Build Power: Community Paralegals in Puerto Rico

A few weeks ago, tropical storm Ernesto moved close to Puerto Rico in its pathway across the Caribbean. Heavy rainfall associated with Ernesto seriously impacted Puerto Rico, affecting bridges, community access, homes, and other infrastructure. Despite not having a landfall or powerful winds, a tropical storm was able to leave thousands of families without essential services, such as water and electricity, interrupting work and school and burdening people who once again saw their food get spoiled. A couple of days after Ernest, a tropical wave also brought rain. Once again, images of flood, cars, homes below water, and interrupted access were broadly shared. In the news, a woman said she has become afraid of rain. Being an island in the middle of the Caribbean, fear of the elements highlights the induced impossibility of a dignified life, a condition provoked by the government's negligent response and the impact of austerity. As the elections are approaching, the absence of candidates and people in office in disaster response attests to resistance to being held accountable.

Seven years after Major Hurricane María, narratives of the rebuilding process pose a conundrum to survivors. Reconstruction is hyper-highlighted when politicians want to talk about "la obra" or "the construction," their labor on behalf of survivors, and their ability to use millions of dollars in recovery funds. Yet, survivors see no advancement, and their pressing needs, such as safe housing, are being ignored, leaving them vulnerable to natural events of lesser seriousness, such as tropical rain.

This project bridges the gap between that narrative and the electoral process that demands accountability. The Community Paralegal Program aspires to provide mechanisms and tools to ensure community leaders can ask the necessary questions to those in office or seeking to be elected. Our next step is to work on toolkits, such as myth-busting fact sheets and questions that help people have informed and independent criteria to evaluate candidates based on their community needs and wants while ensuring the most out of their vote.

As we get closer to the upcoming elections, we decided to shift to our community paralegals program. We decided to call coastal leaders across the Island to engage in electoral education and advocacy skills to be applied as we move toward the electoral race. If we want to move forward with our policy requests regarding climate and housing justice, leaders must be able to navigate narratives between political parties and candidates. This semester will help us share information on voting rights, discrimination principles, and the capacity of community groups and organizations to participate in platforms that serve their collective interests.

Although the meetings just started, representing a big difference from previous years, the reception and participation have been considerable. Throughout campaign processes, leaders want to learn about candidate-based voting and protections against exclusion and discrimination. They are interested in learning legal and media skills to promote counternarratives that focus on their social justice demands. This effort will be joined by two other institutional initiatives at a different level. First, a non-partisan platform on housing justice is available to all parties and candidates, and second, education is directed to nonprofits who want to engage in electoral rights advocacy.

As November comes closer, we ask you to continue supporting Ayuda Legl Puerto Rico and the work of nonprofits trying to advance social justice on the brink of whatever may come. A just world is possible; we are moving to make it happen.