Josué Deodoro Tiquiram Sam

Josué Deodoro Tiquiram Sam was a young Maya K'iche' migrant from Guatemala who came to the U.S. in 2022. He came from a poor family of subsistence farmers who raised corn on rented land. His goal was to buy a piece of land and build a house for his parents and siblings. He found work in the construction industry, but was killed in a workplace accident on September 6, 2023. His body was flown back to Guatemala and he was buried there on September 25. CCT is raising money to help his parents defray the costs of sending the body back to Guatemala and the funeral expenses.

CCT is a workers’ center serving immigrant and low wage workers in New Bedford and nearby communities. It is founded, staffed, and governed entirely by immigrant workers. Our multi­faceted approach addresses individual workers' complaints; focuses on specific workplaces with a history of exploitative, conditions; and targets temporary agencies which provide a smokescreen for employers to hide their reliance upon undocumented workers. We do this by empowering workers to advocate for themselves.

Josué's casket being carried through the streets of his hometown.