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REBUILD PUERTO RICO

https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/events-news/rebuild-puerto-rico

Rebuild Puerto Rico Hurricane Maria, a devastating Category 4 hurricane, caused billions of dollars in damages to Puerto Rico and left 3.4 million island residents without power, potable water, and telecommunications. Recovery is estimated to take years. Centro has launched Rebuild Puerto Rico, an online information clearinghouse for t he stateside Puerto Rican community and other allies to support disaster relief and recovery efforts. A Puerto Rico Recovery & Reconstruction newsletter highlighting new content on the online platform will be issued weekly and as needed.

Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico at a time of great financial difficulty for the island and its residents, leaving behind widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis. Stay up to date with recent events related to recovery and reconstruction efforts in Puerto Rico.

News

Puerto Rican community leaders and elected officials in the diaspora are calling for a renewed effort to assist Puerto Rico with disaster relief and recovery. Many have responded to this call to action and have planned events in support of relief efforts.

Events

You can help by donating directly to charities in Puerto Rico that are leading the effort to mitigate the humanitarian crisis. The website contains a list of charities and local initiatives with direct access to the victims of these hurricanes.

Donate

This natural disaster will undoubtedly dictate the upcoming policy agenda for the island. It is imperative that we maintain public awareness for disaster relief efforts and engagement, not just in the emergency phase but also during recovery and reconstruction.

Policy

Browse current volunteer opportunities in support of disaster relief and recovery and reconstruction efforts.

Volunteer

Several federal, state, local, and private sector programs are available for those affected by a natural disaster. This page contains a collection of important resources and agencies that can help you during this difficult time.

Need Help?

Introduction

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies’ (Cen-tro) Puerto Rico Initiative began in 2015, shortly after three major credit agencies downgraded sever-

al bonds issued by Puerto Rico to “junk status,” thus usher-ing the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis. Centro’s main concern at that time was to brainstorm ways to ameliorate the fiscal crisis by convening experts and the general public from both the island and the US and come up with inno-vative policy strategies. Two years later, with the disastrous onslaught of Hurricane Maria, the Puerto Rico Initiative at Centro found itself navigating new terrain, reconfiguring the initial agenda to incorporate the unforeseeable social, infrastructural, environmental, and economic damages brought on by this natural disaster.

Suffice it to say that hurricane Maria was a major turning point for Puerto Rico, its diaspora solidarity movement, and for Centro. Because of the emigration from the island in the wake of the recessionary economic crisis and the devastating blow by hurricane Maria, Centro has redou-bled its efforts to support a public understanding of the situation on the island and link it to developments in the United States. Thus, it is Centro’s main role to provide information and analysis to community leadership and to the general public regarding this crucial juncture affecting nearly nine million Puerto Ricans, both on the island and in the United States.

In this report, we follow Centro’s initiative to support long-term economic recovery in Puerto Rico and the assist with the rebuilding efforts post-hurricane Maria. This includes the following programmatic components:

1. Provide research, policy analysis, and recommendations for economic recovery and reconstruction.

2. Continue to serve as a neutral forum for the discussion of issues affecting Puerto Ricans and stateside Puerto Ricans, developing a stronger informational hub, particularly with regards to the dissemination of research about reconstruction efforts.

3. Engage with the civic sector in Puerto Rico and the U.S. to build bridges between communities, to support capacity building, and to produce reconstruction-related research and programmatic evaluation.

As part of the ongoing conference series, Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans, we organized dozens of thematic panels led by stateside and Puerto Rico-based community leaders. After Hurricane Maria and as a follow up to the recommenda-tions from conference participants, we organized a meeting with nearly thirty academic and civic leaders from Puerto Rico. The core question for discussion was: “How can Cen-tro support the civic sector’s reconstruction and economic recovery efforts?” The response was to continue and expand on pertinent research; continue facilitating convening opportunities; and continue disseminating basic data useful for practitioners and policy makers alike. These discussions led us to expand our stateside work and a diaspora-led en-gagement strategy in order to support civic sector organiza-tions in Puerto Rico.

For discussion purposes, we divide Centro’s initiative into three inter-related and mutually reinforcing areas:

• Academics, which include research, teaching and publications;

• Diaspora engagement, which includes the spon-soring of public forums and education that fosters a broad understanding of the situation in Puerto Rico and its impact on stateside communities; and,

• Civic sector support in Puerto Rico, which in-cludes a strategic alliance with the incipient Institute for Social Entrepreneurship and Commu-nity Action (Instituto de Desarrollo Empresarial y Acción Comunitaria, or, IDEAComún) and other Puerto Rico civic organizations, as well as the Cen-tro-sponsored RebuildPR digital platform.

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I. Academics

As an academic research institute, Centro’s core mission is to promote the understanding of the historical and so-cio-economic situation of the stateside Puerto Rican people. However, now more than ever, stateside communities are affected and experiencing change due to developments on the island. These changes include the economic crisis, the exodus to the United States, and the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, all exacerbating both the economic crisis and the depopulation of the island.

Hurricane Maria, a devastating Category 4 hurricane, caused billions of dollars in damages to Puerto Rico and left 3.4 million island residents without electric power, potable water, and telecommunications. Recovery is estimated to take years. In response to these disastrous events, Centro incorporated Maria’s consequences into its Puerto Rico Ini-tiative. Centro’s research, publications, and the RebuildPR digital platform are key pillars for the Puerto Rico Initia-tive, and thus reflect this thematic pivot.

In October 2017, just a few weeks after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, in partnership with the Puerto Rican Studies Association, Centro organized the conference, Puer-to Rico, Puerto Ricans: Critical Perspectives on Puerto Rico. The proceedings from this conference formed the founda-tion for the publication of a special issue of the CENTRO Journal: Puerto Rico Post-Hurricane Maria: Origins and Consequences of a Crisis (30:3, Fall 2018). This volume addresses topics related to the economic, fiscal and hu-manitarian crisis in Puerto Rico following the catastrophic impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the impact of the crisis on stateside Puerto Ricans. Authors present multidis-ciplinary perspectives on interrelated aspects of the crisis and prospects for the future.1

Furthermore, the RebuildPR Research Group is an interdisciplinary, voluntary group of researchers that actively examine different areas of recovery in Puerto Rico post-Hurricane María. Over forty stateside and island-based researchers have joined efforts to conduct socio-econom-ic impact analysis using the RebuildPR digital platform developed by Centro. This online research and community planning tool is based on ArcGis and provides the most comprehensive collection of GIS layers for Puerto Rico available to the public in a single repository form anywhere.

1 Purchase your individual copy of this issue for $20.00 at Centro Store: https://bit.ly/2O6A0Sh. Or, download a free summary pamphlet from our website at https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/PDF_Publications/CENTROJournal_Fall2018_Brochure.indd.pdf.

