Puerto Rico: One Year Later

On September 20,2017 Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, affecting the lives of millions of people. Leaving behind devastation and long lasting effects on this island and for this tourist location.

Today marks the one year anniversary of this event and we are again back in hurricane season. A season in which nothing is set for certain where, the longing for knowledge or even the slightest heads up will not be obtained. 

I cannot speak for other or their families, but I can speak for mine. We are a proud people, and proud culture, proud family, and that is what its like to be Puerto Rican. Many of you might read this and not understand why I continue to write on this topic or what I have to worry about because I don't live there but my family does. This is their story, this is apart of their history, our history, our frustration.

My parents recently came back from a trip from our beloved Puerto Rico. It was devastating to see so many places that we had once traveled as a family, devastated by this disaster. Over and over again their were told the streets were not in great conditions and in all honesty nothing was, EXCEPT the spirit of the people.

My uncle lost his job in a big corporation. He has worked there for years, making close to $14 dollars an hour. They worked a full shift and told them they needed to attend a meeting in which case they let them go. They wouldn't even allow them to transfer, their reasoning they no longer worked for that company. Needless to say that company started to hire/ interview people only to pay them minimum wage. In a time of crisis this is how they were treated only to be cut to pay others lower wages. My uncle does not work for that company, no matter how many interviews he got he never got hired back on. He now works 4 hours a week instead of 40 plus hours and makes minimum wage. Yet he hasn't lost his spirit. 

Many have left the island to come to the states in search of something better, in search of a new beginning. They have lost their jobs, their homes, they have been treated like the ugly step child thrown to the wayside. There has been no coverage of or in Puerto Rico since that time, unless you consider ESPN's baseball game coverage. 

My point of this is that no one knows the situation that is going on in Puerto Rico.  The spirit of the people of Puerto Rico will not be crushed not matter what happens. They need us to their families, their friends to stand up for them, SPEAK OUT for them, ASK all the questions that need answers. 

We can't forget that they are also Americans, they deserve the same respect and treatment we do and we get.