9 Comments
User's avatar
Ricardo Mendez Matta's avatar

I often think of living in Puerto Rico as having a preview of the future, where government doesn't exist, justice exists only in fiction, only the rich live right, health and education are luxuries few can afford, and the mob rules (in both meanings of the word "mob"). Sadly, being stuck in the powerless, waterless purgatory of poorly managed infrastructure is a daily reality here, storm or no storm. But this beautiful atoll is home for us, so, if we're going to watch the world collapse around us, we might as well do it from home. Thank you for writing this piece, and for not allowing it to lay forgotten in the "ghosted" pile.

Expand full comment
Jack Whalen's avatar

this is indeed a stunning summary of the world in which Puerto Ricans live, in which your island struggles every day, hurricanes or not - ‘powerless, waterless purgatory’

for us, the inequalities and dangers grossly exacerbated now by climate change have revolved around wildfire, the terrifying sight of roaring flames and spreading smoke just over the ridge, neighbors’ homes burned to the ground; yet very honestly this seems almost a small terror compared to the daily pain of the purgatory — that you, Alicia, Israel, and others vividly describe — of life Puerto Rico, compounded by the hurricanes storming the island in what seems now like every single season, threatening complete catastrophe

Expand full comment
Alicia Kennedy's avatar

Thank you for this stunning comment and for understanding. ❤️‍🔥

Expand full comment
Bronwen Wyatt's avatar

Hurricane Ida was a direct hit on Louisiana and resulted in 30 deaths in that state and 50 deaths in New York and Connecticut. Makes me feel like that crazed person pointing to a map hung with red string : it’s all connected!

Expand full comment
Alicia Kennedy's avatar

No one discusses these deaths. After Maria, thousands of people dead. And yet... !!! We can be crazed and pointing to the map together!

Expand full comment
Cathy's avatar

When Sandy hit, I was living on a dairy farm in Bucks Co PA. We lost power except for when milking took place, when my landlord would run his generator. So for two - four hours a day, we had power. Those hours were moments to breathe, cook (I had an electric stove), charge gadgets, and check email, etc. It was quite a week.

In south NJ near the Delaware shore, where I now live, I see damage from Sandy that was never repaired and people who did not receive funds because they lived on the wrong shore. Their homes are now mostly abandoned to the sea

Expand full comment
Alicia Kennedy's avatar

It’s so interesting how different places endure—damages from storms over a decade ago unfixed is absurd. And again, leaves us where, precisely, in terms of preparation for the next one?

Expand full comment
Carlos Hernandez's avatar

Convinced one day Florida will just disappear.

Expand full comment
Mónica Vallin's avatar

I read this essay this AM, and immediately added it to the “recommended” reading list for my class. Just today we discussed El Hilo (podcast)‘s episode on PR and the electric grid + storms.

Expand full comment