Centro’s Round Table on Puerto Rico is an advisory group of volunteers that serves as a sounding board for policy analysis and priority setting for policy research. This group has been instrumental in monitoring the imple-mentation of PROMESA and its impact on the fiscal and economic crisis in Puerto Rico. The Round Table is com-prised of legal, economic, and financial experts, as well as academics and community leaders from the United States and Puerto Rico. The audiences for the Round Table are (a) federal, state and local policy makers, and (b) the general public in need of nonpartisan, independent counsel on key aspects of economic growth in Puerto Rico and the PROMESA implementation process. Centro has sponsored private briefings targeting policy and opinion makers, and conferences and other events engaging the general public. As a result of the group discussions and recommendations, Centro has published several policy briefs on PROMESA and its impact on the island and its people (e.g. economic development, and other related topics, listed below as part of Publications).

In October of 2016, the Round Table submitted two briefs to the Congressional Task Force on Economic Growth in Puerto Rico: one on Federal Corporate Tax Incentives to Support Puerto Rico’s Socio-Economic Development; the other, on Energy Policy for Puerto Rico.

Research

In addition to the aforementioned research and publi-cations, Centro is partnering with researchers in other universities throughout the country and in Puerto Rico to address changing social conditions and policy and program-matic responses in both Puerto Rico and stateside. Findings from completed research projects, often conducted with the financial support of local foundations, government agencies or community organizations, have received broad media coverage and impacted local policy making.

STORM SURGE: Report on the Findings from the Hart-ford Foundation for Public Giving Survey on Impact of PostMaria Displacement of Puerto Ricans and U.S. Virgin Islanders on Households in the Greater Hartford Region, February - May 2018

Special issue of the CENTRO Journal entitled Puerto Rico Post-Hurricane Maria: Origins and Consequences of a Crisis (30:3, Fall 2018)

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Dr. Charles Venator-Santiago, Associate Professor of Polit-ical Science at UConn, and Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Centro Research Associate, Principal InvestigatorsPuerto Ricans in Connecticut are already feeling the aftermath of hur-ricanes Irma and María. Fully one quarter of Puerto Rican respondents in the Greater Hartford Region are harboring people displaced by

the cyclones. The overwhelming majority of these displaced arrivals in Connecticut have been staying with friends or relatives for several months. Moreover, their likelihood to stay in Connecticut appears indefinite, with one third unsure of how long they will remain in the state and nearly anoth-er third expecting to remain for several years. In addition, the majority of survey respondents expect more relatives or friends to travel to and remain in Connecticut for months or years. A free copy of this report can be downloaded from our website https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/.

Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program inHolyoke, MA: An Assessment of the Post HurricaneMaria Impact (In progress)Dr. Charles Venator-Santiago, Associate Professor of Political Science at UConn, and Carlos Vargas-Ramos, Centro Research Associate, Principal Investigators

In response to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Mu-nicipal Vulnerability Preparedness program, this study elicits information for preparedness planning purposes stemming from contact with individuals who had to migrate as a direct result of catastrophic climate events such as Puerto Ricans displaced by hurricane Maria in 2017. In addition, we interview families and households in the city of Holyoke that opened their homes to those displaced by catastrophic cli-mate events, the organizations and agencies that assisted both the displaced as well as those who welcomed them in their homes in the process of arriving and settling in Holyoke as well as the governmental entities and personnel who oversaw and coordinated or managed this process. Hurricane Maria revealed a vulnerability for Holyoke the municipality was not previously aware of, both in how the government of Puerto Rico and its municipalities responded to the crisis as well as the effect of the influx into Holyoke of people displaced by the storm in Puerto Rico. The demand for services and resources to serve these displaced storm survivors were not anticipated, and it has revealed the need to prepare for such future events.

Enlace de Familias: A Case Study on CommunityResponse to Climate Emergencies (In progress)Néstor Ríos, Principal Investigator

This case study examines how Enlace de Familias, a local non-for-profit social service organization, has helped imple-ment the response to service needs experienced by Hurricane Maria migrants to the City of Holyoke. Specifically, the

case study focuses on the nonprofit organizations service response, how Enlace spearheaded the development, orga-nization and implementation of Holyoke’s Hurricane Maria migrant services response, and the follow up services after the initiation of the service response, the length of which will be contingent on the advice of the key informant. The case study will offer recommendations for community prepared-ness for climate emergencies.

In collaboration with researchers from the University of Puerto Rico, the University of Utah, and Clark University, and with IDEAComun and the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Planificación. Centro is conducting research on the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on the civic sector in Puerto Rico, and their capacity to engage in economic recovery initiatives.

Characteristics of community organizations and networks to promote disaster recovery in Puerto Rico (In progress)Dr. Ivis García, Principal Investigator, University of Utah

This study has several objectives: to understand the char-acteristics of organizations (e.g., mission, type of services, funds, etc.), how the impact of the hurricanes Irma and Maria affected programs and services, and to understand how community networks had or could help organizations engaged in economic reconstruction.

Social Entrepreneurship Project: Learning &Training Case StudiesDr. Ramón Borges-Méndez, Principal Investigator, Clark University

The study seeks to develop a series of social entrepreneur-ship case studies to support the organizational growth and capacity-building efforts of communities, municipalities, and social groups in Puerto Rico Post-Maria. In Puerto Rico, the devastating impact of Hurricane Maria (and Irma) in September 2017 unleashed a wide array of community-based and institutional efforts, public and private, now in need of models and tools with which to pursue resources, and to de-liver goods and services to communities and citizens. These cases intend to serve as the teaching and learning medium of cross-fertilization among organizations involved in civil society-driven reconstruction.

Survey on professional competencies to promote post-disaster economic recovery in Puerto Rico Dr. Edwin Meléndez, Principal Investigator, Hunter College

The purpose of this research study is to understand the skills that professionals need to promote economic recovery in Puerto Rico. The results will guide the development of con-tinuing education courses and other workforce development and capacity building initiatives. They will be shared as a special report, in academic publications, in a webinar and in conference sessions.

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STORM SURGE:Report on the Findings from the

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Survey on Impact of Post-

Maria Displacement of Puerto Ricans and U.S. Virgin Islanders on Households in the Greater Hartford

Region, February - May 2018

Carlos Vargas Ramos, CENTRO, Hunter College, CUNYCharles R. Venator-Santiago, El Instituto, UConn

11 July 2018

PublicationsCentro’s reports, research, and policy briefs are important sources of data and analysis about critical issues in Puer-to Rico. These reports have been covered broadly by the stateside and island media. Below is a listing of the most significant publications in chronological order.

State of Puerto Ricans 2017This book provides an updated over-view of some of the most salient subjects and themes about the Puerto Rican population in the United States. It highlights the continued mobility and expansion of the Puerto Rican population throughout the country, including intra-state migration, migra-

tion from Puerto Rico in light of the economic crisis on the island, as well as the role of service in the armed forces in terms of new areas of settlement.

