What happened to the Mass Llorens family was part of the hunger and humanitarian crisis that engulfed much of Puerto Rico after Maria. It would take nearly a year for power to be restored to all residents, the longest blackout in U.S. history. The sheer destruction of the storm resulted in bottlenecks of emergency aid distribution, including issues like a shortage of truckers, the loss of virtually all cell communication, and extensive infrastructure damage. The government response to Maria was horribly unequal when compared to similar situations.
At the same time, the food and water shortages experienced by millions of Puerto Ricans were also linked to the island’s staggering rate of food insecurity that preceded the hurricane — and that still persist today. Roughly 41 percent of the population currently lives below the poverty line, and up to one-third is believed to be food-insecure — which is nearly four times the average throughout the continental U.S.
In the wake of Maria, many residents of Puerto Rico, especially those working to improve the archipelago’s local food system, began to think about hurricane preparedness differently. Because they weren’t able to rely on federal assistance, they decided to build their own prototypes of resilience, which didn’t just set them up to be ready for the next storm, but also set them up to live better everyday lives. Cooperatives, gardens, and school-based agricultural programs emerged to fill the gaps left by the government. Barter networks and local farmers markets have become increasingly popular. Mutual-aid kitchens and community-led supermarkets have also expanded their work, ramping up donations, surplus food, and partnerships with nearby producers. These projects aren’t just temporary disaster responses. They are models of long-term resilience and food independence. They are living blueprints of what food sovereignty could look like in Puerto Rico — and elsewhere.
