Hundreds of neighbors gathered, with their fists held high to honor the victims of a gas explosion at an Oak Cliff apartment earlier this week, including longtime activist Sylvia Collins.
Collins is one of the three people killed in the explosion, outgoing Democratic State Representative Julie Johnson confirmed online.
The names of the two others have not been shared publicly.
Collins served as a Democratic Party chair and was a champion of many causes in the community. A post on the Dallas County Democratic Party's Facebook page Thursday ndescribed her as "a tireless advocate for our community."
“Sylvia is one who we knocked on doors with, we walked the pavement with, and she's one that was there to serve our people. In whichever progressive campaign that you put in front of her, she lit up the room and she held her fist high, fighting for justice,” said Ramiro Luna, co-founder of Somos Tejas. “That was always the image that I'm always gonna take with me whenever I think of Sylvia. She reached for the sky, and today she's in the sky. She's in the heavens, and I know she's still organizing looking down with us.”
Several leaders at the vigil outside W.H. Adamson High School shared their condolences with all of the victims, deceased and displaced. They also encouraged others to show up and help their neighbors, just as Collins would have.
State Rep.Cassandra Garcia Hernandez fought back tears while giving a tribute to Collins.
“We can't just let a week pass by and think that just showing up here today was us doing our duty,” Garcia Hernandez said of her mentor and friend. “We have to continue to keep showing up for each other. "
There are other people who have lost everything, people who are injured and also other individuals who were killed as well," Garcia Hernandez continued. "And those families need our love and our support and it is our responsibility and honor in lifting up of who Sylvia was as a person [and] to be that person that Sylvia would be right now if she was here.”
Pastor Gannon Sims of Cliff Temple and Mission Oak Cliff said he’s been blown away by the outpouring of support for the families displaced by the explosion.
“We have received clothes and shoes and food and baby supplies, almost more than we know what to do with, but God knows what we'll do with them,” he said.
Working closely with the city, Sims said he is confident that they will be able to find new homes for the displaced families as early as next week.
In the meantime, Mission Oak Cliff is continuing to solicit financial donations to distribute to affected families.
This story is developing and may be updated.
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