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NEW ORLEANS (WDSU) — The New Orleans area is home to people from all over the world, and Colombia is no exception. After Monday’s devastating earthquake, WDSU spoke to local religious and business leaders who hail from Colombia to ask how they are feeling and what locals can do to help.
Edgar Caro had brought the flavors of Colombia and Latin America to the Crescent City for decades as owner of Baru Restaurant on Magazine Street. Caro moved to New Orleans from Colombia in the late 1990s. He said he first learned about Monday’s earthquake from his staff, some of whom have family members who lost their homes to the disaster.
“Well, I feel very sad because many families have been affected in a country where, for 100 years, nothing as tragic as this has happened,” Caro said in an interview that has been translated from Spanish to English.
Rev. Lennin Arroyo from the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans Hispanic Apostolate is also from Colombia. He said he woke up to a call from his mother about the earthquake early Monday morning. While his family is safe, he said he knows many others are not as fortunate.
“People suffering, crying, crying and people [are] losing [all they have]. They have lost everything,” Rev. Arroyo said.
The Hispanic Apostolate in Metairie is collecting donations both in person and online, which their staff said will be sent to another Catholic Archdiocese in Colombia to assist those in need.
“We have to remember that we are exposed to any disaster as New Orleanians,” Hispanic Apostolate assistant director Sheyla Saballos said. “We are open to any hurricane or any storm. So, we have to open our hearts and pray for the people who is in need right now. Not only because we’re Latin, it’s because we’re human being(s).”
Caro said he hopes to meet with other business owners to organize a charity dinner in the coming weeks to support earthquake victims.
“New Orleans is no stranger to rebuild and losing homes and, and all that, and Colombian people are resilient people too,” Caro said.
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