Nuestros Héroes Support Group
The Nuestros Héroes Project (“Our Heroes”) is a support group that provides a safe and welcoming space for Latino workers who served at Ground Zero after 9/11. Many of these hardworking immigrants came to New York City seeking opportunity, and when tragedy struck, they proudly stepped forward to help in the recovery and rebuilding of our city. Yet years later, they continue to suffer from serious health issues caused by the toxic exposures they endured.
In Nuestros Héroes, members come together to share their stories, build community, and lift each other up. They remind one another of their courage and resilience, even as they face the pain of being overlooked or forgotten. Here, our heroes are seen, valued, and supported—and we remain steadfast in advocating for their voices to be heard and their needs to be met. We advocate for a pathway to citizenship for our heroes.
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These sessions create a space for Nuestros Héroes to share their stories, heal, and feel accompanied and heard.
Session Information: Nuestros Héroes group sessions are held in person every other Monday from 4:00-5:00 pm. The sessions are held in Spanish.
Support Group Sessions
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We have formed alliances with community leaders and elected officials to bring awareness by educating the public, community leaders, and officials about the impact of 9/11 on the undocumented workers.
We have been staunch supporters of the Victim Compensation Fund and advocated for the Workers' Freedom Act to support a pathway to citizenship.
Advocacy
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We create a space for building a community for undocumented workers through a network of support and resources.
We have been staunch supporters of the Victim Compensation Fund and advocated for the Workers' Freedom Act to support a pathway to citizenship.
Community Engagement
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Workshops and Presentations
"Taking Action on Latine Community on Ground Zero" Community Presentation at Elmhurst Hospital Center.
Keynote Speakers: Hispanic Federation, Senator Jessica Ramos, Manuel Castro, MOIA
New York City | September 9, 2024
20th Anniversary of September 11, 2001: Impact on Undocumented Workers of Ground Zero:
Jorge Ramos, Univision.
Heroes Tower, World Trade Center | September 2021
Supporting Strengths and Restoring Resiliency - Lessons Learned from 9/11 in New York City on Post-Trauma Recovery and Resiliency of Diverse Communities (Panel Discussant)
US Department of Health and Human Services, Region II.
New York City | September 2011
“Clinical Implications for Latina Immigrant Women Clean-up Workers in WTC Ground Zero.” (Poster Presentation)
International Congress on Women and Mental Health.
Madrid, Spain | March 2011
“Latino Workers at Ground Zero: The Impact of Trauma on Families and Children.” (Poster Presentation)
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.
Atlanta, Georgia | November 2009
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Dust Away
The award-winning documentary that shares the stories of Nuestros Héroes
Dust Away is a short documentary about the otherworldly experiences of workers who toiled on some of the major city-wide cleaning projects in New York City. Through the shared memories of former asbestos and Ground Zero cleaners who are part of a support group in Queens, Dust Away roams between a dreamscape of miniatures and 16mm footage, exploring the dissonant nature of cleaning labor between necessity and invisibility.
At Cinéma sous les étoiles, Dust Away was awarded Best International Short Film. Since its first release in 2022, it has been screened at the IDFA (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur (Switzerland), DOC NYC (New York, USA), GoShort (Nijmegen, The Netherlands), DOC 10 (Chicago, USA), and most recently at Cinéma sous les étoiles (Montreal, Canada).
The participants in this film are members of the Nuestros Heroes Project support group.