Sunday’s Unity March for Puerto Rico demonstrated the will of the people to stand together during a desperate time of need for the island. With the administration’s handling of the situation, Puerto Rico continues to remain in a state of emergency.
Power generation has dropped to about 30 percent as 91 percent of the population still do not have access to clean drinking water. The island may not be able to restore power to some regions until July 2018 making it the largest and longest blackout in United States history.
The march, however, signified much more than a protest. The Dominico-American Society of Queens, alongside several organizations and thousands of others, support a more sustainable Puerto Rico. We support that all Puerto Ricans deserve the same treatment as mainland US citizens. In comparing the US government’s response with Texas and Arizona with that of Puerto Rico’s, it is inexcusable that millions of US citizens on the island are left without sufficient water, food and power.
We also support rebuilding a stronger, safer and more sustainable infrastructure, ensuring that resources are delivered where they are needed the most, the elimination of the Jones Act, and forgiving Puerto Rico’s debt.
Our organization will continue to make efforts at addressing the situation in Puerto Rico. The support of millions of people will not end until Puerto Rico’s restoration is complete.
We thank the Hispanic Federation, Lin-Manuel Miranda and our Program Coordinator, Yanna Henriquez, in coordinating Sunday’s March.
If you would like more information on how to help, please contact us at info@dominicoamerican.org.