BALTIMORE — In the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in March 2024, the tragic loss of six Latino workers briefly thrust Baltimore’s Hispanic communities into the headlines. For Christian Arias, a 19-year-old filmmaker from Huntingtown, Maryland, that moment underscored a deeper issue.
“We are building this city, yet our stories are rarely told,” Arias said. “If we want to change that, we have to tell our own stories.”
That idea became the foundation for “We Are Baltimore” — a 50-minute bilingual documentary created in partnership with Nuestras Raíces Inc., a Highlandtown nonprofit dedicated to preserving and promoting Latino culture. The film features personal stories from more than 10 ethnic backgrounds, from Puerto Rican to Salvadoran to Dominican, spotlighting everyday people who help keep Baltimore running.
Arias, who now attends Towson University, started his filmmaking journey during the COVID-19 pandemic after receiving a camera as a Christmas gift. What began as a hobby soon turned into a passion. In 2024, he saw a Facebook post from Nuestras Raíces seeking artists. That outreach sparked a months-long collaboration and eventually, the launch of “We Are Baltimore” — filmed just one day before the Key Bridge tragedy.
The film’s goal is to push back against negative stereotypes and invisibility. “We’re not just headlines or statistics,” Arias said. “We’re nurses, chefs, volunteers, students — and we deserve to be seen.”
Premiering on Oct. 10, 2024, at the Senator Theatre, the film has since been used by educators, including ESL teachers, to help students feel seen and represented. Arias credits much of the documentary’s community access and direction to Angelo Solera, executive director of Nuestras Raíces, who has spent decades building trust in Baltimore’s Latino neighborhoods.
Despite growing attention, Arias said the political climate has made outreach more difficult. “It’s hard to get funding,” he said. “But for now, the goal is just getting it in front of as many people as we can.”
What started as a film project has grown into something bigger — a mission to show that Baltimore’s Latino communities are more than just part of the city.
“They are the city,” Arias said. “We are Baltimore.”
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Baltimore was built by Native Americans, European settlers, and enslaved and free African Americans.
Thank you for recognizing the foundational role that Native Americans, European settlers, and African Americans—both enslaved and free—played in the building of Baltimore. That history is undeniable and deserves to be honored.
At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that history is still being written, and today, Hispanic and Latino communities are playing a central role in the continued development and vitality of this city. For over a decade, Latino workers have been at the heart of Baltimore’s construction sites, kitchens, cleaning crews, landscaping teams, and labor-intensive industries—doing the kind of work that generations of immigrants have done to build this city brick by brick.
Their contributions often go unrecognized, but the reality is clear: Latinos are not just part of Baltimore’s present—they are helping shape its future. Their labor, culture, families, and dreams are woven into the fabric of the city. To build a stronger Baltimore, we must make space in our narrative for all who have built and continue to build this community.
Acknowledging that truth is not about erasing history—it’s about completing it.
Thank you for your comment, Anonymous. You are absolutely correct. However, the article does not mention that Latinos and Hispanics built the city. Instead, the article mentions that Latinos and Hispanics are “building the city”. Meaning, currently, as in right now.
Yes, this is an undeniable fact.
Actually, if you watched the entire documentary film, you would have seen visual proof of this.
But even better, if you walk the streets of Harbor Point, Broadway, or Highlandtown – just to mention a few places in Baltimore City – you may even experience it first hand!
And you’re absolutely right that Baltimore’s history is shaped by the contributions of Native Americans, European settlers, and African Americans, both enslaved and free. However, one of the purposes of We Are Baltimore is to promote becoming in-cultured, or open-minded, by offering a new perspective on Latinos and Hispanics in Baltimore. If you are willing to become in-cultured, then we are more than happy to support you in answering any questions you may have regarding the contributions of Latinos and Hispanics in Baltimore City.
Otherwise, we sincerely appreciate your insight and perspective.
Thank you for your comment, Anonymous. You are absolutely correct. However, this article does not deny that history of Baltimore, nor does it mention that Latinos and Hispanics “built” the city. Instead, this article mentions that Latinos and Hispanics are “building the city”. Meaning, currently, as in right now.
In fact, if you watched the entire documentary film, then you would have seen visual proof of this.
But if the documentary film is not convincing enough for you, then I challenge you—if you dare—to walk the streets Harbor Point, Highlandtown, or Broadway—just to name a few locations in Baltimore City. You might just be surprised to see what is going on with your very own eyes!
And you’re absolutely right that Baltimore’s history is shaped by the contributions of Native Americans, European settlers, and African Americans, both enslaved and free. In the article, when we refer to Latinos and Hispanics ‘building the city,’ we are also presenting an untold perspective. It’s about becoming in-cultured, or open-minded, as well.
Thus, we are more than happy to support you in your journey to becoming in-cultured (open-minded) by answering any questions you may have pertaining to Hispanics and Latinos in Baltimore City.
Otherwise, we sincerely appreciate your insight and comment.