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Creative Destruction of The City Of San Juan: Causes & Effects
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A Summary Of Our Interviews
URBST 206 Global Cities December 10th 2018 Amadou Barry Professor: Dr. Rafael de Balanzo Joue
Interviews Summary of Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico formally known as the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and previously known as and often referred to, as Porto Rico is the biggest insular region of the United States of America and it is situated in the northeast region of the Caribbean Sea. The capital City is San Juan and it is also the most populated city in the country. Puerto Rico has a population of about 3.4 million people. The citizens often refer to the island as “Borinquen”. Puerto Rico is a state that experienced a catastrophic moments due to the hurricane Maria that happened from September 16th 2017 which lasted for October 2nd 2017 when the storm made a direct hit on the island on September 20 and knocked out 80% of the island’s power transmission lines, it was clear that many lives would be at stake. Thousands of sick, elderly, and small children were left without electricity, water, and medical care. As part of the hurricane disasters there were many homes and infrastructure was destroyed their family was one part of the people that were affected as they had loss of electricity power in our homes a statement from the interviewers “our home belongings, cars house was destroyed trees had fallen on the roads and on top of people homes vehicles. I come from medium income family he aren’t that wealthy to replace all our losses”. In general, the board of the Puerto Rican government found that the capital of San Juan was among the six most affected cities on the island after the Category 4 storm hit in September 2017, causing more than an estimated $100 billion in damage. Puerto Rico struggles to emerge from a 12-year-old recession and tries to restructure a portion of its more than $70 billion public debt. The lack of economic government finance Puerto Rico has been forced to reduce their funding by the closure of school everyone is affected, although those living in San Juan and the middle class are perhaps not as badly affected. University students were very busy with their schoolwork since they were put on an alternate. There’s general trauma and anxiety from surviving such a huge natural disaster, combined with the territory’s economic and political state. The lack of funding and closures of school and the abandoned homes building There are many groups that are now occupying the abandoned school that are providing art programming. So presumably people are concerned about keeping they’re Morales high, staying together, and maintaining their culture and identity.
The built environment more is vulnerable to hurricanes the plants were almost completely stripped of their leaves from the wind, and the coqui known as the native frog population suffered overall, there’s disruption in the ecosystem. In regards the interview with there were many responses in regards san Juan from students many students really wanted to there and help out after Hurricane Maria hit, especially after they saw how neglectful the government was being towards its own citizens. In Puerto Rico following the students interview as they stated the following “visit they stated that there was no electricity, drinking water contaminated with fecal matter, no AC on 90-degree days, mental health burdens associated with the storm, increased crime rates. According to the students that visited Puerto Rico to help the community there were a “Lack of water, food and energy when it’s a tropical island with plenty of rain and potential solar energy frustrated many of the young people who organized squatter movements. Also buildings that have long been abandoned or not properly repaired made the built environment more vulnerable to hurricanes”. Students and local Puerto Ricans expressed that Puerto Rico as a colony and how Puerto Ricans don’t have the same rights as mainland Americans even though they are citizens (e.g. can’t vote in presidential election, don’t have voting representation in congress. In terms of, resilience planning the only aid they are getting apart from the community coming together to help each other out during these catastrophic moment People did not seem very optimistic about the government’s actions or ability to really take care of their community - hence these do it yourself initiatives. There is also Fema that has helped Puerto Rico enormously with the reconstruction of building, proving shelters, and reinstalling the electrical post, cables and wires around the communities in order to prove electricity to as much people as they can. Overall, the Puerto Rican Government is seems to be prioritizing attracting foreign and stateside investment to PR to rise up the economy that way. There are many common US franchise establishments there to help the economy boom again. Federal partners and the Government of Puerto Rico are undertaking one of the largest post-disaster reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in U.S. history they are helping to rebuild and reconstruct the houses and building of many by providing some form of sheltering. Fema was able to provide in 30 days, 21% of customers were restored to power; in 60 days, 49 % in 90 days, and 65% as time goes they seem to be very positive improvement which by the look of situation on Puerto-Rico it will continue to get better as time goes by with the help of the community members, government, political aid, non-governmental organization aids, international investment as there is hope that the country will overcome difficult disastrous moments.
