Dallas County leaders are honoring longtime Oak Cliff voting advocate Sylvia Collins by renaming a community room at the Oak Cliff Government Center in her memory.
Collins died four months ago in the May Oak Cliff apartment explosion that killed three people. She was remembered as a familiar face in the community, a trusted mentor and a dedicated advocate who worked to register voters, inform them about candidate campaigns, and get people to the polls.
Much of that work began at the Oak Cliff Government Center, according to friends and Dallas County leaders. The community room where Collins once attended public meetings and community activities now bears her name in recognition of her leadership and lifelong work.
“When you saw her with that clenched fist, you knew she meant business,” former LULAC President Domingo Garcia said.
Dallas County Commissioner Dr. Elba Garcia, who represents District 4, said Collins spent many of her days at the government center.
“As a commissioner, I saw her dedication because she always wanted to be right here. This was her government center. Every single election, you will see her right across the street asking people to vote for the people that she believes and we believe. We’re the best representatives in our community,” Garcia said.
Garcia also remembered Collins for her belief in bringing people together.
“She believed that every voice matters and that the only way to do that was to bring people together,” Garcia said.
With early voting just weeks away, those who knew Collins best said they hope seeing her name at the Oak Cliff Government Center will inspire a new generation of volunteers to help get people to the polls.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication.
