In the immediate aftermath of hurricane Irma, the island of Puerto Rico breathed a sigh of relief that they had been spared the worst of the destruction, and they opened their ports and their homes to victims from nearby islands of Barbuda, St Croix and others. The island became a hub through which relief efforts were distributed to these islands which had seen the worst of the destruction. And many on the island made efforts to help friends and family on the mainland, in Florida, Texas and the surrounding states, who had been hit by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. 

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Puerto Rico did this despite being in the midst of an economic disaster. Crushing debt was leading to budget cuts which meant the closing of schools and hospitals and the shrinking of available public funds. Unemployment was high. The island's infrastructure was in disrepair, with electrical grids, water and sanitation systems in many areas already in dire need of improvements. 

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But the sigh of relief was short lived as within days it became clear that Puerto Rico was in the path of yet another hurricane; Maria. Efforts were made to prepare for the storm. Resources were collected. Emergency services were bolstered. Shelters were established. And as the storm drew closer, the entire island braced itself for impact. Families established evacuation plans and communication plans. Windows were boarded up. Everyones' eyes were on the weather forecasts.

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Then the hurricane hit. The destruction was incredible. Bridges fell. Buildings were demolished. Trees were uprooted. Roads were flooded. Cars were washed away. Power and communications lines went down. People were stranded in their homes without means of escape or communication. Hospitals lost power and struggled to keep patience alive and comfortable for as long as they could without adequate power, water or food, and depleting medical supplies. Hundreds of people across the island went without vital medications. Families rationed what food they had. Without power all refrigerated or frozen foods spoiled quickly. 

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Without means of communication, many families lost contact with each other and with emergency services. Casualties remained unknown. Everyone held their breath as they waited for their sisters, brothers, parents, cousins, tios and tias to break radio silence. Many on the mainland went to social media, asking if anyone on the island had seen their family members and if they were alright. Ever so slowly answers did begin to come in. People were alright but the destruction was awe-inspiring. People were looking out their windows and not recognizing the landscape facing back at them. Trees that had stood for their entire lives were simply gone. The scene in many towns throughout the island was reminiscent of a war zone, with debris scattered everywhere; the shattered remnants of what was just hours earlier a home, a school, a market, a road. 

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As the storm passed and the flood waters began to recede, it was clear that the destruction was unprecedented. The already inadequate power grid was virtually destroyed. It was clear that many parts of the island would be without power for months. Clean running water was no longer easily available for many. Many families were forced to walk for hours to access food and water, and would have to bring back what they could to family and friends who could not make the journey. This is what faced the 3.4 million people, US citizens, living on the island. 

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As Time reported days later, "The fifth strongest storm ever to strike the U.S. hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20 with stronger winds than Irma brought to Florida and the kind of rain that Hurricane Harvey dumped on Houston. It made landfall on a Wednesday, and in the digital age, its effects were well documented by Friday: parts of San Juan, the capital of this U.S. territory, were underwater. The verdant island was stripped of its foliage. U.S. citizens lapped water from natural springs. But on the mainland, the topics of the day were a special election in Alabama, the latest GOP stab at repealing Obamacare and a fight President Donald Trump had picked with the NFL."

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Relief efforts began immediately, but the island simply does not have the resources needed. An appeal was made for federal support. The response was less than stellar. The slow and inefficient response of the United States Federal Government lead many in the Puerto Rican government and elsewhere to demand a response. Over and over they spoke out. The response was largely a combination of insults, poorly concealed racism, and excuses. All the while, statements were coming from the federal government about how well relief efforts were going. 

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This was far from the truth. Much of the supplies that did arrive was held in port, inaccessible to those in need. Local distributers were forced to jump through hoops before giving out the food and water given to them. Distribution mechanisms were not established and when hundreds of truck drivers reported to help, federal employees turned them away. Other countries offered aid in many forms, and the federal government resisted their help, and even took multiple days to waive the Jones Act which required all supplies to be delivered by US made ships.

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A week after the storm has passed, minimal progress has been made for many of the island's inhabitants, and the magnitude of relief needed, even as recognized by the three star general sent to lead the military response, has failed to galvanize the federal government into action. 

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It has become clear to many that we must not wait for their action. We must all do our part in getting the island the relief it needs and deserves. We must demand it of our government and of ourselves. 

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Our goal in starting this campaign is two-fold. At the most basic level, we want to create a revenue stream for relief efforts. All proceeds will donated directly to relief efforts. The amount donated will be what is leftover after the cost of printing, and shipping are taken into account. 

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The second goal of this campaign is to raise awareness of the current and dire situation that the people of Puerto Rico are in. We want people to wear these shirts as statements of support and solidarity. Perhaps they will act as conversation starters giving people the opportunity to spread the word further. 

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Whatever your political affiliation or your cultural background is, we must all recognize that this is, as the Mayor of San Juan said, "an issue of life or death." We must recognize the inherent value of life and we must all come together to help and support immediate rescue efforts and the longer term reconstruction of an island largely destroyed by natural disaster.  

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