>>THIS WEEK ON NEWSNIGHT.

IT'S FIVE YEARS SINCE HURRICANE MARIA TORE ACROSS PUERTO RICO.

>>YOUNG ADULTS IN PUERTO RICO ARE GETTING FED UP AND THEY'RE STARTING TO ORGANIZE AND BE A LOT MORE VOCAL.

>>WE'LL LOOK AT THE ONGOING IMPACT ON BOTH THE ISLAND AND ON PUERTO RICANS LIVING IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

NEWSNIGHT STARTS NOW.

[MUSIC] HELLO, I'M STEVE MORT AND WELCOME TO NEWSNIGHT, WHERE WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE BIG STORIES IMPACTING CENTRAL FLORIDA AND HOW THEY AFFECT ALL OF US.

JOINING US THIS WEEK, INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST JENNIFER MARCIAL OCASIO, A FORMER EDITOR OF EL SENTINEL.

BUT YOU'VE JUST TAKEN A NEW JOB, RIGHT, JENNIFER, AT THE ORLANDO ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP.

SO CONGRATULATIONS-- >>STILL WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY NOW ON THE ECONOMIC AREA, WHICH APPLIES A LOT TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING TODAY.

>>WELL, THANKS FOR COMING IN TODAY.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND KIRSTIN DELGADO, MORNING ANCHOR AT WFTV CHANNEL NINE, JOINING US FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

OK, FIRST TONIGHT, IT'LL BE FIVE YEARS ON TUESDAY SINCE HURRICANE MARIA MADE LANDFALL IN PUERTO RICO.

THE STORM DEVASTATED THE US TERRITORY, CAUSING TENS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE.

THE PUERTO RICO RESEARCH HUB AT UCF ESTIMATES ABOUT 130,000 LEFT THE ISLAND IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE STORM.

MANY HEADED FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA.

FERNANDO RIVERA IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUERTO RICO RESEARCH HUB.

>>I THINK PUERTO RICO IS IN IN A VERY SPECIAL PERIOD OF TRANSITION.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT DISASTER RECOVERY AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING HERE FIVE YEARS AFTER HURRICANE MARIA AND STILL THERE'S YOU KNOW, THE MONEY HAS BEEN ALLOCATED THE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED.

BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER TO REALLY HIT THE INFRASTRUCTURE, TO REALLY PUT PUERTO RICO IN IN A GOOD SHAPE TO, LET'S SAY, GO BACK TO A TRAJECTORY OUT HERE.

I THINK THE UNIQUE CASE OF PUERTO RICO THAT IT WAS SO NOT ONLY A NATURAL DISASTER THAT HAPPENED, BUT IT WAS AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS NEGLECTED FOR A LONG TIME ON TOP OF AN ECONOMIC CRISIS.

AND IN THIS FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE HAD A POLITICAL CRISIS WHERE IN THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF PUERTO RICO GOVERNMENT, A GOVERNOR HAD TO STEP DOWN BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT HIM.

AND THEN YOU ADD THAT UP WITH THE EARTHQUAKES THAT HAPPENED AT THE END OF 2019, 2020, AND THEN YOU ADD UP THE CRISIS WITH THE PANDEMIC.

SO IT'S BEEN A VERY TESTY TIME FOR PUERTO RICO AND PROBABLY ONE OF THOSE HISTORIC PERIODS WHERE IT'S BEEN A THROUGH TRIAL FOR PUERTO RICO.

BUT SLOWLY BUT SURELY, THERE'S STILL HOPE THAT THE ISLAND IS GOING TO RECOVER.

>>ALRIGHT FERNANDO RIVERA, LET ME START WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU GOT BACK FROM PUERTO RICO FAIRLY RECENTLY, BROADLY SPEAKING.

HOW IS THE ISLAND DOING NOW FIVE YEARS ON?

>>YOU KNOW, I WENT THERE NOT ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, BUT I WENT THERE ALSO FOUR MONTHS AFTER HURRICANE MARIA HAPPENED TO DO AN UPDATE ON HOW THE ISLAND HAD BEEN JUST FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE STORM.

