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La Brega: Resources for Learning + Ways to Support PR

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Just a few days shy of the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria, category 1 Hurricane Fiona swept across Puerto Rico on Saturday, September 18th bringing with her high winds and torrential rain. Similar to Maria (which hit as a cat 5), the entire island was left without power, the majority without running water, and many parts of the island experienced catastrophic flooding and landslides. A lot of people lost everything.

The aftermath exposed that, once again, the government and infrastructure were ill-prepared. Once again, it was the people helping the people. Fiona is now another event that continues to peel back the layers of local government corruption and the death grip that is essentially US colonial control.

Now I am by no means an expert on this topic, but after 9 years of calling this island home, I look at the relationship between the US and Puerto Rico through a totally different lens. I was not born in Puerto Rico. I was born in the southeastern United States. And I have no Boricua blood. But I love this island and its people immensely. This place has provided me with more than I thought possible and I only hope to give back by being an advocate for the local people, a channel through which to amplify their words, work, and wisdom.

Below you can find some resources that I’ve found incredibly helpful in both learning and unlearning. Check them out if you want to take a little deeper dive into the history between Puerto Rico and the United States and the current situation in Puerto Rico. I’ve also shared a handful of trusted groups + organizations if you’re looking to donate to hurricane recovery or volunteer.

I left the comments open to continue this conversation or if anyone wants to share other resources, organizations, or groups.