While the US government has done an absolutely paltry job of helping Puerto Rico recover from a devastating season of hurricanes that left thousands of people dead and millions without proper access to power, one comics creator is doing what he can to give back to the island.
La Boriqueña is the story of a Puerto Rican woman who becomes a superhero after being blessed with control over the powerful winds and storms that have historically plagued the island. Using her powers, La Boriqueña is a force for good, change and rebuilding.
It just so happens that interest in the hero’s adventures is turning into real-world action for Puerto Rico itself.
According to La Boriqueña creator Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, the grant program established in the wake of the character’s creation has already raised around $US150,000 ($206,647), and going forward it’s looking to raise more.
One hundred per cent of the sales of the Ricanstruction anthology — featuring a number of DC heroes such as Wonder Woman and Batman teaming up with La Boriqueña — will be used to fund $US10,000 ($13,776) grants to nine grassroots organisations spread across Puerto Rico trying to restore and revitalise the island’s crumbled infrastructure.
In a public statement Miranda-Rodriguez emphasised that as much as he enjoys writing the character, his true passion lies in the change she can enact:
This project will bring awareness to how their work truly uplifts Puerto Rico. With our efforts we’ll directly help many communities, but I truly hope that this project inspires others to do more. To get involved. To start a movement. To truly be a part of the Ricanstruction of Puerto Rico.
There are a plethora of ways you can personally contribute to Puerto Rico’s reconstruction right now, but if you want to to give back with La Boriqueña’s help specifically, Ricanstruction is available to buy now.
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