Mourners leave the funeral for Dallas community activist Sylvia Collins, at Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, Saturday June 13, 2026. Collins was one of the victims of the Oak Cliff gas explosion.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
“The first to arrive, the last to leave.”
“The embodiment of justice.”
“A mover and shaker in our community.”
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When asked to describe Sylvia Collins, the 79-year-old who died in the devastating Oak Cliff apartment explosion and subsequent fire on May 28, people dressed in blue and pink simply raised a fist above their heads — Collins’ signature pose.
Family, friends, and community members streamed into Kessler Park United Methodist Church on Saturday to lay Collins to rest, the last of three people killed in the explosion at Oak Cliff’s The Clyde apartments. The explosion and fire also killed Marisol Pérez and her 18-month-old son Erik Pérez Jr. and injured five others. Their funeral services were on June 9 at St. Cecilia Catholic Church and Laurel Land Memorial Park.
People carried flower bouquets and framed photos into the church, and left with programs detailing Collins’ life and a single white rose. People embraced, cried, and smiled, dressed in shades of pink, blue, and black.
Related: Dallas County Democratic party leader killed in Oak Cliff fire
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Several people raised their fists while leaving the church, mirroring the pose that had become synonymous with Collins’ decades of activism. She served as a Dallas County Democratic precinct chair, and fought for several issues she was passionate about, including women’s rights, immigration and environmental justice.
A mourner holds a program and rose outside of the funeral for Dallas community activist Sylvia Collins, at Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, Saturday June 13, 2026. Collins was one of the victims of the Oak Cliff gas explosion.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
During the Mass, several people, including Dallas County Commissioner Dr. Elba Garcia and Dallas police Sergeant Robert Munoz, gave tributes. Collins’ children and grandchildren also spoke.
Ana Coca, a member of Latino civil rights organization The League of United Latin American Citizens, said when she heard Collins’ was missing after the blast, she immediately began praying. She knew Collins lived in the apartment complex, and when it exploded, her heart sank.
“After so many hours, my heart just felt that she was now an angel,” Cosa said, wiping tears from her eyes. She was dressed in a bright pink shirt. “Sylvia will forever be part of Oak Cliff. She will forever be part of us, working and fighting for social justice everywhere.”
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For many, Collins’ activism was inseparable from her kindness and generosity.
Sinmin Pak, a human rights advocate, raises her fist to mirror Dallas community activist Sylvia Collins’ signature pose outside of Collins’ funeral at Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, Saturday June 13, 2026. Collins was one of the victims of the Oak Cliff explosion and fire last month.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
“Justice is what love looks like in public, and in retrospect, that’s what I see in who she was and everything she did,” said Julio Acosta, who met Collins seven years ago. “I just see love, love for others, love for humanity, love of God, in everything that she does.”
Hilda Duarte said her friendship with Collins goes back to 2006 when they met through Eco Latino Radio, a program that spotlights the Hispanic and Latino communities in the Dallas-Forth Worth areas. Duarte recalled seeing Collins at church and community gatherings, always with a smile on her face. No matter the event, Duarte said, Collins could be found helping in some way.
“You could always count on Sylvia to do traffic, go get water, direct people around,” Duarte said. “Always friendly, always willing to help.”
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Duarte also shared details of the woman behind the activist — Collins loved taking walks, listening to music from the 1960s and worshipping. She was driven by a deep dedication to justice and had strong compassion for others, Duarte said.
Mourners gather outside of the funeral for Dallas community activist Sylvia Collins, at Kessler Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas, Saturday June 13, 2026. Collins was one of the victims of the Oak Cliff gas explosion.
Anja Schlein/The Dallas Morning News
For Mara Vaughn, another member of LULAC, Collins was both a mentor and a mother figure. Vaughn said Collins affectionately called her “mija,” which translates to “my daughter” in Spanish.
“Through her eyes, I saw a different Dallas,” Vaughn said. “A Dallas where people were very welcoming, and the new picture of what this could be.”
Like many others, Vaughn described Collins as the first person to arrive at an event and the last one to leave. “She let other people know that you can stand for yourself,” Vaughn said. “And if you can’t, she’s here to do it for you.”
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“She is a chingona, which means ‘strong woman’ in Spanish,” Acosta said.
Related: Lawsuit filed in connection with death of Sylvia Collins during Oak Cliff apartment fire
As of June 9, two lawsuits stemming from the fire had been filed, one representing Collins and another for survivor Onesimo Ponce Mendoza. The Pérez family said at a news conference earlier this month that they had secured a lawyer, but did not say when a lawsuit would be filed.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation, but officials reported a construction crew may have damaged a natural gas pipeline nearby.
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Related: Drill rig gathering soil samples hit gas line at site of Dallas explosion, records show