Reflections on an Evening with Gustavo Diaz Skoff, Founder and CEO, IncentivesPRO
By Nam Dao
On the first night of the trip, we were tired, full from dinner, and ready to resign to the comfort of our rooms. But when Gustavo Diaz came, he brought a radiating excitement to share his experiences that swept our drowsiness away. From the get-go, he hooked us in with bold stories about corruption and coercion he saw in the Puerto Rican government after Hurricane Maria. At that time, he worked with the Island Relief Team to develop an EBT network that brought much-needed food to over 100,000 families. As a chef and long-time admirer of Jose Andrés who helped make millions of meals for people all over the island, I felt inspired by Mr. Diaz’s work. He turned his passion for technology and entrepreneurship to innovate a solution that helped thousands during a time of crisis. I hope to one day make the same positive impact on my own community back home in Hanoi, giving back to the city that raised me.
Gustavo Diaz goes on to talk about the economic nature of Puerto Rico. Without strong exports, PR relies on tax incentives to support their economy. Businesses come to PR for tax exemptions and bring with them economic activity to the island. Mr Diaz’s current business helps businesses find these tax incentives, strengthening PR’s economic infrastructure. Like many other young, talented entrepreneurs, he does not stay in Puerto Rico simply for fortune. After all, there are better opportunities elsewhere in the United States. Instead, he stays as part of a new generation of social entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico—using his startup to contribute to the island’s development and prosperity.
Girasolero
Reflections by Viktor Maag
On day one of our trip, we went to Girasolero, a flower farm in the Carolina neighborhood on the outskirts of San Juan. Some 20 minutes away from San Juan, the city blended into the surrounding rainforest, which introduced us to the wild climate of Puerto Rico: one minute it could be sunny with no clouds in sight, the next it could absolutely pour rain. Ironically, the rain covering us from the sun often did not save me from getting burnt to a crisp.
With Valentine's Day approaching, the farm owner expected heavy traffic and wanted our help rearranging his sunflowers. We set up the sunflowers to decorate the area so locals could come to take pictures with their families. We also helped clean up any debris, such as fallen leaves and branches.
After that, we helped build the frame for a bigger chicken coop. The farm owner wanted to expand the amount of eggs he could produce and help provide for his community with a cheaper source of eggs. This was the most interesting part for me, as we had to work together to set up a rather large structure while communicating in the little Spanish our group knew. Through teamwork, hand gestures, and some creative problem-solving, we finished the frame.
Looking back, seeing how even small efforts can make a big difference was rewarding. Our help significantly cut down the time it would have taken the farm owner to arrange his flowers, and the extra manpower was essential for assembling the large metal frame of the coop. The experience gave me an appreciation for the dedication and hard work of sustaining a community. Seeing firsthand how much effort people put into supporting those around them made me reflect on the power of teamwork and the impact of giving back.
Walking Tours of Old San Juan
Reflections by Owen Grow
During our trip to Puerto Rico, we were fortunate enough to go on a walking tour of Old San Juan. We saw so many colorful buildings and amazing monuments. We really got to see the complex history of the island, which it began with indigenous people, then shifted to Spanish control, and is now an American territory. I think understanding the history of the island really informed the volunteer work we did over the course of the trip.
Defending the Island's Ecosystem
By Michael Xu
To prevent erosion from flooding and to protect the oceanside ecosystem, a group of dedicated scientists and volunteers at CRESpr work to defend the remaining ecosystem. Their home base is a small area sandwiched between a luxurious building and old, broken houses; it includes a skate park built by and for the community and a carefully maintained ecosystem. During our visit, we embraced this work, clearing overgrown weeds and planting trees, as well as learning about the ecosystem from plants to iguanas.
The image that left the most lasting impact on me, however, was on the coastline. There is a beach with a stunning view of the ocean, yet it is obstructed by a wall and several pillars built by the U.S. Navy decades ago in an effort to temporarily mitigate the rising sea levels for privatization purposes and to increase the property value of the nearby buildings. But constructing a seawall is only a short-term solution that leads to more long-term issues. When the U.S. proposed to extend the seawall to 6 feet, the locals declined and defended their land. It really made us think about the possible detriments of the savior mindset Americans often feel and to truly consider the stakeholders in attempting to address foreign issues.
An Evening with Yvette M. Núñez Sepúlveda, Executive Director, The Coalition for the Restoration of Santurcean Ecosystems (CRES) of Puerto Rico
Reflections by Sean Liao
On our second night in Puerto Rico, a speaker came in to talk about Hurricane Maria—how Puerto Ricans dealt with it, disaster resilience, her personal experience dealing with the disaster.
Hurricane Maria was completely unexpected; most people were not prepared for what was to come. For a few months, rations and food were limited. A lot of shipments were delayed from the U.S. and neighboring allies. Some places were without water and electricity for up to one year. Our speaker talked us through how the community worked through that—working together to chop wood, secure food and water. She talked about how they regained stability withing the community and as a community. It was very impactful to hear how they accomplished that.
As a result of Hurricane Maria, our speaker became very interested in disaster prevention. She started an initiative that uses a technology that can emulate wave activity around coral reefs. It was interesting to see how they are revolutionizing ways to make people more aware of disasters, and how we can prevent them in the future.
Juntos Por Un Puerto Rico Mas Fuerto: Together for a Stronger Puerto Rico
By Rory McNamara
On our trip, we took advantage of each hour we had on the ground. Keeping with this theme, on the day of our departure, we went out to the food bank for the morning. It was interesting seeing the scale of an operation that went on there. What first struck me was the sheer quantity of food moving around. Watching pallets of food constantly being brought from different sides of the warehouse was telling of the impact this place had on a daily basis. The food bank is operated by a foundation called Feeding America, which has a network of over 200 food banks across the United States. The food bank we went to is the only one serving all of Puerto Rico, and it employs 30 people full-time just to keep up the operation. While the employees could keep the operation moving, volunteers–like us–are important for keeping up with demand and reaching more people.
In our group, we were assigned to pack boxes of food that would go out to families across the island. We filled the boxes with about 10 different non-perishable items like canned goods, dried foods, and crackers. Pretty quickly, we devised an efficient process so we could do everything from assembling the boxes, packing them with the food, sealing them, and loading them onto pallets. When we were working, we separated into groups and worked alongside employees of the food bank. What was really impactful to me was the positive energy everyone had. While lots of the work being done seemed terribly repetitive and monotonous, it was done with a sense of pride because of the impact it was having.
Looking back on the experience, seeing the food bank tied together everything we learned about Puerto Rico. We learned about the people in need but also the reliable and supportive culture of Puerto Ricans. Puerto Rico has dealt with major struggles. Whether it’s political, a natural disaster, or economic hardship, the culture of the island has been built on overcoming challenges and backing fellow Puerto Ricans. The food bank was the perfect final stop before heading for our flight back home.