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Reimagina Puerto Rico: The Resilience Plan
On June 20th 2018 The Resilient Puerto Rico Advisory Commission (RPRAC) released “Relmagina Pueto Rico” which is a strategic plan to rebuild Puerto Rico as resilient island after Hurricane Maria Devastated The Island in 2017.The Plan includes 97 actions that are recommended, 17 that the group considers to be top priorities to the renovation of Puerto Rico to be carried out by the public, private, and NGO sectors. The goal of the plan is to make the island stronger economically, physically, and socially. The plan has recommendations to how to draw funding from vast variety of resources.The plan is also funded by the Ford Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the Open Society Foundations.The RPRAC is lead by executive director Malu Blázquez Arsuaga and five co-chairs. These five co-chairs have selected 24 commissioners to lead plan. The RPRAC is in partnership with 100 Resilient Cities (100RC), which was created the Rockefeller Foundation and is dedicated to helping cities become more resilient. Some of The projects include:
-Developing feasible models to establish land tenure and community ownership in Puerto Rico’s housing market.
-Establishing reliable and diversified backup energy systems for vulnerable individuals and critical facilities, such as hospitals, schools, and emergency shelters and service facilities.
-Developing and implementing a disaster resilience strategy for the micro and small businesses of Puerto Rico. Two funds are being established – one focused on grants and loans to help businesses repair the damage, and one to help them install solar power and other systems that can function independently from the electrical grid.
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Puerto Rico questions for students at CUNY Queens College
Jake Anderson 12/10/2018 5:50 pm
This is the table where I conducted my interview(s) and asked questions with the 5 people that I managed to get a hold of. These questions where related to the recent events that affected the island of Puerto Rico. The location was in the science building. Because of the free flowing nature of the conversations, along with the inability to keep these people interested for a handful of minutes, I had to make sure that I keep the questions close to the main theme about our project. The 5 people consisted of 3 women and 2 men. None of them where of Puerto Rican descent or had ties to the island in any discernible way. Their answers varied and where highly informal so I will summarize the 3 main points of what I took away from this activity:
1. All of the 5 students agreed that the aid offered by our current administration regarding the hurricane crisis in Puerto Rico were not adequate.
2. The women in the group seem to be especially concerned about the image of our Commander in Chief and his behavior towards the Mayor of San Juan Carmen Yulín Cruz which they all saw as sexist.
3. This is a very small group but my general impression was that the 2 males that where involved in the survey/interview/questioning seem more apathetic towards the entire situation. Perhaps they felt that it was going to be a more politically themed encounter and they decided to give a more neutral response to my questions. Most people generally seemed tired of talking (I am referring to the individuals that did not want to be a part of this interview project for our Global Cities Class) about politics. The questions asked were general starting points to see what they would say. People who were not interested in what I had to say still managed to show their displeasure towards our current President. What I gathered from these people (the 5 involved in my interview along with others that were not part of the interview) was a general distain for the way people were being treated after the crisis on the island.
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PORT CITY COMPARISON: San Juan vs. Jacksonville
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Our group showing our presentation to some students at Queens College!
