AgitArte
Since 2020 began, we have fought all odds, from earthquakes that have left thousands homeless to the current pandemic that keeps us in indefinite isolation. Add to this the struggles that we have been waging since before Hurricane María and that we continue fighting against a corrupt and illegitimate government.
The way to survive has been through collective organization and solidarity networks of mutual support. Despite the limitations of social distancing, we do not forget each other. We continue to organize and mobilize.
In response to the current coronavirus COVID-19 crisis, AgitArte has reactivated and in some ways, continued mutual aid efforts from Hurricane María and the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico. Understanding that under U.S. colonization and late stage capitalism, our people will continue to be disproportionately impacted by natural and political disasters, we have developed a Mutual Aid program to continue supporting our community, paying our artists and organizers, and meeting immediate needs on the ground. Through our Mutual Aid program, AgitArte has been and will continue engaging in efforts to aid our intimate and broader community in Puerto Rico and the diaspora.
To learn more about AgitArte’s historic mutual aid work, starting in 2017 after Hurricane María and continuing to today under the pandemic, read the article Organizing Mutual Solidarity Projects as Act of Resistance in Puerto Rico by AgitArte Co-Director, Jorge Díaz Ortiz. To support this work, check out our fundraising campaign. Thank you!
Many of our poster are available for purchase on our Swag Shop
“Countdown to María” Series #1
Art by José Hernández Díaz and text by Jorge Díaz Ortiz for AgitArte 2018
Countdown to María
https://agitarte.org/projects/countdown-to-maria/
1 de Septiembre
1. Estados Unidos impone un estado militar en Puerto Rico Los Estados Unidos ha impuesto un estado militar en Puerto Rico. Hay miles de militares activados en Puerto Rico desde que el Huracán María destrozó nuestras islas. FEMA y el gobierno local está controlando y aguantando las ayudas a nuestra gente. Tienen un control absoluto de la inspección y distribución de cientos de vagones que no están dejando salir hacia las comunidades que están sufriendo sin agua, comida y otros artículos de primera necesidad. Lejos de proveer el cuido y la ayuda necesaria a la gente desplazada, enferma, hambrienta y herida, las autoridades han creado un estado de sitio con toques de queda y agentes de la policía de diversos estados para patrullar y proteger los intereses económicos de las multinacionales y empresarios del país.
September 1
1. The United States imposes a military state in Puerto Rico The United States has imposed a military state in Puerto Rico. Thousands of troops have been mobilized to Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria destroyed our islands. FEMA and the local government are controlling and withholding aid to our people. They have absolute control over the inspection and distribution of hundreds of shipping containers that are not being released to communities suffering for lack of clean water, food and other basic needs. Far from providing the necessary care and assistance to displaced, sick, hungry and injured people, the authorities have created a state of siege with curfews and police from various US states to patrol and protect the economic interests of multinationals and businessmen of the country.
Cuando pasó el huracán María, artistas de la comunidad de AgitArte tuvimos la iniciativa de colaborar con compañeras artistas solidarias en los EEUU que nos ayudaron a documentar lo que estábamos viviendo en Puerto Rico. Estos escritos e imágenes surgen en respuesta a la catástrofe que estábamos viviendo tras el paso del huracán y en entrevista por teléfono a compas en Casa Taller Cangrejera en colaboración con Emily Simons e Hiram Rivera en los EEUU. Por los próximos 20 días que culminan con el segundo aniversario del paso del Huracán María y en solidaridad con nuestra gente caribeña y en los EEUU que enfrentan ahora el embate del Huracán Dorian, compartimos estas palabras que articulamos en Septiembre y Octubre de 2017, acompañadas por ilustraciones de José “Primo” Hernández.
When Hurricane María passed, artists from the AgitArte community had the initiative to collaborate with fellow artists in solidarity in the US who helped us document what we were living in Puerto Rico. These writings and images arise in response to the catastrophe we were experiencing after the hurricane and in a telephone interview with compas at Casa Taller Cangrejera in collaboration with Emily Simons and Hiram Rivera in the US. For the next 20 days that culminate with the second anniversary of the passage of Hurricane María, and in solidarity with our people in the Caribbean and in the US that now face the onslaught of Hurricane Dorian, we share these words that we articulated in September and October 2017, accompanied by illustrations by José “Primo” Hernández.