Puerto Rico in Crisis Timeline (May 2017)In this timeline, we summarize the most important milestones as well as the impacts of federal and local policies on Puerto Rico’s economy.

Estimates of Post-Hurricane Maria Exodus from Puerto Rico (October 2017)Though it is difficult to find compa-rable situations, we estimated that between 114,000 and 213,000 Puerto Rico residents would leave the island annually in the aftermath of Hurri-cane Maria. From 2017 to 2019, we estimated that Puerto

Rico might lose up to 470,335 residents or 14% of the population-- comparable to the population the island lost during the previous decade, due to economic stagnation.

Post-Hurricane Maria Exodus from Puerto Rico and School Enrollment in Florida (December 2017)Hurricane Maria’s impact on Puerto Rico and its population has led to a significant exodus to the United States, especially to Florida. In this report, we use post-Hurricane Maria school

enrollment data from Florida school districts to assess the population flows from Puerto Rico. School enrollment data is considered a more reliable indicator of permanent migra-tion than other available data.

Puerto Rican Post-Maria Reloca-tion by States (March 2018)This research brief presents findings of the relocation of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland as a result of Hurricane Maria’s aftermath. Data from FEMA and school enrollment data from the selected states’ Department of Educa-tion are used to analyze Puerto Rican

relocation patterns in the U.S. mainland. Overall, the data shows that Puerto Ricans have dispersed throughout the United States, concentrating disproportionally in Florida.

The Housing Crisis in Puerto Rico and the Impact of Hurricane Ma-ria (June 2018)At least 18% of Puerto Rico’s housing stock is vacant as a result of the island’s prolonged economic recession, which commenced in 2006. The spike in fore-closures after Hurricane Maria suggests that vacant units are increasing at an

accelerated rate. Puerto Rico’s economic recession led to depopulation and the loss of jobs, which induced a decline of home equity values and an increase in foreclosures.

Puerto Rican Exodus: One Year Since Hurricane Maria (September 20, 2018)One year since Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017, nearly 160,000 residents of the island had relocated to the Unit-ed States. This exodus represents one of the most significant migrations of

Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland in the island’s history, both in terms of volume and duration. The new emigration estimates are as high as the net migration flow from the previous two years, combined (144,801).

STORM SURGE: Report on Hart-ford Survey (September 2018)Fully one quarter of Puerto Rican respondents in the Greater Hartford Region are harboring people displaced by the cyclones. Survey respondents identified housing issues and insuffi-cient food as the most critical needs they were facing in Connecticut,

along with healthcare. These needs have added a heavy responsibility on Connecticut’s already over-extended and resource-limited Puerto Rican community.

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PUERTO RICO IN CRISIS

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Rebuild Puerto Rico: A Guide to Federal Policy and Advocacy (Oc-tober 2018)Puerto Rico is in a unique position as a beneficiary of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assis-tance Act (Stafford Act, 1974), the law that structures federal natural disaster assistance for states and territories. This

report examines funding from the multiplicity of local and federal agencies involved with disaster recovery, which in-clude Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and many others.

Population Decline and School Closure in Puerto Rico (May 2019)According to the 2018 U.S. Census Bureau’s Population Estimates, Puer-to Rico’s population declined 4% since 2017, down to 3.1 million. This declining population has led to school closures throughout the Island. The total number of operational schools has

declined from 1,515 --at its peak in 2006-- to 855 in 2018. Most school closures disproportionately occurred in the island’s rural areas (65%) relative to urban areas (35%).

Puerto Rico: Two Years After Hurricane Maria (September 2019)In this report we provide a continuation of lasts years’ timeline of the major occur-rences in the aftermath, an analysis of the media’s cover-age of the disaster, the impact of Hurricane Maria Evacuees on the Puerto Rican popula-tion in the Unites States and the migration effeCts resulting in school closures.

Puerto Rico’s Vulnerable Communities and Flood Hazards and Mitigation (forthcoming)Using the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Commu-nity Survey (5-year estimates), at least 15% of Puerto Rico’s population resided in the 100-year floodplain. This report utilizes the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) ‘so-cial vulnerability index’ (SVI) to measure resiliency among

the Island’s communities faced with human or natural induced hazards, like flooding. The purpose of this research brief is to help inform policy, planners, and community leaders the population and housing structures at risk in the Island’s floodplains.

Nonprofit Sector’s Capacity for Disaster Recovery in Puerto Rico (forthcoming)Post-disaster planning and federal funding for economic recovery offer Puerto Rico’s community development industry a unique window of opportunity. This opportuni-ty hinges on the capacity of the nonprofit sector securing federal grants, joining govern-ment efforts in planning and then executing economic de-

velopment projects. This report provides an evidence-based assessment of the current capacity of and prospects for the nonprofit sector to become an active participant in the economic recovery of Puerto Rico and, more generally, to be able take advantage of this window of opportunity.

Other related Policy Briefs, published regularly in our newsletter Centro Voices and available in the Puerto Rico News repository on our website, include, among others:

• A Critical Point for Puerto Rico

• Policy Recommendations for a Long-Term

Disaster Recovery Package

• Hurricane Maria: Immediate Impact and Response

• Disaster Relief Appropriations for Puerto Rico

• Disaster Aid for Puerto Rico: Congressional

Actions

• The Diaspora Helps Rebuild Puerto Rico

• Disaster Relief Appropriations for Puerto Rico

• How Latest Federal Appropriations for Disaster Relief Help Puerto Rico

PUERTO RICO

TWO YEARS

AFTER HURRICANE

MARIA

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National Youth Leadership Encuentro /Encuentro Nacional de Liderato Juvenil

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The Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans National Youth Leadership Encuentro is a student driven leadership experience. A space where participants explore the socio-economic crises that Puerto Ricans in the United States and Puerto Rico face; and gain the skills necessary to analyze, frame, and develop solu-tions that would impact Puerto Ricans throughout the nation.

The Encuentro provides a safe space for the discussion of policy issues and the articulation of community responses to Puerto Rico’s challenges from the perspective of stateside Puerto Ricans and other stakeholders.

Participants:

Learn about the current situation in Puerto Rico and its impact on stateside Puerto Ricans, through presentations and discussions at the Encuentro, events, videos and Centro research.

Connect with other student leaders through networking and community-building events. Attendees will have the oppor-tunity to meet with community leaders from around the country, exchange ideas about affecting social change for our community, and dream a better future for 8.7 million Puerto Ricans.

Develop plans of action for addressing Island and stateside socio-economic challenges.

In October of 2015, Centro co-sponsored a conference along with a coalition of community leaders and organiza-tions entitled Encuentro Nacional de la Diáspora Puer-torriqueña: Construyendo Una Agenda Por Puerto Rico in Orlando, Florida. This was the first major event with representatives from multiple states addressing the Puerto Rico debt crisis from a diaspora perspective. The goal of the conference was to discuss potential policy alternatives to the debt and delineate an engagement plan of action.2 Since that initial departure point, Centro has actively en-gaged in providing a non-partisan public discussion space for the understanding of unfolding historical events.

The Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans is a series of search confer-ences and forums that disseminate accurate and non-partisan information based on research findings. They foster safe spaces for the discussion of policy issues and the articulation of community responses to Puerto Rico's economic and environmental crisis from the perspective of stateside Puerto Ricans and other stakeholders. Con-ference programs are designed to balance topics including the economic, fiscal and unfolding humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico and to engage the community in a thorough discussion of the impacts of the crisis on stateside Puerto Ricans. Top scholars and leaders come together to explore solutions to the critical problems facing our people. ¡Los de aquí y los de allá! For a detailed account of the initia-tive’s trajectory, please see the following timeline.

2 For an analysis of the policy options considered at the time, see Edwin Meléndez, “The Politics of PROMESA” in E. Melendez and C, Venator-Santiago, Editors, “Puerto Rico Post-Hurricane Maria: Origins and Consequences of a Crisis” (30:3, Fall 2018).

Puerto Rican Voices: Rebuild Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican Voices, our television series, premiered in 2015 and highlights the contributions of Puerto Ricans across the United States. Co-produced with WIPR, it has had a successful three-season run since its debut. In 2016, it received the Imagen Award for Best Local Informational Program. Its programming is presently available through CUNY-TV and CentroTV.

The fourth season of Puerto Rican Voices will be devoted to RebuildPR. Debuting on BronxNet and CUNY-TV this fall season, the show will highlight the contribu-tions civic organizations have made to the reconstruction efforts. Filmed in Puerto Rico and the United States, each thirty-minute episode will be devoted to a different recon-struction topic. Topics include:

1. Housing2. Agriculture3. Community Centers Development4. Education5. Faith-Based Communities6. Environment7. Health 8. New York Response 9. Diaspora Solidarity10. Energy11. Economy

II. Diaspora Engagement

Encuentro Nacional de la Diáspora Puertorriqueña: Construyendo Una Agenda Por Puerto Rico ORLANDO, FL, OCTOBER 13 & 14, 2015Representatives from multiple states discussed key elements of the debt crisis. As the economic crisis deepens in the island, stateside communities are redefined. Today more Puerto Ricans reside stateside than in Puerto Rico and they are increasingly dispersed across the nation. In this context, how can we in the U.S. support Puerto Rico?

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2016 2016 2017

Diaspora SummitNEW YORK, APRIL 22 & 23, 2016Hundreds of stateside and island-based Puerto Ricans came together at the conference, hosted by Centro, at the pinnacle of the current economic and humanitarian crisis. Close to eighty stateside organizations and several members of Congress were represented among the panelists.

New England SummitHOLYOKE, MA, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016Puerto Ricans from Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, along with policy experts from the island and New York, met in Holyoke, Massachusetts to gain a broader understanding of the island’s economic crisis and its impacts on their local communities.

Parades and FestivalsNEW YORK, DECEMBER 03, 2016

This conference brought together key members of organizations in the United States that organize Puerto Rican parades and festivals to gain a broader understanding of how they promote Puerto Rican culture and heritage and how they can work together in solidarity with Puerto Rico.

Diaspora Summit IINEW YORK, MAY 12 &13, 2017The timing of this conference was critical: May 1 was the deadline for the stay on the debt enacted as part of PROMESA. The core objective at the summit was to take stock of where we were after this key deadline, how to make a difference in our community’s understanding of the situation, and how to shape strategies moving forward.

Puerto Rican Studies AssociationNEW YORK, OCTOBER 28, 2017Puerto Rican higher education scholars and their allies presented academic research on Puerto Rico and shared ideas for an academic diaspora’s response to the crisis.

Multimedia Makers & Actors FridayNEW YORK, NOVEMBER 10, 2017

In light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, Centro’s Creative Network of the Puerto Rican Diaspora, in partnership with Prime Latino Media brought together multimedia content makers, actors, and journalists from across the country to gain a broader understanding of the humanitarian and economic crises in Puerto Rico and explore the use of multimedia arts as vehicles for social change.

Timeline

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April 22·23 2016

2018

2018 2019

Washington, DC Diaspora SummitNOVEMBER 18, 2017Just two months after Hurricane Maria, Centro, Cenadores Puerto Rico (PR), the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women (NACOPRW) – DC Chapter, UDC Latino/a Law Students Association, 100 Days for Puerto Rico, Friends of Puerto Rico, and the National Puerto Rican Agenda hosted a one-day summit to discuss policy issues and to articulate the community responses to Puerto Rico’s economic and humanitarian crisis from the perspective of Puerto Ricans in the Washington, D.C. area and other stakeholders.

Diaspora Summit IIINEW YORK, MAY 11 &12, 2018This was the first Summit after Hurricane Maria. In response to the recommendations from this event, Centro, in partnership with other educational institutions and civic organizations throughout the diaspora and Puerto Rico, launched the Rebuild Puerto Rico Initiative. This clearinghouse seeks to facilitate the connections and collaborations of Puerto Rico’s civic sector and Puerto Ricans in the diaspora who want to join efforts in rebuilding Puerto Rico.

Washington, DC Diaspora Summit IIOCTOBER 26 & 27, 2018This was a two-day conference on policy issues and community responses from the perspective of Puerto Ricans in the nation’s capital. In addition to the founding partners, this event was co-sponsored by the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs.

In Pursuit of Puerto Rican Studies Research Summit ORLANDO, FL, APRIL 16 & 17, 2019Co-sponsored by the University of Central Florida Research HUB, and in conjunction with Florida scholars from across an array of colleges and universities, this research summit was designed to establish a strategic direction for research specifically for Puerto Ricans in Florida, and more generally for Puerto Rican Studies as a field.

National Youth Leadership EncuentroJUNE 4-7, 2019

This is a student driven, four-day leadership conference. Participants examined the socio-economic crises that Puerto Ricans in the United States and Puerto Rico face; gained skills necessary to analyze, frame, and develop solutions that would impact Puerto Ricans throughout the nation; and, connected with other student leaders from around the country.

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uerto Ricans Washington D.C.

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The Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican Conference, co-sponsored by the Puerto Rican Studies Association (New York, October 28, 2017), brought close to thirty Puerto Rico community leaders from the island who had called a meeting with the Centro leadership to discuss recommendations made by many of the sessions. Their main takeaway was that the search-conference approach and neutral forum for delib-erations and strategy formulations would be beneficial to the civic sector in Puerto Rico. They strongly urged us to convene a planning meeting in Puerto Rico to further col-laborate with academic and other community leaders from the diaspora.

