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Puerto Rico Resilience Project

Puerta de Tierra
Promotores Verdes Internship Program

2018

In the summer of 2018, Brigada Puerta de Tierra (BPDT) and Americas for Conservation + the Arts (AFC+A) partnered to launch the first phase of Promotores Verdes Youth Internship Program, advancing workforce development and community service.

Ten 13-17yr old youth leaders residents of Puerta de Tierra, who had been active with the grassroots community organization BPDT for the last 3 years, where recruited to lead 6 community projects, building resilience for the residents of this historic neighborhood of San Juan.

The phase two of this internship program continues in the Spring and into the Summer of 2019 as an after-school program, with the support of the USFS, Premio Visible 2017 by Fundación Pistoletto and Fundación Zegna, and under the leadership of BPDT, Jesus ‘Bubu’ Negrón and Luis Agosto-Leduc.

This Promotores Verdes program was incubated through a Guagua Solidaria Brigade in December 2017 when it helped transform a community reclaimed space into Plaza Vivero, a Community Urban Garden, and Cultural Center. AFC+A also sponsored the first Christmas Festival Celebration at Plaza Vivero.

Internship Projects
  • Brigado Activo – a weekly radio show @RadioRed. Internship produces 1-hour weekly radio shows with cultural and ecological content related to Puerta de Tierra. All production is led by the young interns.
  • Alcoholado Reforzado – as part of the Herbolario Comunitario, the interns led participatory community workshops to produce medicinal alcohol with plants from Puerta de Tierra. Workshops include: (1) guided walks to identify and collect the medicinal plants; (2) bottling and labeling with recycled materials; (3) designing of labels and production of an accompanying guide for the dissemination of the natural patrimony of Puerta de Tierra.
  • Siembra y Mantenimiento Plaza Vivero – interns work as stewards of Plaza Vivero, planting medicinal plants, tending to the food garden, creating compost, trimming the trees and, creating signage for all plants with recycled debris. 
  • Pintata de Escombros – interns collect post-Irma and Maria debris still accumulated throughout the neighborhood and create planters with recycled debris.
  • Construcción de Bancos en Cementos para el Cine Bajo el Almendro – interns also reuses debris to build benches for the theater area of Plaza Vivero and other community areas.
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