Sofia Echandy | On 12, Feb 2020

The colorful island of Purto Rico, home of the coqui, beautiful beaches and waterfalls, the palm trees that once stood tall over the sandy beaches and clear water–they now lean and cry out for help.

A slight tremor in the North of the island leads to a couple of hundred houses in the South being destroyed to the very last pebble. Puerto Ricans, sweet like their cafe con leche, forced to sleep outside in the scorching day and the freezing night.

The U.S. Geological Survey counted more than 950 earthquakes since Dec. 31 and more than 700 homes damaged. When will the American government come through for them and put aside their money-hungry ways? Puerto Rican citizens still wait for the money that was meant to go to relief after Hurricane Maria, and now the earthquake damages, but they are still left high and dry while the government officials bathe in cash.

Emergency aid is sitting in a warehouse, unused, when it’s supposed to be saving lives. Animals, people’s pets, ending up in shelters and left in inhumane conditions.

The citizens of Puerto Rico live in fear, but mainly fury and despair over their mistreatment. The people took action, taking it into their own hands and protesting. Crowds stood in the pouring rain outside the governor’s mansion representing the strong fighters the Puerto Rican people are. An island that is supposed to dance and sing of diversity and peace together, now cannot rely on their government to put aside their selfish ways to help the greater good.

It’s time for us to take action now, and here’s how you can help. Reliable organizations such as Unicef, the Hispanic Federation, United For Puerto Rico, the Conprmetidos take donations and are in need. They take the donations and provide utilities and shelter for those displaced or devastated by recent weather events on the island.

We need to come together. These issues are not being addressed in the ways they should be. What we can do is bring recognition to the island’s suffering and have consideration for others.