In a planning meeting in December, an expanded group of those attending the New York conference made two core recommendations: to celebrate a Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans conference in Puerto Rico, and to support the creation of com-munications and information mechanisms among civic orga-nizations in Puerto Rico that would foster collaborations with

civic organizations in the diaspora. That engendered a series of public forums in Puerto Rico co-sponsored by Centro and an expansion of the functions of the digital platform RebuildPR to include three additional components: Direc-tory, Data Hub, and Exchange.

The conference Resilencia y Solidaridad: Encuentro con la Diáspora (June 15, 2018) was held at the University of Puerto Rico and included a second day of training workshops or “talleres” (June 16) on the Re-buildPR Data Hub for commu-nity planning. The conference, co-sponsored by numerous local organizations and hosted by the UPR School of Planning,

sought to facilitate the connections and collaborations of Puerto Rico’s civic sector and Puerto Ricans in the diaspora who aimed to join ef-forts in rebuilding Puerto Rico. The Talleres de Mapeo was held June 16, 2018 at the UPR. This workshop trained about 75 participants in community planning on the Centro mapping applica-tion. As part of the promotion for this conference, Centro released the report, “The Housing Crisis in Puerto Rico and the Impact of Hurricane Maria” (June 2018). The planning group identified the housing crisis as a research priority.

Among other recommendations for collaborations, confer-ence participants were unanimously interested in clarifying how civic organizations could benefit from federal funding and participate in the recovery and economic reconstruc-tion of the island. In tandem with a working group of civic leaders --which eventually morphed into the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship and Community Action (Instituto de Desarrollo Empresarial y Acción Comunitaria, IDEA-Común)--we organized the conference Conferencia Empre-sarismo Social y Reconstrucción (October 5, 2018) at the UPR, followed by the capacity-building training Talleres de Empresarismo Social y Reconstrucción (October 6, 2018), hosted by the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association (Asociación de Industriales de Puerto Rico). In conjunction with this event, Centro released the report, “Rebuild Puerto Rico: A Guide to Federal Policy and Advocacy” (October 2018).

After the conferences, IDEAComún evolved into a civic, multi-sector coalition, which promotes social entrepre-neurship as a strategy to support “comprehensive and sustainable economic development in Puerto Rico for the benefit and welfare of all communities and their residents.” In their view, “Puerto Rico’s present and future sustainable economic and social development depends on the active engagement toward common goals and the empowerment

III. Support to Puerto Rico’s Civic Sector and IDEAComún

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Conferencia Empresarismo Social

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serie, Puerta Rico, PlB1o Ricans

of residents, private and nonprofit entrepreneurs, the civic sector, and other community collaborators.”3

One of the main goals of IDEAComún is to promote train-ing and skills development in methods of social entrepre-neurship. For this purpose, they created an education group of academics and other practitioners. One of their main goals is to offer continuing education training for profes-sionals involved with community organizing and plan-ning, economic and municipal development, and capacity building.

In addition, IDEAComún seeks to coordinate collaborative efforts among social entrepreneurs, communities, and their allies. To achieve this goal, it is important to create com-munication mechanisms and shared knowledge of effective practices for social change and community development. In general, Centro will collaborate with the IDEAComún organizations to support forums and conferences, research and publish relevant reports on topics related to reconstruc-tion in Puerto Rico, make our newsletter, web resources, and co-sponsored seminars available, and support other means of dissemination of effective community practices.

3 Taken from IDEAComun’s mission statement.

In collaboration with IDEAComún, Centro co-sponsored the conference Empresarismo Social y Reconstrucción II (March 2019). The Social Entrepreneurship and Recon-struction II Conference: Development of Professional and Organizational Capabilities, was held at the Interamerican University in San Juan and the training workshops on social entrepreneurship for economic recovery were held and co-sponsored by the Manufacturers’ Association in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. Both events were cosponsored by the IDEAComún member organizations and other part-ners. Our main objective with this conference was to assess the challenges and opportunities at a critical juncture of economic recovery and examine how community groups can foster social entrepreneurship and participate in federal programs to support economic development, job creation and reduction of poverty.

The last Symposium of Empresarismo Social y Recu-peración Económica, was held on the island on August 7, 2019, and presented recent research on the civic and community sector participation after Hurricane María (Dra. Ivys García, Utah University), social entrepreneurship case studies (Dr. Ramón Borges, Clark University) coop-erativism case studies (Dra. Marinés Aponte, University of

IDEAComún is a collaborative ini-tiative of civic and community organizations, the private sector, academics, and other collaborators for the coordination of sustainable and comprehensive economic development projects that pursue a social purpose. IDEAComún pro-motes business development and community planning through the active engagement of entrepre-neurs, residents in communities, and other related collaborators. Social purpose projects include job creation, affordable housing, urban and industrial sustainable economic development, business develop-ment in disadvantaged communi-ties, and revenue-generating social, educational, and cultural programs, among others.

13

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This table summarizes the core components of the proposed professional development and training program for program managers and community planners. The headings on the left correspond to the CDGB-DR RFQ and the entries on the right correspond to the compe-tences that will be developed in the proposed training program.

CURRICULUM FOR TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND PROFESSIONALS

IN COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Competencias profesionales para promover la recuperaci6n

econ6mica posdesastre en Puerto Rico

Anallsls de las condklones

e1dstentes

Compromlso publko y de partes

interesadas

Estrateglas para el desarrollo

econ6mico

comunltarlo

Estrateglas para el desarrollo

econ6mico

munlclpal

Planes Maestros

Comunltarlos y Munlclpales

Evaluadon de rlesgos e lnvestlgaclon de antecedentes Anal ls ls de lmpacto Socia!, Amblental y Econ6mlco (SEIA)

ldentlflcar poslbles lnlclatlvas estrateglcas

ldentiflcar c6mo se ueden reestructurar los oblernos munlcl ales

Estableclendo prloridades comunltarlas Dlrlgir el compromlso de la comunldad

Reallzaci6n de eventos de partlclpac16n comunltaria

ldentlflcacl6n de actlvos de desarrollo comunltarlo

ldentiflcaci6n de opciones de emprendlmlento social Desarrollo de proyectos de vlvlenda asequlble

Desarrollando oportunldades de sindir.ad6n

Desarrollo de proyecto comerclal y / o mlxto Desarrollo de opclones de empresa social

Desarrollo de la economfa circular municipal

Desarrollo de cooperatlvas munlclpales de energ(a solar Desarrollo de estrateglas de estabillzaci6n de barrios munlcipales

Desarrollo del desarrollo econ6mko municipal basado en vlsltantes

Promocl6n de ordenanzas munlclpales de recldaJe y 6rdenes eJecutlvas Creacl6n de un plan regional de desarrollo de la fuerza laboral

Desarrollar un plan maestro municipal o comunltarlo

Usando la vlsl6n comunitarla

Desarrollo de an.Ulsls de mercado Desarrollar un plan de acc16n e lmplementacl6n

lnforme final sobre las recomendaclones del plan maestro municipal

Selecclonar dlente, deflnlr proyecto, plan de trabajo y acuerdo

Recopllar datos, entrevlstas expertos, claslficar opclones de desarrollo

Reporte final

Practlca de campo Ejemplos de practka de campo induyen preparaclon de propuestas a

agendas federales y estatales, planes de negocios y re>ntalizad6n econ6mica, construccion y rehabilitadon de vivienda, cooperativas de

produccl6n y renovacl6n urbana.

