hurricane resilience rises in puerto rico

By Gracie Sacks ‘26
The tropical storm season suffocates the island of Puerto Rico, destroying countless families and denting the beauty of Puerto Rican culture. These hurricanes prevent families from being together through everything between electricity and finances, all affecting one central thing, food. 

Food has always been essential to the island’s culture, not only for nutrition and sustenance but also because of its ability to strengthen love and community. 
However, as society advances many chefs have reinvented those ancient recipes allowing for the culture to grow and evolve, while maintaining a sense of tradition. 
Not only is Puerto Rico a hot spot for food, but it is also a classic location for beverages, the birthplace of the Piña Colada, and home to many of the world's most famous breweries.
The passion for cuisine on the island reaches far beyond family connections, food is essential to the circular economy Puerto Rico relies on, a model in which the economy values sharing, reusing, and repairing. The significance of food on the island provides countless people with jobs and careers, offering them a stable lifestyle. 
When Hurricane season hits, everything in Puerto Rico changes. Many Puerto Rican families are fully reliant on farming, while the other economic sectors within the island rely on food imports. 
Two of the most significant and recent Hurricanes- Irma and Maria- have caused detrimental disruptions, obliterating the island's agriculture harvest and importation infrastructure. Hurricane Irma was a category 5 storm that hit the island on September 7, 2017. Subsequently, Hurricane Maria, category 4 hit the island on September 20, 2017, leaving many homes without electricity for over a year.
The main port for the island’s export and import system is located at the southern tip of Florida, another location with tremendous hurricane risk. When a strong hurricane hits the island, the ports between San Juan and Jacksonville, Florida are both temporarily shut down. This causes a major problem for the import/export system; the Island can not export and turn a profit, and the Island is not able to receive the goods a percent of the island counts on. 
Additionally, the aftermaths of these hurricanes, most famously Maria, continue to demolish all farming sites on the island, completely erasing the hard work many have accomplished to provide food for their loved ones. While ports can be reopened after time, these farms can take years to rebuild. Considering the combination of food production methods Puerto Rico depends on, Hurricane season thoroughly wipes out the core of Puerto Rican life and culture, food. 
While Hurricane Irma caused cumulative storm damages, Hurricane Maria’s impact was especially catastrophic, having destroyed over 80 percent of the island’s agricultural crop value, 780 million dollars in losses. The crop most affected by this damage was the plantain crop, plantains being the most popular and essential ingredient in classic Puerto Rican recipes, and their adaptations. 
Another concern these two hurricanes raised was the rising frequency in which Hurricanes have appeared. Hurricane Irma occurred only 12 days before Hurricane Maria, insinuating a connection between tropical storms and climate change. 
To combat the downfall of Puerto Rican climate and its effect on food, a multifaceted approach is imperative. Without a concrete recovery plan, that is aware of growing climate change, the island’s future could be fatal. If there is a message to take away from the hurricane crisis in Puerto Rico, it is to be aware. Without spreading awareness for the people of Puerto Rico, change is unattainable. Sharing the stories of Puerto Rican families sparks interest amongst the youth, the generation with the most potential to be agents of change.