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The city of Houston officially renamed the former Cesar Chavez Boulevard to Joe E. Ramirez Boulevard on June 26.
The gist
To align with the new street name, METRO announced that it changed the Cesar Chavez/67th Street METRORail station to the Joe E. Ramirez METRORail station.
"Aligning with the city's update ensures clarity for our riders and reinforces our connection to the communities we serve," said METRO board Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock.
How we got here
Houston City Council unanimously approved the change of the street name in May after labor leader and United Farm Workers co-founder Chavez was accused of sexual assault and abuse by several union affiliates, including co-founder Dolores Huerta.
In April, U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia appeared before City Council in support of a street name change.
Council unanimously approved the change to Joe E. Ramirez Boulevard in May, and on June 26, the street officially changed during a special ceremony.
The history
Joe “Chaco” Ramirez was a Houston native, Korean veteran and community leader.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army at 18 and was deployed to Korea, where he was shot multiple times and held as a prisoner of war for nearly three years before returning home to Houston, according to the city. After his military service, he dedicated decades to serving his community as a respected advocate for veterans and neighbors alike, known for his humility and commitment to others.
During the name change ceremony, Mayor John Whitmire said it was a great opportunity to recognize a community member who has been known for years.
“Now, all of Houston knows the sacrifice of Joe Ramirez, ‘Chaco,’” Whitmire said. “We have so much to be proud of today.”
One more thing
METRO said it will update and install new signage to reflect the changes. It will also update maps, schedules and digital customer information systems to reflect the new names.
Officials also encouraged riders to familiarize themselves with the new station name as part of their regular commute.
