Opinion Piece Proposes Renaming Santa Barbara Street to Honor Labor Leader Larry Itliong
An opinion piece published in the Santa Barbara Independent proposes renaming Calle Cesar Chavez in Santa Barbara to "Calle Itliong." The suggestion is made in anticipation of a Santa Barbara City Council meeting and to honor Larry Itliong, a prominent…
Santa Barbara Santa Maria San Luis Obispo, CA, September 23, 2026 —
Santa Barbara, CA – An opinion piece recently published in the Santa Barbara Independent has put forth a proposal to rename Calle Cesar Chavez to “Calle Itliong.” The suggestion comes as Santa Barbara prepares for an upcoming City Council meeting and aligns with observances of Filipino-American History Month.
The article, written by an opinion contributor, advocates for the street name change as a means to honor Larry Itliong, a significant figure in Filipino-American labor history. Itliong was a key leader in the organization of farmworkers in California, co-founding the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) which later merged with the National Farm Workers Association to form the United Farm Workers.
The proposal suggests the renaming in anticipation of a Santa Barbara City Council deliberation, though the specific date or agenda item for this meeting was not detailed in the opinion piece. The timing of the suggestion is also noted to coincide with Filipino-American History Month, observed annually in October, providing a relevant context for acknowledging the contributions of Filipino-American leaders.
The opinion piece does not specify whether any formal petitions or official proposals have been submitted to the city for consideration beyond the suggestion within its pages. Information regarding the current street name’s designation or the process for street renaming in Santa Barbara was not elaborated upon in the provided summary of the opinion piece.
The author of the opinion piece highlights Larry Itliong’s pivotal role in advocating for the rights and fair treatment of agricultural workers. The proposed renaming of Calle Cesar Chavez aims to create a more inclusive recognition of labor history by honoring Itliong’s legacy alongside other historical figures commemorated in the city’s street names.
Story summarized from the original created by Indy Staff on www.independent.com, see more information here.