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Interview With Diego Pol
by Jake Anderson Due Tuesday 13 th , 2018
Interview with Diego Pol
For this assignment, I interviewed Diego Pol, who currently works as an UBER driver while moonlighting as a student at Hunter at night (I do not know why but I do not recall what he was studying). This was a meeting of a lifetime since I was never expecting anything to happen when I emailed the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at CUNY Hunter College multiple times. Dr. Edwin Melendez was busy and referred me to Dr. Carlos Vargas-Ramos. Most of the people when they did reply to my emails where very busy and I had to change my interview with Dr. Carlos Vargas-Ramos the research associate for the Puerto Rican Studies Center at last moment on Friday because commitments were clashing. However on Saturday the 10 th of November, I happened to be in the city for unrelated reasons and I happened to meet Mr. Diego on the train. What started out as simple conversation relating to world affairs led to the election and ultimately him revealing to me that he goes to that school and happens to know people that live in Puerto Rico. The following is a direct transcript courtesy of him allowing me to record him just for this interview. He seemed eager to answer all of my questions. The conversation that I had with him, had taken place on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at around 1:00 pm Eastern Standard Time. To make things easier for the reader, Diego Pol will be given the initials “D.P.” and I will be referred to as “ME”. Me: So since we are both talking about politics what are your thoughts on the current administration in relation to how it treats the people of Puerto Rico? D.P. I do not think anyone has to go too far to realize that everything that Donald Trump and his people that give him
information are doing does not benefit the situation down there [Puerto Rico] and that he is blatantly racist if you ask me. I have traveled down there and I also have family and it is very difficult to see the destruction that remains their after the hurricanes because as you know there were two of them [Irma and Maria]. So to answer your question I do not think highly of the man. Me: OK… but do you think that… and I have to play Devil’s advocate here; sometbing, anything could be done on the part of Puerto Rico’s government. I mean they have had infrastructure issues and many of the problems could not be expected to be resolved in time so…D.P. it still does not mean that the world’s most powerful nation just neglects its own people [Puerto Ricans are U.S citizens] it’s not right. Me: So do you think that everything that is happening right now is entirely the fault of the current administration? D.P. for sure it is very disappointing to have a lack of respect for US citizens but I guess from my point of view I have no way of influencing the thoughts of this guy. Where was the ARMY [US sending troops to aid with the building of the destroyed by the hurricanes] to help with the disenfranchised? It seems to me that many in the White House simply hate. Me: To conclude this interview can we expect to have anything that can help to change the outcome of the island? D.P. not until there is more respect between both the United States and Puerto Rico. Me: OK… thank you for your input for this interview. I find it interesting that even though I could not get my original(s) people to be interview because of a clashing of schedules I learned a lot—Thank You.
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Map Analysis Of Puerto Rico
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Analysis of the graphs relating to Puerto Rico devastation by Jake Anderson
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Interview Questions: Kimberly Torres
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the main reasons that motivated you to go to the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: I went to the city of San Juan because the research we were conducting was there. In hindsight, I think it was the best place to go initially since we didn’t know the damage and how bad it was in other places. Even Though, it was evident San Juan still had things that needed fixing, it was better than other places since it is the capital.
Interviewer Amadou Barry:How were your first few days upon arrival in the city of Porto Rico San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres:The first few days were good, just acclimating to the traffic and getting around. The people we met during the first few days were crucial to the rest of the trip.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What type of activities did the community or you participate in throughout your time in San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: We mostly just spoke to stakeholders. However, there was one day that we participated in the clean up of the school that had been closed, where the community opened it, had a Bomba y Plena concert, and shared community resources they had. There was also tabling from a health organization in the community.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Could you tell me and emphasize more on about Cantera Peninsula?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: The Cantera Peninsula is a peninsula that is considered a fideicomiso. In this peninsula, the governmental agency working with the community want to give them the deed to their houses since when the families first started settling there, they were squatting and currently, have no rights to the land.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the different types of environmental exposures, dangers was the habitants exposed and experience in their community due the effect of the hurricane?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: The community was exposed to flooding, sewer discharge, damaged property and lack of electricity.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families and the students dealing with current issues?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: They are using whatever resources they have available. In a way, it seems like fixing the island is on the back burner and people have to continue with their lives.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the approaches did “Fema” take as an organization for the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: They fixed certain electricity grids and helped rebuild some of the homes that were damaged. Others homes remain damaged with a blue FEMA tarp.