15

Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras), a professional skills research (Dr. Edwin Meléndez -Center for Puerto Rican Studies), as well as mitigation case studies (Dra. Martha kohen - University of Florida) and a manual for mitigation in Puerto Rico, prepared by Rafael Torrech San Inocencio PhD. Hundreds of participants reached IDEAComún’s mitigation informa-tive video, instructions and letter of intention model. Three Q&A webinars were organized during August to inform the participants about reaching mitigation federal funds for different projects.

Fondos para mitigación de riesgos y desastres en puerto rico

The Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program approved a series of funds that could be used for communities to develop a more resilient and prepared response for further emergencies. Dr. Rafael Torrech San Inocencio, Ph.D. produce an intro-ductory video and conducted four (4) webinars guiding participants in the development of letters of intent for HMGP/404 mitigation projects.

Proponents were helped to refine their letters of intent (LOI), with and an open forum for questions. Attendees discussed visuals illustrating the forms, samples of answers and a tool kit of materials, including the guide on miti-gation for Puerto Rico. Approximately, $500,000,000 in proposals were submitted to FEMA.

IDEAComún Education Group

Centro will collaborate with the IDEAComún Education Group to develop a sequence of competency-based mod-ules to train community planning and economic recovery professionals who are facing a new and challenging context (e.g., the advent of CDGB-DR and mitigation funding). This curriculum is based on a sequence of competen-cy-based modules for comprehensive training on commu-nity planning and social entrepreneurship for the era of economic recovery in Puerto Rico. The proposed training

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and capacity-building components of the project are spe-cific to the needs of community and municipal planning staff; professionals who are involved in the management of various related recovery programs.

The proposed program is aligned with the sets of skills specified in the RFQ issued by the Puerto Rico Department of Housing (PRDOH) for professional services for planners to implement the CDBG-DR program. A unique element of the proposed training program is its focus on specific development options, divided into sections for community economic development, and another set of modules for municipal economic development. In addition, the train-ing includes modules for the development of community and municipal master plans. Finally, the proposed program would include a practicum where training participants will implement a development project for their organizations or a community client. Potential projects would include options such as a funding proposal for a CDGB-DR and/or other federal funding sources; planning and implementing a housing rehabilitation or construction project; or a social enterprise, among others.

In collaboration with Dr. José Sánchez Lugo, Director of Escuela Graduada de Ciencias y Tecnologías de la Información (EGCTI) at the University of Puerto Rico, Centro is cur-rently supporting the creation of a distant learning platform and course management system to help educators in Puerto Rico collaborate on the development of an effective online professional training on community planning and social entrepreneurship for the era of economic recovery in Puerto Rico.

February 1st: Meeting with Instructors for the IDEA-Común certificateA Group of more than 15 professionals have developed a curriculum and are working towards completing a certifi-cate in different areas such as circular economy, mitigation and cooperativism, to create the first social entrepreneur-ship certificate in Puerto Rico.

February 5: CDC from US and PR meetingMore than 20 community development organizations from the island and mainland gathered to share perspec-tives, work and plans, to further cooperation, alliances and

dialogue. The group in Puerto Rico is working towards creating the first Community Development Corporation’s cooperative in the islands.

February 5 2020: Simposio sobre vivienda y desarrollo económico comunitario en Puerto Rico Almost a hundred of participants gathered to take part of this one day afternoon simposium, that gave perspectives from professionals regarding the development community corporations, experiences from organizations working in the ground and workshops on GIS data and USDA rural development funds.

Centro’s response to the storms,earthquakes and COVID-19

Centro’s PR initiative keeps bringing together a vast group of specialists and leaders, in a fruitful and active dialogue. During the past months, Centro’s PR initiative has held major events in Puerto Rico, oriented to con-tinue the capacity building of leaders and communities, facilitating alliances and cooperation between entities, groups and organizations.

coVid-19 webinar series:

Elegibilidad para apoyo de FEMA durante la crisis del COVID-19 (March 27, 2020)Around 500 attendees participated in this webinar conduct-

16

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ed by Dr. Rafael Torrech San Inocencio, that focused on public assistance during the pandemic of COVID-19 and the funds available from FEMA to confront it.

COVID-19, Respuestas e intervenciones de salubridad y reembolsos federales disponiblesA webinar conducted on April 3rd, 2020 gathered around 400 participants with a specialized group of health pro-fessionals to communicate about the funds available for health research and funding. Centro’s GIS map with data on the virus was presented and the tool explained as part of the webinar that included partners from the Puerto Rico Science and Technology Trust, the Puerto Rico health trust and the director of the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico.

Oportunidades de financiamiento disponibles para orga-nizaciones sin fines de lucro programas CDBG-DR y PPP - (April 29, 2020)Webinar addressing the support opportunities currently available to nonprofits, stemming from both the COVID

Pandemic (PPP) and Hurricane Maria Recovery Funds (CDBG-DR). As panelists, the Puerto Rico Secretary for Housing in charge of CDBG-DR funds and with the Executive Director of COFECC, an eminent community development and financing corporation (CDFI) certified by the SBA and other federal agencies.

Fondos CARES Act para iniciativas en respuesta a COVID-19: CDBG-CV y USDA (May 8, 2020)The webinar “CARES Act Funds for Initiatives in Response to COVID-19: CDBG-CV and USDA” presented the flexibility guidelines for the use of the Community Devel-opment Block Grant (CDBG) funds of the CARES Act used to support the response to coronavirus. In addition, the coronavirus response funds allocated to USDA-Rural Development in the face of the health and economic crisis caused by the pandemic was discussed. Also adressed the Food and Nutrition Services Agency (FNS) series of waivers to allow state and local governments to incentivize local supply chains to continue to supply food.

