College of Arts & Sciences
Makayla Collins College of Arts & Sciences Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Steve Vásquez Dolph Global Studies & Modern Languages
Puerto Rican Diaspora Post-Hurricane Maria: Reparations and Rebuilding Broken Communities This project examines the Puerto Rican diaspora post-Hurricane Maria, an environmental and political catastrophe that displaced thousands, aggravated Puerto Rico’s already crippling debt, devastated already neglected infrastructure, and limited civilian access to health and resources. The goal of this community-based participatory research project is to begin to understand the needs of Puerto Ricans, both diasporic and island-based, in order to provide proper remediation and resources for issues exacerbated by economic crisis and environmental destruction. Diaz (2017) found that current island residents suffer from trauma, colonial neglect, and displacement. Hinojosa (2018) explains the importance of community-building post-Maria, which created a diaspora of half a million Puerto Ricans to the United States mainland. By surveying and synthesizing extant academic literature, we will provide our community partner, Plenitud PR, a grassroots non-profit based in the mountains of western Puerto Rico, with evidence-based research to aid them in their grant applications designed to meet current and future needs of their local community.
2021 STAR Scholar
54