Interviewer Amadou Barry:How would you describe the meaning behind the art of the community members of San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: I would describe it as hopeful for the future, intending to communicate strength and being symbolic of a nation that wants to rise.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the community reactions after the effects of the hurricane?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: The community seemed to be upset about the reparations done by the Government. In actuality, I have been told by many that the treatment they received really just opened their eyes to their position as part of the United States.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe San Juan before or after the hurricane what were the major different after retuning few years later?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: I would say that natural beauty of the island is still there, but many things look different. The island itself, the parts that I saw, look like a shell of what they once were.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Can you tell me more about “El Homiguero”?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres:El Hormiguero is a place that has been inhabited by people who have no place to live. They have begun to start their own methods of sustainability such as having a water sistern, etc.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Why are there so many high school closures in San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres:There are many school closures because the Government doesn’t want to justify keeping them open and spending money on them.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families being affected due to the closure of the schools in the area?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: The students have to go further to the next school if they cant afford private schools and being driven to them. Really, the families who don’t have much money are the ones being affected the most.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What is the resilient planning that is being put in place by the local council or the government to recover from this disaster?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: For now, I am not sure. I would say there is more of a people’s movement than there is a government one.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What are the next steps, goals from the government, communities, foreign AIDS for the country and the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Kimberly Torres: I would say the people of PR and San Juan are just going to keep living their lives, while working on small projects to help the community during their time off.
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Interview question Jose Mendez
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the main reasons that motivated you to go to the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: I’m from Puerto Rico I was actually there during the hurricane happened this was before I came to the United States less than a year ago to start studying, my family and I was one many victims of the hurricane we was highly affected by this.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How were your first few days upon arrival in the city of Porto Rico San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: like I just mentioned I lived in Puerto Rico during these tarrying moments our home with all our belongings that we couldn’t recover, community and the environment was absolutely destroyed there was hardly any thing left to hold on to we were all hopeless and didn’t know what the future held for us all
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What type of activities did the community or you participate in throughout your time in San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: There weren’t much that we could do all we could do is give each other a hand to our neighbours and our community members to help clean up destroyed and broken homes and make sure that nobody gets hurt as he tried to find shelters and a way to survive on the bare minimum.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Could you tell me and emphasize more on about Cantera peninsula?
Interviewee Jose: from what I know and the history of he Cantera Peninsula it’s a community that is poor and disadvantaged that is overly populated that is located in San Juan. They are a community with many issues and basic needs.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the different types of environmental exposures, dangers was the habitants exposed and experience in their community due the effect of the hurricane?
Interviewee Jose: including my family and relative home that were destroyed, with missing rooftops, broken windows and glasses shattered everywhere on the ground, there were tress everywhere we were on the road, on top of people houses or even on top of people cars that were destroyed due to fallen trees landing on them.
There were broken and fallen electricity post that fell on the ground, there were building and infrastructure that were damaged, there were land split and run off either water pollution and other contamination draining on the road surface.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families and the students dealing with current issues?
Interviewee Jose: it is very emotional, unbearable and hard all my family members and close relatives are trying their best to but the hardest part is without money and financial aid helping it is very hard to even start again from somewhere there fore it makes it really difficult. People were suffering but we were glad to be alive and that we lost many belongings but not our lives.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the approaches did “Fema” take as an organization for the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: Fema is known to be a federal partner with the Government of Puerto Rico they are doing some work here in Puerto Rico in order to help the population to rebuild and reconstruct the houses and building of many by providing some form of sheltering.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe the meaning behind the art of the community members of San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: When it come down to the arts on the homes, buildings and on the streets it has a lot meaning as it allows us Puerto Ricans to express our thoughts and belief on different current situation that’s happening in Puerto Rico we believe that the USA consider us an a state but they do very little to show this as they are not helping us we are being used based on our island Tourism for them to make money of us but they don’t help or care about us so the art is another to manifest.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the community reactions after the effects of the hurricane?
Interviewee Jose: Puerto Ricans were left shocked, sad, shattered, stressed and nobody knew what to do next to go forward as people was traumatized form witnessing what was happening and the disasters the hurricane caused.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe San Juan before or after the hurricane what were the major different after retuning few years later?
