By Aria Brent, AFRO Staff Writer, abrent@afro.com
And Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Reporter, tmcqueen@afro.com
Two of the six victims presumed dead in the Key Bridge collapse were active members of CASA, an advocacy organization, according to Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, who spoke with the AFRO during a virtual press call.
One victim, Miguel Luna, came to the United States from El Salvador and Maynor Suazo Sandoval, from Honduras. Both men came to America nearly two decades ago in search of the American dream.
“We know that they were hard workers, we know that they loved soccer. We know that they loved their families and their community,” said Torres.
CASA received the information about the two victims through their family members. The organization declined to share photos of the victims, and is asking that members of the press and public give the family privacy.
According to the Institute for Immigration Research of George Mason University, there are around 334,300 workers in the essential construction industry in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metro areas. Immigrants make up 39 percent of this workforce or about 130,000 people.
This is the second deadly transportation-related incident to hit the immigrant and construction worker community in Maryland in a year. In March 2023, six construction workers were struck on a different portion of the same I-695 highway. Three of the six victims in that accident, near Security Boulevard, were 52-year-old Jose Armando Escobar, Rolando Ruiz, 46, and Carlos Orlando Villatoro Escobar, who was 43 years old at the time of his death.
“Once again, essential immigrant workers are at the forefront. Keeping our country running while at the same time, we don’t protect them well,” said Torres. “That is a tremendous crisis that we face in our communities. There are no clear protections for the workers and I believe this is a time for us to demand that the workers be protected.”
CASA said they do not have contact with family members of the other victims in the bridge collapse at this time.
Gov. Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency, due to the collapse and Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott has declared a citywide state of emergency.
“I recognize that many of us are hurting right now. I recognize that many of us are scared right now and I want to be very clear about where everything stands,” said Moore, in a live-streamed press conference. “We are still investigating what happened, but we are quickly gathering details. The preliminary investigation points to an accident. We haven’t seen any credible evidence of a terrorist attack. Our administration is working closely with leaders from all levels of government and society to respond to this crisis.”
President Biden spoke on this tragedy, saying he will support Baltimore through this time, in part, with money from the federal government to fully fund reconstruction efforts for the bridge.
“It is my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire costs of reconstructing that bridge, and I expect the Congress to support my effort,” said Biden, during a live-streamed conference on the matter. “This is going to take some time, the people of Baltimore can count on us to stick with them every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt.”
In the wake of the catastrophe, members of the Baltimore community have pulled together.
Matt Stevens, a prominent pastor and organizer via the community organization, Somebody Cares, sent thanks to the “many who have reached out and asked what they can do” in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
“This is what we are recommending,” he said in an email to community members. “Prayer works: Pray for the victims, the first responders and the global commerce community that this impacts.”
Two prayer vigils took place on the night of March 26, with one being in-person at Mt Olive Baptist Church, followed by a virtual option, offered via the 6 p.m. regional prayer time on the Youtube live stream by ABBA’s House in Dundalk, Md.
Stevens called on the Baltimore community to “support the first responders by collecting “bottled drinks and individually wrapped snacks, granola bars, protein bars” and more.
Maryland NAACP President Rev. Kobi Little also spoke on the disaster.
“Amidst this tragedy, we are grateful for the swift and decisive actions taken by transportation and emergency response officials. Their quick response and the immediate halting of traffic upon signs of distress undoubtedly saved lives,” said Little, in a statement sent to members of the press. “We commend their courage, professionalism, and dedication to ensuring the safety and well-being of our community members. We also challenge our federal leaders to assist state and local leadership in securing appropriate resources to rebuild in an equitable manner.”