RON DAVID BUTLER

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jan. 24th, 2019.

Demonstration on the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sept. 20th, 2018.

“FEMA is the problem". Reports show that FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] was dangerously underprepared in its response to Hurricane Maria, failing to adequately provide desperately needed supplies and services to Puerto Ricans as the number of dead continued to increase in the hurricane’s aftermath. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jan. 2019.

A rain and wind-storm destroys a Puerto Rican flag hung for the yearly celebration of El Grito de Lares. Lares, a small city within the western interior of Puerto Rico is the historic site of a failed uprising against Spanish Colonial rule in 1868. The uprising later became known as "El Grito de Lares" ("The Cry of Lares") and has become a symbol for many in Puerto Rico of anti-colonial efforts. Lares, Puerto Rico, Sept. 23rd, 2018.

Communities continue to clean debris left by Hurricane Maria more than a year after the hurricane hit Puerto Rico. Utuado, Puerto Rico, Feb. 2nd, 2019.

During a community organized outreach and medical facilitation program, a medical professional from the Puerto Rican National Guard tends to an elderly patient in his home. The man lives on his own in a small room behind his house that was damaged by hurricane Maria beyond his ability to repair. Utuado, Puerto Rico, Oct. 6th, 2018.

Students at Escuela Antonio Tulla Torres in the community of Mameyes Abajo in the municipality of Utuado participate in agricultural skill-building as part of their class structure. They grow and cultivate coffee and bananas among other crops. Utuado, Puerto Rico, Sept. 25th, 2018.

Chef Verónica Quiles cutting banana leaf in preparation for lunch at her home located on El Departamento de la Comida’s farm in Caguas. El Departamento is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that helps support and advance existing sustainable food projects across Puerto Rico. Over the course of its history under various colonial powers, Puerto Rico has been shaped into a culture of monocrop farms, and overdependence on food imports, causing residents to face high and fluctuating food prices, and for some food insecurity. Caguas, Puerto Rico, Jan. 29th, 2019.

Puerto Ricans fill the streets of Old San Juan during a demonstration that saw tens of thousands from across the island come to the capitol to demand the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló after a chat was leaked to the public implicating Rosselló and containing misogynistic, homophobic and other bigoted comments that also disparaged the victims of Hurricane Maria. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 17th, 2019.

Demonstrators gather outside of the Capitol building during a demonstration that saw tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans from across the island come into San Juan to demand the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July, 17th, 2019.

Demonstrators run from tear gas launched by police on Calle San Sebastian in Old San Juan after being forced away from the Governor’s mansion. Demonstrators clashed with police late into the night and early morning. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 18th, 2019.

Sign reads: "The daughters of the crisis are tired". Demonstration outside La Fortaleza against Governor Ricardo Rosselló. Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 18th, 2019.

Demonstrator during Paro Nacional, a national strike which saw hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans shut down Expresso Las Américas, demanding the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 22nd, 2019.

The start of a dance party formed on the steps of San Juan Bautista Cathedral led by members of the LGBTQ community. Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 24th, 2019.

A young demonstrator on Calle de la Fortaleza with the words "Puta No Putísima" drawn on his upper body in presumed response to the vulgar and disparaging remarks against women and LGBTQ identifying people used by Governor Ricardo Rosselló and his colleagues during what has now become known as "Chatgate", a scandal which saw hundreds of pages of messages leaked from a chat group that included the Governor. San Juan, Puerto Rico, 07/24/2019.

A demonstrator holds a dummy being hung in a suit with a sign around its neck that reads "El Corrupto" among the massive crowd that leads down to the Governor's mansion the night Governor Ricardo Rosselló announced his resignation. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 24th, 2019.

Demonstrators watch a television screen set up upon a news truck near the rear of the Governor’s mansion. The television shows the pre-recorded resignation video made by Governor Ricardo Rosselló. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 24th, 2019.

Demonstrators celebrate the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló on Calle de la Fortaleza. After nearly two full weeks of sustained protests against the Governor of Puerto Rico and the corruption that had defined his government, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Rosselló announced his historic resignation close to midnight on July 24th. San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 25th, 2019.

Supporters of Governor Ricardo Rosselló wait at the rear entrance of the Governor’s mansion to be greeted by Rosselló’s wife Beatriz Rosselló the night before he is to leave office. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug. 1st, 2019.

Demonstration against Secretary of Justice Wanda Vázquez, the next in line to become Governor of Puerto Rico once Governor Rossello's resignation comes into effect, San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 29th, 2019. After Vázquez suggested through twitter that she did not want the Governor position, Pedro Pierluisi is sworn in as Governor on August 2nd, 2019. Days later, his swearing in will be deemed unconstitutional and Vázquez will be sworn in as Governor on August 7th.

A sign placed outside of the barricades on Calle de la Fortaleza close to the Governor’s mansion which reads: "They buried us and they didn't know we were seeds". Old San Juan, July 24th, 2019.

A destroyed home in the south of Puerto Rico caused by devastating earthquakes which began to occur off the coast of the island in December 2019. Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, Jan. 13th, 2020.

As San Juan prepares for the San Sebastián Street Festival, a young girl stares out towards the sea in the old city. On December 28th, 2019, the south of the island began experience devastating earthquakes which destroyed homes, schools, medical facilities and other infrastructure that was already badly damaged and in disrepair due to Hurricane Maria, political corruption, and the Island’s ongoing debt crisis. San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jan. 12th, 2020.

A torn Puerto Rican flag blows in the wind in Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Jan. 12th, 2020.