2018 Conference

Individual Paper Presentation

When Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico on September 17, 2017, the devastation was unprecedented. A majority of the island’s roughly 3.5 million inhabitants lack basic necessities, such as food and water. To date, over 60% of the island still lacks power.  The storm brought international attention to a defunct colonial relationship between the U.S. and its island territory. Puerto Rico’s ambiguous political status and crumbling economy complicated the government’s disaster response. When Puerto Rico’s people most needed assistance, the U.S. fell short and outdated laws prohibited the rest of the world from engaging in relief efforts.  Grassroots mobilization for a sustainable and just recovery has been underway on and off the island addressing calls for inclusion of the people in the recovery process. This presentation provides a theoretical contribution via a case study exploring the conditions under which an environmental disaster can serve as a catalyst for the rise of environmental and sovereignty activism.  The Our Power Puerto Rico #JustRecovery campaign seeks to collectively address climate adaptation and food system failures in Puerto Rico.  This work highlights how a combination of historical disenfranchisement, environmental disaster, and failed federal response contributed to the rise of a coalition of social movements (climate justice, environmental justice, food sovereignty, farmworker rights) using theories of frame alignment and resource mobilization. Using initial data from a digital content analysis of social media, organization websites, and published interviews, I posit the various organizations share master frame of justice, while bridging frames include climate resilience, environmental concern, latinx identity, and farmer empowerment.  Future work includes interviews to be conducted February through April 2018 to understand how the organizations have been mobilizing resources and capital in Puerto Rico to push for a more climate resilient and sustainable future.