Interviewee Jose: San Juan before the hurricane is a nice warm island that very welcoming to everyone and tourist but now after the hurricane the environment has been destroyed and it is still yet to be fully reconstructed due to all the disasters and reparations that happened.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Can you tell me more about “El Homiguero”?
Interviewee Jose: El Homiguero is known the best main public and private schools in here in Puerto Rico the are known for the education department handles public, private education system.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Why are there so many high school closures in San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: There are many high school that were closed in the community due to the lack of money and funding from the local government, they have instead looked into reducing the schools budget this has caused many controversy as people are finding it hard to find places and spaces for their children to attend school
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families being affected due to the closure of the schools in the area?
Interviewee Jose: Well the government take decision that they believe will be helpful to solve the financial issues instead It does the opposite families and students are all being the ones that are affected but families doesn’t get to have say in their decision making this is right now effecting the education system and the opportunity to many children to get an education as they are lac of school and no spaces in those that are left open.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What is the resilient planning that is being put in place by the local council or the government to recover from this disaster?
Interviewee Jose: Honestly speaking we are apart of the United States and yet they claim they are helping but from the lack of actions and funding they could have provided to an island that has made them so much money in terms of tourism we lack funding, the aid, the help to even reconstruct at the speed that we would love to have seem the rebuilding happen.
There hasn’t been much resilient planning nor action that has convinced that the government are doing anything to solve the issues but in terms of action only the community members are helping each other by cleaning, up and providing those who need a place by sheltering them.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What are the next steps, goals from the government, communities, foreign aids for the country and the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Jose: Apart from the Fema partnership that is helping provide electricity and shelter I wouldn’t say there are any foreign Aids or the government that has come to the recue to help solve these current dreadful and catastrophic moments. The USA needs to provide more help and service than they are currently doing with their lack of acknowledgment and their failure to respond and act to their best of their ability yet, nothing had been done and the Island is crying to help and assistance in these difficult moments it's unbearable to think about, to witness what is happening or to be one the individuals that was affected by the hurricane.
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Interview Questions Brian Castillo
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the main reasons that motivated you to go to the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: During the hurricane in Puerto Rico I was actually in upstate New York Genesee studying here at college I was motivated to go back home because of my family that lives there to see them
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How were your first few days upon arrival in the city of Porto Rico San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: The first few days were really tarrying for me because my family was one of the few that were affected as they had loss of electricity power in our homes, our home belongings, cars house was destroyed. I come from medium income family he aren’t that wealthy to replace all our losses.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What type of activities did the community or you participate in throughout your time in San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: Once I arrived back home I helped my family clear the house removing everything that was destroyed, the community came together to remove any obstacles that was blocking the road around our neighbourhood that was dangerous just to try and clean the streets
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Could you tell me and emphasize more on about Cantera peninsula?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: The Cantera Peninsula community is a marginalized, needy, densely populated neighbourhood that is situated in San Juan the population is about 8,806 residents divided into sixteen sectors. The community residents have identified several problems and needs they have address in term of environmental, economic and health and the future
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the different types of environmental exposures, dangers was the habitants exposed and experience in their community due the effect of the hurricane?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: From what I could remember there was so many destroyed and fallen trees on the roads and on top of people homes, broken and shattered glass from the cars, people houses was destroyed, those who lived near the beach or river houses and land were split and destroyed. Words can’t explain the pain and the suffering I saw my own family and friends and other were going through it was unbearable.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families and the students dealing with current issues?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: My family is trying their best to deal and recover from the situation but the lack of money and aids is not making it easy to rebuild and start over our homes and family.
