This is my first time watching my island go through a major natural disaster from a distance. Back in 2017, I experienced Hurricane Maria first-hand. I saw how people gather necessities while preparing for the worst possible outcome. I felt how the category five winds pushed my building from side to side.

The next day, once it was done, I went outside to see what pieces remained of Puerto Rico. There was no green left, the trees had either fallen or been stripped of their leaves. There were dead animals on the sidewalks and pieces of materials that might have once belonged to someone’s home littered the streets.

Puerto Rico never truly recovered from Hurricane Maria. There was a lot of focus on repairing the capital, San Juan, and its nearby surroundings, but many of the families on the inner parts of the island remained without a stable home. These people were forgotten by the government and media after the novelty of the destruction passed.

Even five years after Hurricane Maria, draining systems in Puerto Rico still have fundamental problems. Every time it rains, more than the usual parts of the island go into flash flood warnings. This was the first thing that I thought of when Hurricane Fiona was announced.

The government needs to direct a stronger effort toward long term repairs that will be able to sustain the island’s tropical weather. The people of Puerto Rico have been trying to bring awareness to these problems for years, but there hasn’t been any type of change.

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, the government hid resources that were donated to the island. The idea that something like this could happen again is devastating. That is why it is important to donate to non-profit organizations that will directly help the people living on the island. It is an extremely difficult reality to accept, but this is the best way to ensure that the money you give is in the right hands.

Through the news, I have been able to see how history is somewhat repeating itself. Groups of people are gathering up resources to bring to the innermost parts of the island, just as I did back in 2017. Cultural organizations like El Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, El Bastión, Taller Comunidad La Goyco, Taller Salud, Proyecto Matria and AgitArte Cultural Works are opening their doors to provide electricity to the people who lost it, creating community kitchens, giving orientation services for victims of gender violence and raising money to directly support the communities that have been affected by Hurricane Fiona.

This time I wasn’t there for any of it. I experienced Hurricane Fiona through the eyes of my family, friends and the news. Being here at Syracuse University has allowed me to understand how the rest of the world perceives Puerto Rican struggles. It was extremely hard watching everything from an outside perspective. At first I felt helpless, but I soon realized that communicating the realities Puerto Ricans are currently facing is one way I can do my part in restoring my home.

Musa Luz Morales-Barens, Class of 2026

Published on September 21, 2022 at 12:13 am