Indiera Earthquake Recovery

My name is Aurora Levins Morales. I'm a well known writer and activist. I recently moved back to my home community of Indiera, Maricao, in the western mountains of Puerto Rico. You can find out about my prior work at www.auroralevinsmorales.com.  Since December 28, 2019 Puerto Rico has been experiencing hundreds of earthquakes, two of them over 6 on the Richter scale.  The quakes have caused heavy damage along Puerto Rico's coast, but small mountain communities have also been hit hard and get far less attention.  In  Maricao there are many seriously damaged houses, and our community store, which has been the heart of the barrio for sixty years, has been destroyed. The owners have put up a temporary kiosk style shop to continue supplying food, and are distributing contributions.  My family members and friends are raising funds to help rebuild the store, and in the meantime, help restock the kiosk. We will divide the funds between support for the store, and supplies for displaced people in our community to meet basic needs.  We plan to buy camping supplies, food, water menstrual supplies and blankets for people who are sleeping out.  I am not working with a specific organization, but I have a lifetime of relationships I am relying on to help me distribute supplies equitably and will consult with the storekeeper, the priest, the school director and community elders.