Its been a few days since we have returned from Puerto Rico, and I continue to think about everything that I learned on this trip and how enriching of an experience it was! I continue to think about the policies that we learned about that trap Puerto Rico from advancing themselves. I think about the lack of support that they have had since the hurricane, with the running water on the first day from the leaking pipes being an image that still sticks in my mind. I think about the lack of control that the Governor actually has over his own island, with an oversight board watching every dollar that is spent. These things continue to make me angry but they are so far out of my reach for making a change, that at some points it feels hopeless, however I need to continue to talking to people about what I have experienced for change to occur.
Since I have been back, my family and friends have been asking about how my trip has been, and while it's nice to tell them about the warm weather and the beaches, it's also important to tell them about the critical issues Puerto Rico is facing and the devastation that is still there. I have had many good discussions with people about what I learned, and being able to educate them about the island. I feel like this is the best way for me to continue to make an impact as I am back home, because the more people I educate, the more change that can happen for Puerto Rico. The more people I tell, the more people that may want to go help with disaster relief there or may want to work on policy change. The more supporters there are for Puerto Rico on the mainland, the stronger the potential for change for the island!
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