I have little brothers that school were closed down and couldn’t attend school this has added another stress factor to the families because they are missing on their education they should be in school and not at home.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the approaches did “Fema” take as an organization for the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: its federal partners and the Government of Puerto Rico are undertaking one of the largest post-disaster reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in U.S. history they are helping ot rebuild and reconstruct the houses and building of many by providing some form of sheltering. Fema was able to provide in 30 days, 21 percent of customers were restored to power; in 60 days, 49 % in 90 days, 65%.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe the meaning behind the art of the community members of San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: The arts on the homes, infrastructure and building or on the streets has many definition and means it allows the local habitants of Puerto Rico to express their thoughts and belief on different current situation that’s happening in Puerto Rico. The art is another way of them manifesting their rights and beliefs.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the community reactions after the effects of the hurricane?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: People were extremely sad, devastated they were left speechless and worthless as they wasn’t anything they could of to prevent it from happening those that had the money left Puerto Rico but others were affected as they stayed and witnessed it all.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe San Juan before or after the hurricane what were the major different after retuning few years later?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: San Juan was a clean environment very friendly to everyone especially the tourist population that was coming to the beach but now its being reconstructed due to all the disasters and damages from the hurricane.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Can you tell me more about “El Homiguero”?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: El Homiguero is known for boasts several public and private schools there are 8 schools within its territory the Puerto Rico department of education handles public education
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Why are there so many high school closures in San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: There were many high school that were closed due to the lack of money in funding from the local government they had to find ways to reduce their budget spending they closed school, the cancel programs, health care assistant in hospitals this has affected my family especially my little brothers who’s school was closed.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families being affected due to the closure of the schools in the area?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: Families and students are all being the ones that are affected but there aren’t as much they can do apart from speak up and let their voices heard or manifest against its effecting the learning ability of children as they are out school and there aren’t many school that has open spaces for them all.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What is the resilient planning that is being put in place by the local council or the government to recover from this disaster?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: there hasn’t been much action or government funding programs, apart from some current clean ups by the community members coming together there hasn’t been major planning those who has money are able to recover much quicker than others.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What are the next steps, goals from the government, communities, foreign AIDS for the country and the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Briann Castillo: There hasn’t been many foreign Aids that I’m aware of the government are taking action by reduce and closing programs in order to use the money towards the reconstruction, but there’s a current organizations such as Femi that are helping to shelters people that are without a home and they are helping to help provide and power electricity to the majority of Puerto Rico which is better than not having anything to be honest.
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Interview Questions Naomi Kuo
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the main reasons that motivated you to go to the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: I was invited by my professor, Gregory Sholette, whose work I respect, so I wanted to learn from him through joining him on research for this project. I also was interested to know more of the interconnectedness between Puerto Ricans in New York and Puerto Rico itself as a way to understand more minority communities in NYC.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How were your first few days upon arrival in the city of Porto Rico San Juan?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: Busy! We got right into a busy schedule of meeting people like Carmen from University of PR and other organizations. The first few days were more introductory with UPR, with us introducing ourselves and some faculty introducing themselves to us. We also discovered that the city was overall recovering from the hurricane, but a bit unevenly. Some things were still in disrepair, like the streetlights.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What type of activities did the community or you participate in throughout your time in San Juan?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: We visited many individuals and groups that Greg, Rafael and Carmen were connected to. Sometimes we got to observe community events, like the opening of an abandoned public school to a local group, or a party for a few established artists based in old San Juan. Other times we simply got a look into various work spaces and talked with organizers, like at Casa Taft, or people repurposing abandoned spaces for co-opts and urban gardens.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Could you tell me and emphasize more on about cantera peninsula?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: The area of Cantera Peninsula that we visited had public housing as well as somewhat precariously built private housing. There was a community center that had government offices where people talked to us about a decades long project to give people titles to the land their houses were built on while trying to relocate people who had built in flood zones. The area is historically where people from rural areas moved and built shanty towns close to the urban area of San Juan. The government official who took us on a walk for a few blocks seemed to have a good relationship with all the neighbors, but many people seemed to be just hanging out around their homes, even in the middle of the day, suggesting unemployment. He talked about the resiliency of the resident-built houses - while often overcrowded and humble, withstood the storm because of a more traditional architectural know-how.