“Countdown to María” Series #15
Art by José Hernández Díaz and text by Jorge Díaz Ortiz for AgitArte 2018
15. Desaucio y desplazamiento. Vienen por tu casa, la playa, el barrio
La historia de la colonia es una de desplazamiento constante de pueblos originarios, africanos, gente campesina, la clase obrera y pobres del país. En los últimos años estamos viendo la movida de la compra de edificios por gente que no vive aquí. Muchas de nuestras comunidades costeras y centros urbanos están siendo tomados por inversionistas que desahucian residentes y convierten las propiedades en alquileres a corto plazo como los Airbnb, limitando las posibilidades de vivienda a la población local que quiere vivir en las comunidades donde han formado sus vidas. Después de María nos llega mucha gente para el turismo del desastre y el empresarismo emprendedor y social que encuentra un nuevo mercado para lucrarse de la catástrofe y la miseria. Por otro lado llegan personas de la diáspora y de nuestra familia extendida que han sido instrumentales en este proceso después del Huracán para poder llevarle comida, agua y artículos de primera necesidad a mucha gente en nuestra red de comunidades. Necesitamos el acceso a las ayudas y los recursos para poder sobrevivir en un Puerto Rico donde la gente se une cada día más en solidaridad y sobrevivencia.
La imagen de hoy es de la lucha que libra Santurce No Se Vende en San Mateo de Cangrejos en contra de los desplazamientos que culminaron en el 2005 como parte del proyecto de revitalización de Santurce de Sila María Calderón. Una lucha que nos dio perspectiva de las diferentes olas de desplazamiento que han afectado al barrio San Mateo de Cangrejos desde que lo llamaron Santurce. Un proyecto urbano que siempre han desarrollado a la cañona para intereses que vienen de afuera de su entorno siempre.
“Tu barrio es el próximo” se usó como letrero en protestas por Punch y por las Ánimas, trabajo de construcción, concepto y dirección de performances por Deborah Hunt @maskhuntmotions, en la lucha que libramos en San Mateo de Cangrejos con museodelbarrio.org bajo la dirección de @laquebrincabueno y Santurce No Se Vende.
15. They’re Coming for your House, the Beach, el Barrio
The history of the colony is one of constant displacement of native peoples, Africans, peasant people, the working class and the poor of the country. In recent years we are seeing the movement of the purchase of buildings by people who do not live here. Many of our coastal communities and urban centers are being taken by investors who evict residents and turn properties into short-term rentals like Airbnb, limiting the housing possibilities to the local population that wants to live in the communities where they have formed their lives. After Maria we’ve seen many people come for disaster tourism and entrepreneurial and social entrepreneurship that finds a new market to profit from catastrophe and misery. On the other hand, there are people from the diaspora and our extended family who have been instrumental in the process after the Hurricane, bringing food, water and necessities to many people in our community networks. We need access to aid and resources to be able to survive in a Puerto Rico, where people are increasingly united in solidarity and survival.
Today’s image is of the struggle “Santurce No Se Vende” in San Mateo de Cangrejos against the displacement that culminated in 2005 as part of the revitalization project of Santurce by Sila María Calderón. A fight that gave us perspective of the different waves of displacement that have affected the San Mateo de Cangrejos neighborhood since they called it Santurce. An urban project that has always been developed by force for interests that always come from outside of the neighborhood.
“Your neighborhood is next” was used as a sign in protests by Punch and the ‘Ánimas’ for which construction, concept and performance was directed by Deborah Hunt @maskhuntmotions, in the struggle we fought in San Mateo de Cangrejos with museodelbarrio.org under the direction of @laquebrincabueno and “Santurce No Se Vende.”
“Aquí Servimos Solidaridad: Centros de Apoyo Mutuo”
Artwork by Javier Maldonado-O’Farrill, Text by Jorge Díaz Ortiz for AgitArte, 22x18, 2017
“Aquí Servimos Solidaridad: Centros de Apoyo Mutuo”
Ante el colapso del Estado y los abusos de FEMA en el Puerto Rico pos-María, nos hemos organizado en espacios autogestionados alrededor de la Isla conocidos como Centros de Apoyo Mutuo. Además de brindar apoyo para sobrepasar las necesidades de urgencia en las comunidades, impulsamos el empoderamiento de las mismas y creamos espacios de discusión para generar pensamiento crítico entendiendo que enfrentamos un desastre político más peligroso aún que el natural. En los CAM se organizan las siguientes 3 funciones principales:
Comedores Sociales en donde servimos comida preparada de manera gratuita.
