Artists Helping Puerto Rico
Dear artists and friends,
Its been over 18 months since Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico. We should not be surprised that humanitarian help is still needed. The idea now is not just to rebuild but to create a better, more resilient and self sustaining island. This is an idea that has attracted the attention of many artists in our community.
Today we highlight the work of PRIDA member Bruny Munoz who has been in Puerto Rico for two months now.
Bruny Muñoz
By Clara Galvano Rivera
There are people who talk about what they will do, and then there are some who just do. You may count Brunilda (Bruny) Muñoz among the latter.
After Puerto Rico took a deadly direct hit from Hurricane Maria, many organizations and individuals went into action to help those suffering in the aftermath. One of those, Comité Noviembre, a NYC based non-profit organization made their first Humanitarian trip to the island December 11th, 2017. Our Ms. Muñoz, having heard about it, was one of 50 participants on their 2nd Humanitarian Mission in August 2018.
Muñoz, originally from Yauco, El Pueblo del Café, has been in Puerto Rico since January 5, 2018 and has been doing volunteer work with Dr. Anna Villafane, the CEO of the Carevel Foundation. She and fellow volunteers have sealed rooftops in Orocovis, helped clean the beach in Paseo Atlántico en Loiza, unclogged pipes and cleaned up walking trails in El Yunque, painted the exterior of a home in Yabucoa and cleaned the dog cages at Amigos de Los Animales PR Dog Shelter in Loiza.
This woman just doesn’t stop! Muñoz, who is a talented artist, painter, jewelry maker and PRIDA MEMBER, does more than don a hard hat to help her island. She has created a card called “El Flamboyan y la Casita Abandonada” which she has been selling to raise funds for various organizations. “The cards have sold out, but that was the whole purpose of making them!”, says Muñoz who plans to have more made because the reaction has been so positive and wonderful. “You know, the Lord has blessed me with so much. I’m just paying it forward.”
What’s drives this amazing Boricua grandmother? Muñoz: “In August 2017, right before Maria hit, I had gone on Comité Noviembre’s 11th annual Buscando Nuestras Raices Educational Trip to Puerto Rico. This trip changed something in me. Although I had been to the island many times before, this time it was different. I learned so much about our culture and history that I just fell in love. I just fell in love with our island.”
A year later, Muñoz inspired by Comité Noviembre’s prior relief trips, joined with the other volunteers to plant trees and seeds at Siembra Tres Vidas in Aibonito, removed debris wherever they found it, patched roofs in Dorado/Vega Alta with Hunger Corp. and much more. “It felt very rewarding.”
In January, she returned on her own to the island and continues to volunteer. “There are many areas and people that still need help. San Juan gets things fixed right away, but that’s not the case in places like Orocovis and Aibonito, for instance. Muñoz is happy because she has seen some growth and signs of hope. “In Rio Piedras I went to a farmer’s market and got so excited. I like what I’m seeing. Young farmers growing organics! The soil is so rich. The youth is getting more involved and getting smarter. Many are using solar panels and turbines. The people of Puerto Rico need to grow and eat their own food. They need to learn to feed themselves!”
Muñoz has made many friends. One of those friends picked her up at 5:30AM one day so she could stand on line for a chance to get a Hamilton ticket for $10. And she did!! “It was rainy one minute and sunny the next, but I stayed on the line and I got in!! I got to see Hamilton!! It was wonderful!!” Looks like the Universe provided a special reward for all her selflessness.
Every day brings another opportunity to help. “I don’t know when I’m coming back! I am going to continue helping and volunteering with the Carevel Foundation. When I see a project that needs help, I say to myself ‘I can do that’, and then go and do it. It’s that simple. There is so much to do, so many more people to help. I’m not anything special. My soul was tugged, so I got involved.” Nothing special? Hmm. What do you think?
Want to volunteer? These are some of the many organizations doing relief work:
www.comitenoviembre.org
www.carevelfoundation.org
www.hungercorp.org