The Bakersfield City Council on Wednesday night approved a $300,000 reimbursement grant for the Dolores Huerta Peace and Justice Cultural Center, after a full house and comments from the public. The grant passed 5-2. Council Members Arias, Gonzales, Smith, Komen, and Bestiaire-Dodge voted yes, while Council Members Weir and Basirtas voted no.

City staff said the $34 million center will be 30,000 square feet and include public spaces like an amphitheater, museum, gallery, classrooms, and offices. It’s expected to create 40 full-time jobs and 150 temporary construction jobs.

The $300,000 grant would come from the city’s Downtown Revitalization Incentive Program, which covers projects that improve infrastructure like drainage, lighting, and landscaping in the city center.

Project manager Emilio Huerta said the center will serve as a community hub and an economic boost for downtown. “Without a doubt, this project will be an injection of cash and financial vitality to downtown Bakersfield.” He told the council that construction crews have already run into costly site issues, including underground tanks, cement vats, and an abandoned well.

Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers and president of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, called the center a “transformative project” that will honor the contributions of immigrants and farmworkers to Kern County’s history. She said that none of the city funding would go to the foundation’s programs or to her personally.

Traco Matthews, Senior Pastor of Church of God State Commission, called the center the city’s best possible investment. “If you had an opportunity to invest in any project to bless the City of Bakersfield, this would far and away be your best investment the entire year,” he said.

Responding to a critic’s mention of Huerta’s past arrests, Matthews compared her to historic figures who faced arrest for causes they believed in. “MLK, John Lewis, our founding forefathers, the Boston Tea Party, and even Jesus Christ… I will never be ashamed to be associated with people who are willing to sacrifice, put themselves on the line for what they believe and know is right,” he said.

Hertz Ramirez, representing the labor group LIUNA Local 220, spoke about the upcoming project at Cady Corner, which will become the future Dolores Huerta Peace and Justice Center. “I am here on behalf of the hardworking men and women of LIUNA Local 220. We own the building at Cady Corner and have an agreement with the contractor to perform the work using apprentices, veterans, and a local workforce to build this project,” Ramirez said.

He added, “This project not only benefits us through infrastructure improvements, but it will also provide jobs for the community and enhance the downtown area around our building at 2201 Eighth Street.”

Several speakers said the center would attract tourism, bring new business to downtown restaurants and shops, and help revitalize an area that was once an empty lot often occupied by homeless individuals. Others pointed to the project’s cultural value, comparing it to the Forty Acres in Delano and the César Chávez National Monument in Keene.

Not everyone agreed with the funding request. Opponents argued that the $300,000 could be better spent on fixing city infrastructure such as sewer systems, streets, and sidewalks.

Cori Hanners argued the center would “train children to believe a left-wing ideology and be prepared to be arrested for it,” and suggested splitting the money between multiple nonprofits. Jeff Sanders said the focus should be on helping American citizens, not non-citizens. Former councilmember Terry Maxwell warned it sets a precedent for funding groups with political agendas. Pastor Angelo Frazier said it was “$300,000 taxpayer money going to an activist organization” and should be spent on fixing roads or helping the homeless. 

After public comments ended, Councilmember Andrae Gonzalez, who represents downtown Bakersfield, spoke in support of the Dolores Huerta Peace and Justice Cultural Center.

Gonzalez said he has spent eight and a half years working with other council members, city staff, business owners, and developers to improve downtown. He also listed recent upgrades such as repaved streets and alleys, repaired sewer lines, and efforts to fix vacant buildings and empty lots.

He thanked the Dolores Huerta Foundation for choosing to build downtown, even though it costs more than other locations. Gonzalez also compared the project to other city grants that have gone to local businesses, churches, and property owners for sidewalk repairs, outdoor dining areas, and building renovations.

“What’s frustrating for me is that I have yet to receive any opposition for those investments,” Gonzalez said. “It makes me wonder if there’s something else going on here.”

Gonzalez said the center fits perfectly with the city’s vision for a more diverse and culturally vibrant downtown. “This is the perfect match for downtown Bakersfield,” he said, before making a motion to approve the $300,000 grant agreement.