FlexibiliJ:aci6n de requisitos de fondos federales y opciones de

elegibilidad para apoyo de FEMA durante la crisis del C0VID-19

Rafael Touech San Inocencio Grants, Fundralslng, and

Disaster Manae:ement

Gilberto Guevara Responsive Innovation Lab at Puerto Rico

Science, Ted'lnology & Research Trust

Armando Garcia Central Recwery and Reconstrucrion

Office or Puerto Rico (COIB)

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RebuildPRRebuildPR serves as an information clearinghouse, hub, and research mechanism to inform public policy and community engagement with regards to rebuilding Puerto Rico. It grew organically from our support of the solidarity movement with Puerto Rico. RebuildPR provides sup-port to those affected by the crisis on the island as well as stateside supporters and collaborators by way of improving data accessibility, strengthening collaboration, increasing available knowledge sources. We continue Centro’s legacy of linking scholarship to social action and policy debates in order to contribute to the betterment of our community and enrichment of Puerto Rican studies.The first component of RebuildPR was created only days after hurricane Maria. In response to an overwhelming demand for information about where to donate and assur-ances of the legitimacy of organizations helping hurricane victims, Centro launched the Donate component of the platform. The website contains a list of charities and local initiatives; we provide relevant information about these organizations that directly serve the victims. RebuildPR expanded quickly, and in a few weeks evolved into a full-fledged clearinghouse and repository. In addition to Donate, the first set of sections were:

• News. Users can stay up to date with recent events related to recovery and reconstruction efforts in Puerto Rico.

• Events. The calendar of events allows users to iden-tify activities sponsored by Work Groups through an interface. Filters facilitate searches by type of event and location.

• Policy. This section maintains public awareness for disaster relief efforts and engagement, not just in the emergency phases but also during recovery and reconstruction.

• Volunteer. Featuring current volunteer opportu-nities in support of disaster relief, recovery, and reconstruction efforts.

• Need Help? This page contains a collection of im-portant resources and agencies that can help Puerto Rican residents who have relocated to communities across the United States during this difficult time.

In response to the requests from civic organizations in Puer-to Rico, we started working on the following additional components to the RebuildPR platform:

• Directory: Connect with people and organizations that provide a service or work with the Puerto Rican community, stateside and in Puerto Rico.

• Data Hub: Find information related to pre- and post-Maria conditions in Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican solidarity movement in the United States by way of two interactive maps.

• Exchange: Find information about collaboration opportunities or request support from organiza-tions that are rebuilding Puerto Rico.

The RebuildPR digital platform was designed both as a community-planning tool and a research platform. As a tool, the RebuildPR digital platform offers users the most comprehensive set of GIS layers available to the public as an interactive application. For example, users can focus on any community and select layers from FEMA about damages to infrastructure and housing, flooding zones, or demographic data from the Census Bureau.

As a platform, RebuildPR offers users available informa-tion regarding who is engaged (nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and other actors) and where (to the extent feasible by municipalities, barrios, census tracts and blocks, and zip codes). With the support and participation of the RebuildPR Research Group, we are adding layers of data containing additional key components for socio-eco-nomic impact analysis—who is doing what (actions), and when (dates that can be portrayed as moving images). The goal is to be able (a) to define indicators of impact and (b) to correlate social outcomes to the actions of key agents and other reconstruction process inputs, such as foundations and federal investments in communities.

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We are currently adding data indicators to be able to track progress on the implementation of the recovery plans published by the Commonwealth and the CDBG-DR, and for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. In this effort, research group members have participated in workshops, so as to familiarize themselves with the digital platform, and develop the analytical framework and ques-tionnaire forms used for crowdsourcing data on recon-struction projects. Those frameworks and surveying forms could also be used in sponsoring organizations and individ-uals—data that is collected using an online survey tool and added as GIS layers for analysis. We expect the group to meet quarterly and present research findings in upcoming conferences and other forums.

The interactive GIS maps are housed in the Data Hub. Currently, the Data Hub has the most comprehensive set of GIS layers for Puerto Rico available to the public. To date, the platform offers close to a hundred layers and contin-ues to develop. GIS provides an open platform for global engagement and tracking of economic recovery indicators. We are currently developing and integrating two sets of layers for indicators: those identified by the government of Puerto Rico’s recovery action plan and the broader “Sus-tainable Development Goals” as developed by the United Nations. These indicators, as discussed above, can be used to evaluate socio-economic impact analysis but they are also used for community planning. GIS delivers a platform that can be used for the observation, tracking, and management of community planning indicators. Overlays can be used to integrate information and analyze relationships among and between all indicators and overlapping initiatives. Layers can be visualized, analyzed, and combined to help us better understand the issues facing future development.

The other components of the second development phase of RebuildPR are under construction, though fully operation-al to our staff. Both the Directory and the Exchange are in a Beta testing stage. The Directory contains all the nonprofit organizations in Puerto Rico and the United States. The user interface is operational and will be available to the public once testing is completed. Next steps involve adding additional data from 990 forms for 501c3 organizations and harvesting information from web pages, directories, and other sources to be added.

The main goal of the Exchange is to support stateside faculty and students, in addition to other diaspora-based civic groups, to connect community planning and capacity building projects with civic organizations in Puerto Rico. In addition, we will place students and other young profes-sionals to volunteer and complete internships to support local organizations’ capacity building. In collaboration

with stateside Puerto Rican student organizations, this exchange would essentially address the intersection between the students' interest in solidarity with Puerto Rico, while making it consistent with contextual learning, participatory research, and community service, thereby rendering the experience relevant to their career trajectory and profession-al development.

Get the Puerto Rico’s Web Map Applications

Puerto Rico’s Vulnerable Population & COVID-19 Cases

https://bit.ly/3cMTMgf

Puerto Rico’s Earthquake & SocialVulnerability/Preliminary Damage Assessment

Pre- and Post-Hurricane Maria

~---· .- . --· ';.,... "',-~ :.~; ··,~ .. ~ "':· ~. ~ -~~- . ,· .. .._.-,('

Celebrating 45 Years of AchievementsThe Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) has grown considerably over the past forty-five years, fine-tuning our research, archives, pedagogy, and programming so as to evolve with the times. This guide provides an overview of the history and achievements of Centro since its founding in 1973, and a summary of the programs and educational tools available to the public.https://bit.ly/2KnYXXphttps://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/centrovoices/current-affairs/celebrating-45-years-guide-centro

The Housing Crisis in Puerto Rico and the Impact of Hurricane MariaBy all counts, Puerto Rico’s housing market is in a deep and prolonged crisis. At least 18 percent of Puerto Rico’s housing stock is vacant as a result of the island’s prolonged economic recession. This report examines the housing crisis which commenced in 2006, and how the spike in foreclosures after Hurricane Maria suggests that vacant units are increasing at an accelerated rate. https://goo.gl/eTZG2Yhttps://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/research/data-center/research-briefs/housing-crisis-puerto-rico-and-impact- hurricane-maria

Puerto Rico in Crisis TimelineSince 2006 Puerto Rico has been facing an unprecedented economic and fiscal crisis that shows little signs of end-ing or abating in the foreseeable future. In this timeline, we summarize the most important milestones and turning points since 1898, and the impacts that United States and local policies have had on Puerto Rico’s Economy.https://bit.ly/2lGZuvIhttps://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/education/puerto-rico-crisis-timeline

Rebuild Puerto Rico: A Guide to Federal Policy and AdvocacyThe impact of Hurricane Maria will be felt for decades, and long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico are expected to take years. This report provides an overview of federal disaster relief policy, dissects the recovery process and the role of federal assistance, and discusses possible entry points for advocacy efforts.https://goo.gl/7rKUa9https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/events-news/rebuild-puerto-rico/policy/rebuild-puerto-rico-guide-federal- policy-and-advocacy