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the different types of environmental exposures, dangers was the habitants exposed and experience in their community due the effect of the hurricane?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: Lack of water, food and energy energy when it’s a tropical island with plenty of rain and potential solar energy frustrated many of the young people who organized squatter movements. Also buildings that have long been abandoned or not properly repaired made the built environment more vulnerable to hurricanes. The plants were almost completely stripped of their leaves from the wind, and the coqui (native frog) population suffered also. So there’s disruption in the ecosystem.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families and the students dealing with current issues?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: Everyone is affected, although those living in San Juan and the middle class are perhaps not as badly affected. University students were very busy with their schoolwork since they were put on an alternate, more condensed schedule to make up for lost time. Also the drain of people away from PR and to the states I think affects community cohesion. There’s general trauma and anxiety from surviving such a huge natural disaster, combined with the territory’s economic and political state.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the approaches did “Fema” take as an organization for the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: I’m not knowledgeable to speak to that in depth, though we did see blue tarps on roofs still. We didn’t interact with any FEMA representatives.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe the meaning behind the art of the community members of San Juan?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: It didn’t seem like there was one cohesive art community in San Juan. There were young artists who either were in the street art scene or else kind of did their own thing and picked up gigs for bands or local restaurants (in Santurce). Santurce is apparently a contested neighborhood that is both an up-and-coming site of speculative development, and a cultural hub. There is the art school in Old San Juan, and Contrafuerta, a sort of residential art gallery passions project of one of the professors there. Older artists seem to want to hold on to Old San Juan as a center of culture even if it has probably become a place mostly for tourists and foreign investment. There are many art-minded young people, and many collective squatting efforts are centered on or have major artistic components to them. So there’s different meanings, but art seems to be a way to express resistance and resilience
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the community reactions after the effects of the hurricane?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: Many young people are becoming radicalized, pushing more for self-sufficiency, if not independence. especially within the university. they see cracks in PR’s relationship to the US, both from the conditions that made the hurricane’s effects worse, and from US response afterwards. Others just want to take care of their communities and use abandoned spaces as centers for service provision that the government has withdrawn. In contrast, some push for more legal systematic change or are more vocally critical.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe San Juan before or after the hurricane what were the major different after retuning few years later?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: This was my first time to PR.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Can you tell me more about “El Homiguero”?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: We were introduced to El Homiguero through one of the students we met at UPR. It was run by some young people who looked like they were in their early, mid twenties. It was a multistory former office building that was missing some outer walls but was still structurally sound. Someone with time and resources (or through a collective pooling of these from the group) fixed up the place, installed water collection and solar panel. There was a little library of radical texts and upstairs, I believe it was a taekwondo studio and people were giving instruction on how to mix herbs or do something with essential oils (something of that nature). Again, mostly young people participating. They were generous to show us around and talked about how they wanted to provide for their neighbours, so I think they do not want to reach only other young people, but that was their main audience at that point.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Why are there so many high school closures in San Juan?
PR is in debt and as a result, the government cut the budget to many social services. Also, many people moved away, but apparently some closures happened before that, incentivizing people to move away.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families being affected due to the closure of the schools in the area?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: Not sure. The group occupying the abandoned school is providing art programming. So presumably people are concerned about keeping their Morales high, staying together, and maintaining their culture and identity.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What is the resilient planning that is being put in place by the local council or the government to recover from this disaster?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: Not sure. People did not seem very optimistic about the government’s actions or ability to really take care of their community - hence these do it yourself initiatives
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What are the next steps, goals from the government, communities, foreign AIDS for the country and the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Naomi Kuo: The government seems to be prioritizing attracting foreign and stateside investment to PR to rise up the economy that way. We saw many common US franchise establishments there, and we heard that Californian bitcoin people were trying very hard to set up a utopia there. So rather than giving tax breaks or otherwise incentivizing Puerto Ricans to start businesses or otherwise revitalize the economy, that opportunity is being given to others who may not have the local people’s interests in mind. I personally think the US needs to decolonize PR and work with local government and organizations to help it develop a more balanced economy where there is less dependent on imports for basic needs and more sensitive to the natural potential of the island.
