Special Projects

OLD SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Pigeon Park (Parque De Las Palomas) is a place close to home for the residents of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Destined as a popular tourist attraction, the park used to host consistent visitors and residents from Old San Juan. Built in the 18th century and nestled on top of […]

Dozens of pigeons roamed around the Plaza de Colón in Old San Juan. They were not afraid to go up to the tourists that were mingling together enjoying the warm weather. The plaza was mostly filled with locals, and a few sat on a bench smoking a cigarette, which was rare to see on the island.   One man […]

St. Francis of Assisi Catholic church in Milwaukee welcomed the LGTBQ community, started ministries for Puerto Ricans and Spanish speakers during the 1950s, as well as ministries for Black people, and helped German immigrants during the early 20th century. At North Vel R. Philips Ave and West Brown Street, St. Francis of Assisi church was […]

SALINAS, Puerto Rico — In every Puerto Rican municipal or town, there is the same set up: a plaza, a Catholic church and the city hall building, according to Samuel González Rodríguez, a Puerto Rican architect and mosaic painter. Salinas had a tan, cobblestone plaza with some stone benches placed directly in the Puerto Rican […]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On Jan. 17, 2012, Puerto Rico’s Individual Investors Act, known as Act 22, was created in order to attract thriving high-income residents and investors to the island for the improvement and growth of the economy by offering tax exemptions.  But now, Act 22 is a very controversial topic for Puerto Ricans because […]

YAUCO, Puerto Rico — There is a street in Yauco that follows a steep incline up a mountain. It’s bursting with color, wildlife, and smiling welcoming faces. The vibrant blues, oranges, pinks, and yellows bouncing off the buildings submerse visitors into a unique cultural experience that truly encapsulates the island’s pride. But it wasn’t always […]

Since Hurricane Maria struck the Puerto Rican Island in 2017, residents across the island are still experiencing power outages every day and no one is being held accountable. 

SALINAS, Puerto Rico — Martin Laboy works all day, Monday through Friday, at his hot dog stand in downtown Salinas, right across from the town’s main square. For the last 36 years, he has sat under his rainbow-colored umbrella, surrounded by colorful, vibrant blue and purple buildings as the sausages roast on his grill.  Salinas, […]

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — While the LGBT Community has come a long way in Puerto Rico, there are still many issues of concern facing the community today. Waves Ahead works hard at tackling these issues head on.  Waves Ahead is an organization dedicated to serving the needs of the LGBT and elder communities. According […]

Milwaukee is about 2,118 miles away from Puerto Rico. The heart of the Caribbean; Isla de Encanto. When thinking about it, a former Rust Belt city in the Midwest does not seem to have a lot in common with the tropical paradise. But migrants from Puerto Rico made sure to bring one important aspect to […]

Edrick Pagan-Ruiz runs a mobile jewelry store based in Yauco, in which he and his wife custom make all their jewelry, selling it on the island and shipping it to the States. Luckily, Pagan-Ruiz’s family home suffered minimal damage in the hurricane and was able to get it repaired. He resides higher up in the […]

Traveling through the town of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, it was clear a disaster had torn the town apart. Old, abandoned, broken boats sat on the grassy fields, fences lining the rural town were left bent and twisted in unnatural ways, occasional blue tarps lined the sides of buildings as if they had been tossed aside […]