Puerto Rico: Two Years After Hurricane Maria (September 2019)In this report we provide a continuation of lasts years’ timeline of the major occurrences in the aftermath, an analy-sis of the media’s coverage of the disaster, the impact of Hurricane Maria Evacuees on the Puerto Rican population in the Unites States and the migration effects resulting in school closures.https://bit.ly/2nW5Vfhhttps://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/research/data-center/research-briefs/puerto-rico-two-years-after-hurri-cane-maria

Puerto Rico’s Vulnerable Communities and Flood Hazards and Mitigation (forthcoming)Using the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (5-year estimates), at least 15% of Puerto Rico’s population resided in the 100-year floodplain. This report utilizes the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) ‘social vul-nerability index’ (SVI) to measure resiliency among the Island’s communities faced with human or natural induced hazards, like flooding. The purpose of this research brief is to help inform policy, planners, and community leaders the population and housing structures at risk in the Island’s floodplains. 

Nonprofit Sector’s Capacity for Disaster Recovery in Puerto Rico (forthcoming)Post-disaster planning and federal funding for economic recovery offer Puerto Rico’s community development industry a unique window of opportunity. This opportunity hinges on the capacity of the nonprofit sector securing federal grants, joining government efforts in planning and then executing economic development projects. This report provides an evidence-based assessment of the current capacity of and prospects for the nonprofit sector to become an active participant in the economic recovery of Puerto Rico and, more generally, to be able take advan-tage of this window of opportunity.

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) is the nation’s leading university-based institution devoted to the interdisciplinary study of the Puerto Rican experience in the United States. Centro is dedicated to understanding, preserving and sharing the Puerto Rican experience in the United States. Centro invites Centro Voices contributors to make use of the extensive archival, bibliographic and research material preserved in its Library and Archives.

The Centro Library and Archives is devoted to collecting, preserving and providing access to resources documenting the history and culture of Puerto Ricans. The Centro Library and Archives was established in 1973 as a component of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. The collections include books, current and historic newspapers and periodicals, audio, film & video, manuscripts, photographs, art prints, and recorded music. The Library and Archives provides services and programs to the scholarly community as well as the general public. Constituents are diverse and come from the United States and abroad. The Library and Archives facilitates access to information on its holdings through the City University’s online public catalog or CUNY+. It also provides research and information assistance via phone and email.

The Housing Crisis inPuerto Rico and the Impactof Hurricane Maria* Jennifer Hinojosa and Edwin Meléndez

Issued June 2018 | Centro RB2018-04

*We would like to acknowledge the invaluable comments on an earlier version from: the staff from the National Council of State Housing Agencies; Marcos Morales from UnidosUS; Miriam Colon from the NYC Housing Preservation and Development; Bill O’Dell, Maria Estefania Barrios, Nancy Clark, and Martha Kohen from the University of Florida; and Erika Ruiz, Marion McFadden, and Michelle Whetten from Enterprise Community. All remaining errors or omissions are ours.

1823

1933 2017

1948

PUERTO RICO IN CRISIS

— T I M E L I N E —

CENTRO PB2018-02 | OCTOBER 2018

A Guide to Centrounderstanding, preserving, and sharing the puerto rican experience in the united states

Centro is the only university-based research institute exclusively devoted to the interdisci-plinary study of the Puerto Rican experience in the United States. It is also home to the oldest and largest Latino research institution in the Northeast. A university-wide research center serving the entire CUNY system, Centro has been housed at Hunter College since 1983.

In the earlier decades of Centro’s history, in-house researchers produced a series of seminal publications regarding the economic, sociological, and political implications of Puerto Rican mi-gration. This influential body of work included, among others: Labor Migration Under Capitalism, Sources for the Study of the Puerto Rican Migra-tion —1879-1930, and Industry and Idleness. The multitude of research task forces Centro had generated in the ‘70s addressed cultural, historical, linguistic, and socioeconomic issues of concern to scholars and community members alike.

During the 1980s, research evolved into more multidisciplinary and multimedia forms, most importantly with the development of the Oral History Collection. Puerto Ricans in New York: Voices of the Migration, for example, was a three-year oral history project shepherded by the Oral History Task Force intent on interviewing community leaders, garment workers, and pioneros (early community settlers), and retrieving primary source materials. Centro also began to attend to a broader Latino lens through which it articulated the Puerto Rican stateside experience. Exchange

Celebrating 45 Years of Achievements

A Guide to Centro

Established in 1973 by a coalition of CUNY students, academics, and community activists from the emerging Puerto Rican Studies Departments, Centro de Estudios Puertorriqueños is rooted in the largely Black and Puerto Rican student-based efforts to procure both open admissions access to public higher education and the creation of ethnic studies programs.

Continued on page 2

INSIDEPAGE

14Educational Tools & Programs

PAGE

15Publications

Not the Time to Stay brings to light for the first time the marvellous work of Puerto Rican playwright Víctor Fragoso. Eight plays, edited and translated by Consuelo Martínez-Reyes, portray the socio-cultural issues Fragoso sought to expose: the choice and difficulties of migration, the clash between American and Puerto Rican societies, the oppression suffered by Latinos in the USA, homelessness, and domestic violence, among others. Fragoso played a key role in the New York City theatre scene in the 1970s, and in the overall interrogation of Puerto Rican and Latino identities in the USA. This new generation of Latinos will certainly find, in their rediscovery of Fragoso’s work, a visionary of social themes, literary and theater practices.

The publication of Víctor Fernández Fragoso’s work is a major contribution to the field of Latino/a and Puerto Rican literature.

Efraín Barradas—University of Florida

In this excellent book, we see outstanding facets of Victor Fragoso’s personality in his contemporary sensibility; with great ability to capture the artistic, philo-sophical, spiritual and patriotic concerns of his time. I invite you to know more intimately this nearly forgotten Puerto Rican talent.

Iván Acosta—playwright and filmmaker

Consuelo Martínez Reyes is a Puerto Rican writer, translator, and Lecturer in Spanish and Latin American Studies at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Aus-tralia. Her academic work centers on the representation of gender, sexuality, and national sentiments in Hispanic Caribbean cinema and literature. She has translated for the PBS TV program Need to Know, the National Council of La Raza, and the American Civil Liberties Union. She has recently published her short-story collection, entitled En blanco (La Pereza, 2018).

Not the Time to Stay: The Unpublished Plays of Víctor Fragoso

Víctor Fragoso Consuelo Martínez-Reyes, Editor

Selected, Edited, Translated and with an Introduction by

Consuelo Martínez-Reyes

NOT THE TIME TO STAY:THE UNPUBLISHED PLAYS OF VÍCTOR FRAGOSO

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