Centros de acopio en donde recolectamos ayuda local y de la diáspora para distribuir en las comunidades según la necesidad.
Brigadas Solidarias Permanentes para abrir caminos a fuerza de hacha y machete; y apoyar en la agricultura y reconstrucción de casas.
Algunos CAM también ofrecen servicios de clínicas de salud popular, actividades culturales, talleres de huertos comunitarios y de educación para niños. Estamos localizados en Caguas, Río Piedras, Mayagüez, Humacao, Utuado ,Lares, Naranjito y Viejo San Juan. No estamos en Estado de Shock. Nos estamos organizando para combatir los embates del capitalismo del desastre y sus secuaces.
Faced with the collapse of the State and the abuses of FEMA in post-Maria Puerto Rico, we have organized ourselves in self-managed spaces around the Island known as Centros de Apoyo Mutuo (Mutual Support Centers). In addition to providing support to overcome urgent needs in the communities, we promote their empowerment and create discussion spaces to generate critical thinking and the understanding that we are facing a political disaster that is even more dangerous than the natural disaster. In CAM, the following 3 main functions are organized:
Social dining rooms where we serve food prepared for free.
Collection centers where we collect local and diaspora aid to distribute in the communities according to need.
Permanent Solidary Brigades to open roads by force of ax and machete; and support in agriculture and housing reconstruction.
Some CAMs also offer the services of popular health clinics, cultural activities, community garden workshops and education for children. We are located in Caguas, Río Piedras, Mayagüez, Humacao, Utuado, Lares, Naranjito and Old San Juan. We are not in a Shock State. We are organizing to combat the onslaught of disaster capitalism and its henchmen.
“Los bancos tienen casas, el pueblo tiene gente sin casas”
Art by Sugeily Rodríguez Lebrón for AgitArte, 2020
Accompanied Text in English and Spanish:
Mientras miles de personas viven en campamentos y refugios, es inaceptable que cientos de viviendas estén vacantes, particularmente las viviendas que obtuvieron los bancos mediante ejecuciones de hipoteca. En el centro de esta historia se encuentra el Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, una de las instituciones con la mayor cantidad de ejecuciones de hipotecas en la isla.” Cita de: El Terremoto y el Banco Popular: Cómo el Banco Más Grande de Puerto Rico Obstruye una Recuperación Justa por Abner Dennis.
While thousands of people live in encampments and shelters, it is unacceptable that hundreds of homes are vacant, particularly the homes that banks obtained through foreclosures. At the center of this story is Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, one of the institutions with the highest number of foreclosures on the island.” Quote from: El Terremoto and Banco Popular: How the Largest Bank of Puerto Rico Obstructs a Just Recovery” by Abner Dennis.
“Solidaridad y Sobrevivencia para Nuestra Liberación” Art by Estefanía Rivera Cortés in collaboration with Papel Machete and AgitArte, 16x25, 2017
Immediately following Hurricane María, Papel Machete created a cantastoria telling the story of the environmental and political disaster in Puerto Rico while also creating a counter narrative to the one circulating mainstream media at the time, describing Puerto Rico people as dependent and waiting for the U.S. to rescue them. The Cantastoria toured to 20 different locations in six months including all of the Centros de Apoyo Mutual - CAMs (Centers of Mutual Support) that emerged immediately after the storm, providing grassroots aid, brigades and resources to urban and rural communities throughout the main island.
HYPERLINK "https://agitarte.org/projects/solidaridad-y-sobrevivencia-para-nuestra-liberacion/"https://agitarte.org/projects/solidaridad-y-sobrevivencia-para-nuestra-liberacion/
End the Debt! Decolonize! Liberate Puerto Rico! Scroll project is an artistic response to Hurricane María which tells a story of struggle and resistance to U.S. colonialism in Puerto Rico and its diaspora. This pre-cinematic technology employs continuous moving images, performed with an original song by Papel Machete. The hand-illustrated scroll is over 170 feet long and 3 inches wide, and was developed over fifteen months. The piece was created by artists from AgitArte and Papel Machete, in collaboration with Estefanía Rivera, Crystal Clarity, Rachel Schragis, and Emily Simons.
AgitArte
All images courtesy of the artist.