A Space For Us All
“Paula, Natalia--hey, drop what you’re doing and come with me. I want to share something with you. This can’t wait!”
Although Paula and Natalia were a bit taken back by my insistence, they could tell from my facial expressions and enthusiasm that it was something positive, something to be excited about. “Wait, let me get my coffee- I’ll be right there,” said Natalia as I motioned her to hurry up and get in the car. A moment later, we were driving out through the farm gates and up the big hill to Highway 407, then making a right turn at our neighbor Doña Rosa’s house, slowing down just enough to let her baby chickens cross the road. After driving a few hundred yards through the community, we arrived at the local basketball court.
I see both Paula and Natalia as spontaneous, creative and compassionate visionaries; if anyone could join me in this brainstorming session with enthusiasm and an open mind, it would be these two. Earlier that morning I found myself pulling into the local basketball court’s parking lot after running some errands, taken back by a sudden wave of inspiration as my mind was flooded with ideas and visions of the space transformed into a beautiful oasis of education, healing and resiliency. I had spent half an hour walking around alone discovering the space and envisioning all of the hidden potential that it possessed, just waiting to be brought to life.
“Paula, just look- this little building isn’t being used for anything. It’s all empty inside.” We peered through the windows of the old boxing club which had been out of use for years. The cement structure was dressed in deteriorating orange paint, dust, and lizard poop. “We could set up a commercial kitchen here and use it to prepare food for the elders. Can’t you imagine Monica trying out a new recipe featuring local root crops and produce? And Dr. Ileana, teaching a cooking workshop designed to reduce the risk of diabetes?”
“Wow, it’s a really big space inside there! I think we could definitely set it up as a commercial kitchen. Why not?!” affirmed Paula with a playful laugh and the buoyant mannerisms that she is known for.
I turned my attention to Natalia. “Just imagine if you were to paint a beautiful mural there on the court like you did in Arecibo. Wouldn’t the place come to life? We could use the covered area to do all kinds of activities for kids and community members--not only sports but also art and dance classes, gardening workshops--all the kinds of services we offer at the schools. And the space is so big, we can spread out and host activities here in spite of Covid.”
Natalia quickly sprung into action, visualizing ways to incorporate children into the process and feature themes from nature that would not only inspire joy but could also be functional. “I love using art to bring about healing and joy. Let’s do this!” exclaimed Natalia.
The three of us walked through the space together in this way for at least an hour, sharing ideas and discussing how to prepare a proposal for the town mayor to obtain permission to renovate the community center and turn it into the dynamic space we were envisioning. Paula and Natalia possess this unique ability to imagine possibilities without getting too caught up in the thoughts of limitation and so-called “practicality” that prevent so many of us from envisioning a better world. I really love that about those two, and they didn’t let me down this time.
As I sit at my desk writing this, I recall that this ability to dream and feel hope has played such a key role in the development of Plenitud PR’s projects over the last 12 years. Everything beautiful and transformative starts with a sincere desire to serve and help others.
But love is more than just a good feeling or a sentiment - it also takes hard work, focus, and organization for it to be expressed in tangible ways. When we’re really committed to serving others with determination and focus, we’re willing to do what’s necessary to make it happen, even when this means doing tasks that take us out of our comfort zone or don’t align with our preferences (like taking out the garbage, or fundraising!).
I’ve found that through the struggle and challenges presented along the path of service to others, my sincerity and determination are tested.
When I persist, my heart opens up a little more, making more room for joy and enabling me to bring more compassion and tolerance to my relationships in my community, at work, and within my family.
As a team, we’ve all been putting in this work since we came together to envision the Las Marías Community Center over a year ago, doing what’s necessary to bring this dream to life. Our neighbors Eleonor and Javier went door-to-door and spoke to over 200 community members, gaining their support and sharing their voices with the mayor during the proposal. Those two, along with dozens of volunteers, neighbors, and Plenitud PR team members have carried the Center through the steps of initial renovations, preparing designs, obtaining permits, and the installation of kitchen appliances.
We also shared the project with individuals and foundations in our network and invited them to form a part of this initiative. It has been encouraging to experience so much reciprocation and support from our community, successfully raising a total of $38,000 during our recent summer fundraiser thanks to contributions from over 100 individuals and 8 foundations. I want to personally give a special thanks to Plenty International and MoneyHouse for their generous contributions to this initiative -- thank you for believing in our work and for deciding to be a part of this initiative. Fist bumps!!
We are also extremely fortunate to have the generous support of a local non-profit organization, Para La Naturaleza, who donated to us a robust off-grid solar system and rainwater harvesting and filtration system that will allow us to respond effectively to natural disasters and times of emergency without interruptions to our services.
Today a co-worker, Alexis, and I were on the roof of the Community Center early in the morning replacing a roofing panel that was damaged 4 years ago during Hurricane Maria. It was a cool, humid and especially beautiful morning. I found myself briefly overcome with a deep feeling of satisfaction--my heart felt so full as I looked back on the last year and all that had been accomplished. I’m so grateful to be a part of this team and to engage in such meaningful work.
And make no mistake, this is just the beginning…
