculpture and multimedia installations for over 40 years. Her practice plays between realism and abstract forms, architectural and intimate scales, historic and present day politics, futurist musings, humor and satire, a feminist point of view, collaborative processes and cultural critique.
She addresses social and aesthetic issues in artistic forms that use methods of collaboration and improvisation. She has received numerous commissions and awards for this work; in 2021 the California Arts Council Individual Artist Legacy Award. She has curated, produced and participated in performance events that mix feminism, global politics, costume, cabaret, experimental music and video. Poethig is Professor Emerita of the Visual and Public Art (VPA) department at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB). As an arts educator and socially engaged artist she deconstructs boundaries in a collaborative artistic process grounded in research, production, critique, improvisation and reciprocal learning. She was raised in the Philippines and has lived in Chicago, San Francisco and Oakland since coming to the United States. She received her BFA at University of California, Santa Cruz and her MFA at Mills College in Oakland, California. Her interest in the dialogue between the public and personal, politics and aesthetics, the mathematical and the mystical, the ridiculous and the sublime and an inclusive cultural life inform her process and inspire her work. For more information, visit johannapoethig.com.
Interested in Connecting Further?
Consider joining our 2026-2027 University Common Read of Migrant Heart by Reyna Grande. This ambitious memoir in essays by beloved bestselling author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. Migrant Heart is a powerful testament to Grande’s role as a storyteller and cultural witness. It expands our understanding of life in the United States and the complex people who cross and live within its borders. It is an essential read for the seekers, the dreamers, and anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one’s voice.