Our Crowdfunding Groups
Our second day in Jayuya was spent working with neighbors in the community surrounding Camp Tabononuco.
Abdiel’s Finca
Break Leader Rosa reflects, “Abdiel’s finca (land/farm) was destroyed during Hurricane Maria. He was forced to move on to new land and start his agricultural business from the ground up. Although he has faced this adversity, he remains resilient. Abdiel shared his local knowledge with us about the many indigenous plants, their uses, and the importance of sustainability. We planted habichuelas (beans) in the small piece of land we had cultivated because their byproduct (nitrogen) will enrich the soil for future crops. His mother brought us freshly made papaya juice from their tree, shared a joke with us, and gave us hugs when we left. Working on Abdiel’s land has greatly enhanced my understanding of the devastation experienced by many in the campo and, the powerful resilience of Puerto Ricans.”
Etienne’s Finca
Participant Gloria reflects, “We worked at Etienne's finca and picked sweet chili peppers and planted cilantro. Etienne shared with us that he’s lived in la finca his whole life and it’s been a part of his family for many generations. He also mentioned that he wants la finca to continue to be an important part of his family for many more years to come. Agriculture is fundamental to Etienne’s life. With what he grows, he consumes, shares with neighbors and sells to local grocery stores. This demonstrates that la finca promotes sustainability at the environmental and economic level.”
Genesis and Doña Luz's House
Participant Carlos reflects, "On Tuesday March 26, 2019 we had the opportunity and blessing to paint Genesis and Doña Luz’s house. Genesis is a twelve-year-old community organizer working with Camp Tabonuco. When we arrived at her home she was so happy to see us and that only motivated us more to complete the job to the best of our abilities. Before we began to paint we had a quick meeting where we were trying to decide the best possible designs and color scheme to place on Doña Luz’s house because we wanted her home to represent the vibrant, loving and welcoming spirit of the family. Once we began to paint we were told that we had a time constraint and so we had to work faster and more efficiently, however, we knew that we could not leave without completing our task; and so we did."
Earlier this week we were in Jayuya working with our amazing community partner Camp Tabonuco.
Participant Gloria reflects, "Today we spent the day working on a mural that promoted environmental awareness. The plants we chose to paint are commonly perceived to be weeds but, have been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. For example, Manzanilla has anti-inflammatory properties that heal wounds and aid digestion. We also helped clean the river, and we utilized its wild plants, sand, and rocks to create a local garden. Thus, we were able to promote the conservation of native fauna and flora in Jayaya. We also added two benches to encourage the locals to observe and appreciate the space. One of the benches was painted with the Puerto Rican flag to incorporate the sentiment of "la patria.” It showcases the importance the flag has to the people and country of Puerto Rico.”
Participant Graciela states, "We met an artist who lost his father during Hurricane Maria. He was unable to paint because he "lost his muse." We invited him to join our mural, and by the end, he said he had 'found his muse again.' I will never forget his powerful words."
Our Project depends on a large base of support at the grass roots level, as such your name will be added to our “Grass Roots sustainer” list and be publicly posted on our Facebook page.
Our Allies make the dream a reality. We want to show our appreciation by adding your name to our “Allies of Puerto Rico Se Levanta” list. This list will be public and included in the program at our post-trip report back event.
As a Special Guest your contribution is incredibly important, in appreciation we will offer all of the above perks and extend an invitation free of charge to our post-trip report back event.
Our Core Allies take us so much closer to our goals and we wish to acknowledge and appreciate you with all of the above perks and extend an Honorable mention from the stage at the post-trip report back event. We will also post individualized honorable mentions on our social media sites for "Core Ally."
At this level of support we consider you "One of Us". You are part of the team! In order to show our appreciation we will offer all of the above perks and extend a personal invitation to a meet and greet intimate reception with the entire Puerto Rico Se Levanta Alt Breaks team of 14!
