It's been one year since Hurricane Maria
Special Issue #19: The island is still in ruins, Puerto Rico's governor asks Trump to consider statehood and more...
This is a special edition of Pa’lante to mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria devastating Puerto Rico. There are a number of events happening today and throughout the weekend. You can find a list, compiled by Remezcla, here.
→ On Hurricane Maria Anniversary, Puerto Rico Is Still in Ruins
The New York Times documented the damage that remains after the storm. Among the findings: the median grant to help Puerto Ricans help rebuild their homes after Hurricane Maria was $1,800 – compared to $9,000 for survivors of Hurricane Harvey. And FEMA spent more than double on housing repair grants in Texas compared to Puerto Rico. (Frances Robles and Jugal K. Patel / New York Times)
→ Hurricane Maria Took Almost Everything From Them. Now These Families Fear A Future Storm.
“You could say there is discrimination, there has to be. Reporters have come, a lot of people and organizations have come to say [that these have] been some of the most affected communities. Yet you see there is a lot of help for other places. They take solar panels to those places. They build houses.” – Oscar Carrion of Canóvanas (Carolina Moreno / Huffington Post)
→ Puerto Rico Governor Asks Trump to Consider Statehood
“As we revisit all that we have been through in the last year, one thing has not changed and remains the biggest impediment for Puerto Rico’s full and prosperous recovery: the inequalities Puerto Rico faces as the oldest, most populous colony in the world,” Gov. Ricardo Rosselló wrote in the letter. (Rafael Bernal / The Hill)
→ Creativity From the Chaos of Hurricane Maria
Artists discuss how the storm has influenced their work. (Charo Henríquez, Joe Coscarelli, Michael Paulson and Jennifer Schuessler / New York Times)
→ Over 130 Lawmakers Condemn Trump Remarks on Hurricane Death Toll in Puerto Rico
Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez are asking Trump to apologize for his comments denying the death toll. (Latino Rebels)
→ No Phones, No Power: How Boricuas Communicated When Puerto Rico Went Silent After María
Methods of communication included Facebook groups and apps like Zello. (Frances Solá-Santiago / Remezcla)