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Interview Questions Jasmine Olivera
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the main reasons that motivated you to go to the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: My family is from Puerto Rico so I really wanted to there and help out after Hurricane Maria hit, especially after I saw how neglectful the government was being towards its own citizens.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How were your first few days upon arrival in the city of Puerto Rico San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: I spent a week there. Each day provided its own shock as to how bad things were and how things were destroyed. The worst part of it was that I knew San Juan is way better off than other parts of the island, which I did not get to visit.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What type of activities did the community or you participate in throughout your time in San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: The group I went with help build an outdoor green classroom at PECES high school, a school that gives at-risk students better opportunities at life. We also cleaned debris from a beach and park, played with kids at a day camp on the island of Vieques and planted trees with them, and surveyed residents in Cataño on the type of aid they still needed to recover (responses included mental health services, a new room, electricity, clean water, etc.)
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Could you tell me and emphasize more on about cantera peninsula?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: IDK what that is.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the different types of environmental exposures, dangers was the habitants exposed and experience in their community due the effect of the hurricane?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: No electricity, drinking water contaminated with fecal matter, no AC on 90 degree days, mental health burdens associated with the storm, increased crime rates.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families and the students dealing with current issues?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: I am still in contact with one student at the high school I volunteered at who says he’s trying his best to leave PR after he finishes college. I know a few other students we worked with who had the same plans.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the approaches did “Fema” take as an organization for the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: I haven’t followed FEMA’s actions but I know they were involved with the thousands of water bottles that were left in the hot sun and never distributed in an airport in Ceiba. Also, I’m not sure what the exact numbers are, but I know thousands of people who were promised a new roof are still living under blue tarps.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe the meaning behind the art of the community members of San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: Art is a huge part of Puerto rican culture in general, especially music and painting. In San Juan there is a huge wall of murals right before el morro that is largely a protest against how the federal government treats Puerto rico as a colony and how Puerto Ricans don’t have the same rights as mainland americans even though they are citizens (e.g. cant vote in presidential election, don’t have voting representation in congress etc.)
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What were the community reactions after the effects of the hurricane?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: Members of the Puerto Rican community both on the island and the mainland were absolutely devastated. Islander’s said they never saw a storm like that and questioned if they would survive. One mother recounted how she had to strap her children to columns in their house as ocean water poured in and flooded the homes to prevent them from being swept away. I myself was terrified that my family had not survived as it took a full 13 days to receive any word if they were ok or not. Even if they were ok, we had no way of knowing if they had clean water, food, or electricity.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How would you describe San Juan before or after the hurricane what were the major different after returning few years later?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: When I went it was about 10 months after the storm hit and things were still in pretty bad shape but not as bad as I expected, thank God. When I travelled outside of the capital that’s where conditions were worse. Right after the storm there was waist high flooding in the streets and major damage.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Can you tell me more about “El Homiguero”?
I’m not familiar with this I wish I could tell you more but at this moment I haven’t got that much information on El Homihuero
Interviewer Amadou Barry: Why are there so many high school closures in San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: The government cannot afford to keep all the schools open and many were damaged.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: How are the families being affected due to the closure of the schools in the area?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: I’m not sure
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What is the resilient planning that is being put in place by the local council or the government to recover from this disaster?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: As far as the electrical system, not much. The system is so outdated and the island doesn’t have money to set up a whole new grid. 2 generators and a worker I spoke to say once they figure out how to create a new electrical system on the island and it is approved, it wouldn’t be finished for at least 2 years, are still powering the island of Vieques.
Interviewer Amadou Barry: What are the next steps, goals from the government, communities, foreign AIDS for the country and the city of San Juan?
Interviewee Jasmine Olivera: I’m not entirely sure because I feel like there’s not much they can do without government support. I do know that tourism is necessary to help industries and businesses thrive, so tourism to the island is being greatly encouraged. Also, any volunteers that can go to Puerto Rico and help rebuild will be appreciated. It’s also going to take a lot of community effort, I know when I went there I was happy to see the willingness of residents to lend a hand even if they themselves didn’t have much to help their neighbours.
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