WHAT IS IMAGINACIÓN POST-MARÍA?
PROBLEM
OBJECTIVE
STRATEGY
The widespread devastation caused by Hurricane María has shed light to the deeply-rooted flaws of Puerto Rico’s hierarchical and non-participatory government system. The centralization of power and lack of accessibility to funds has not only trumped the arrival of much needed services across the island, but has also denied citizens the opportunity to actively participate in the processes of recuperating their own communities.
We envision a Puerto Rico where every community has the opportunity to take charge of their own future. We hope to decentralize the management of resources by developing new participatory governance models that give citizens direct power to imagine, plan and build the changes they desire for their communities.
Combining community planning with the power of microfinance and capacity-building, we propose a community resiliency approach that enables citizens to imagine the future they desire and collaboratively implement a project that reflects their needs and hopes.
IDENTIFY
COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITY
OUTREACH
DEFINE
COMMUNITY NEEDS
CREATE A
COMMUNITY PLAN
LAUNCH
PROJECT
ENVISION
FUTURE
OUR METHODOLOGY
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5
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Nestled in the lush, mountainous region of Comerío, the colorful and quaint neighborhood of Vuelta del Dos in Palomas Bajo is home to hundreds of families that suffered severe losses during Hurricane María. Led by the grassroots organizations Defend Puerto Rico and Coco D’Oro, La Maraña has collaborated in work brigades and arts workshops as part of short-term relief efforts after the hurricane.
The historically black and industrial community of San Antón, is home to Patio Taller - a backyard transformed by artists Lydela and Michel Nonó into a platform of artistic resistence, sustainable agriculture and alternative schooling. Also at the forefront of community efforts, members are currently organizing to ensure just public education in their community as the government shut down the community’s sole public school.
The rural community of Mariana is one of the living examples of what Puerto Rican communities can achieve amidst our failed governmental response. Renaming their community center the Proyecto de Apoyo Mutuo Mariana, community leaders came together to establish a communal kitchen (which served 350 meals daily for three months after María) and set up an off-grid wifi and solar energy hub as darkness reigned.
COMERÍO
CAROLINA
HUMACAO
WHERE ARE WE?
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WHAT IS OUR
LONG-TERM VISION?
CENTRAL-RURAL REGION
NORTH-INDUSTRIAL REGION
EASTERN-RURAL REGION
palomas, comerío
san antón/st. just, carolina
mariana, humacao
We propose implementing our participatory community recovery model in 3 diverse and contrasting geographies within the island, specifically in urban, rural, and eastern landscapes. This diversity will allow us to constrast our findings and establish distinct case studies, so as to further develop, enhance and measure our model as a replicable solution for long-term crisis management.
3 REGIONS 1 MODEL
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©2018, La Maraña Inc.
