Today marks two years since the devastating fire that claimed the lives of 17 members of our community, including eight children. We will never forget the tragic events of January 9, 2022. Our hearts, minds, and prayers go out to all the family members of the deceased and all those who were impacted by this tragedy. Two years later, the families continue to cope with the loss of life, relocations, medical complications, mental trauma, financial hardships, and more. The issues remain unsolved. In the first week after the devastating fire, elected officials made promises to family members that, to this date, have not been fulfilled.
Commitments made, including getting visas for family members of the deceased, providing scholarships to school-aged children, especially those that lost their parents in the fire, transparency regarding the Mayor’s Fund and its allocation, holding the 333 building owners and management accountable for their negligence, as well as many other issues, remain unanswered.
The Jawara family, four young American-born minors who have lost both of their parents, are still back home in Gambia waiting for their main guardian to be approved for a visa to come to the United States to take care of them. These young Americans need to come back home and need a guardian, which the State Department continues to deny them by denying the visa application of their caretaker.
The Bocoum/Toure family, who lost two young children in the fire, struggled with medical expenses for their brother Mohammed Almahamoud, 27, whom GYO assisted in seeking medical assistance outside of the country and is still struggling with complications from the fire. There are more. The stories are heartbreaking and real.
The Gambian Youth Organization stands firmly on its commitment to advocating for marginalized and underrepresented communities. In this regard, we will continue to advocate for the victims of the Twin Parks Northwest Fire. We call on all of our elected officials, from Federal to local government, to fulfill the promises made to the families of Twin Parks Northwest regarding visas, releasing funds, providing scholarships, addressing medical bills, and answering to calls for justice and accountability, as well as other unmet needs that will continue to impact the families for years to come.
The families deserve justice and accountability, as the fire on January 9, 2022, could have been prevented if the building wasn’t negligently violating NYC building codes and tenants’ rights.
We ask that you all please continue keeping the deceased, their families, and the 333 community in your prayers every day as they try to heal from the trauma. GYO expresses profound gratitude to all of our partners and supporters. We ask that you continue to stand strongly with us as we amplify the voices of the family members who suffered from the Twin Parks Northwest fire.
In community,
The Gambian Youth Organization