AT THAT POINT, THINGS A LOT OF THE ISLAND THAT WE EXPERIENCED LOOKED LIKE THE STORM HAD JUST PASSED THE DAY BEFORE.

AT THIS POINT, THINGS DON'T LOOK THAT BAD.

BUT THEY'RE NOT THAT GREAT EITHER.

WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT PUERTO RICO IS FEAST OR FAMINE.

RIGHT NOW.

EITHER YOU HAVE MONEY AND YOU'RE COMFORTABLE OR YOU'RE MAKING $8.50 AN HOUR AND YOU'RE TRYING TO SURVIVE.

AND YOU KNOW, I WENT TO PUERTO RICO AS A CHILD.

I WAS BORN THERE.

BUT THEN MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED AND I WOULD VISIT MY FATHER THERE DOING THE SUMMERS AND GROWING UP ON THE MAINLAND, IT WAS SUCH AN INTERESTING JUXTAPOSITION TO BEING IN PUERTO RICO, BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAW WAS EVEN AS A CHILD, I NOTICED THERE WASN'T A GREAT DEAL OF MIDDLE CLASS, AND NOW THAT IS IT EVEN DETERIORATED SO MUCH MORE THAT IT'S LITERALLY PUSHING PEOPLE OFF THE...YES TO A RIDICULOUS NOW IT'S PUSHING PEOPLE OFF THE ISLAND.

IT SEEMS QUITE LITERALLY, YOU'RE JUST MAKING IT YOU'RE JUST MAKING YOUR BILLS AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR EXTRAS OR YOU'RE LIVING IN THE LAP OF LUXURY.

AND THE IN-BETWEEN IS JUST SO, HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY DEVASTATED THAT IT'S IT'S INCREDIBLE TO SEE AND EVEN IT'S PUSHING PEOPLE OFF THE ISLAND.

YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW THE LAST CENSUS SHOWED THAT IN THE LAST DECADE, ABOUT 440,000 PEOPLE MOVED FROM PUERTO RICO TO THE MAINLAND I MEAN YEAH, IT'S IT'S INCREDIBLE.

OBVIOUSLY WE SEE A LOT OF THAT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

BUT IT'S INCREDIBLE TO THINK THAT, THE DETERIORATING OF THE ISLAND IS WHAT'S CAUSING THAT MIGRATION.

>>WHAT DO YOU THINK, JENNIFER?

>>IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU WERE MENTIONING $8.50 AN HOUR, BUT THAT'S LIKE THE OFFICIAL MINIMUM WAGE STARTS AT $8.50 IN LIKE JANUARY.

THEN THERE'S STILL PEOPLE MAKING $7.25 AN HOUR AND THE GALLON OF MILK COSTS 7 DOLLARS.

SO IMAGINE THAT YOU HAVING TO BUY MILK FOR YOUR HOUSE AND THE GALLON OF MILK CAUSE ALMOST THE SAME AMOUNT THAT YOU'RE MAKING IN AN HOUR.

SO THAT DIFFERENCE THAT KIRSTEN IS MENTIONING ABOUT LIKE EITHER BARELY MAKING IT OR HAVING ENOUGH.

IT'S VERY, VERY STRONG OVER THERE.

I GREW UP IN PUERTO RICO.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED THERE AND I EVEN WENT TO COLLEGE THERE.

SO MOVING AFTER COLLEGE TO WORK HERE, THAT'S WHEN I HAD THAT CULTURAL SHOCK.

LIKE, YEAH, WE ARE U.S. CITIZENS LIKE WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

THE LIFE THAT WE HAVE HERE TO THE LIFE THAT WE HAVE THERE STARTED WITH ELECTIONS.

LIKE, AS SOON AS I MOVED HERE, I COULD VOTE WHILE I WAS LIVING IN PUERTO RICO.

I COULDN'T.

AND THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGED WAS MY LICENSE PRETTY MUCH, AND WHERE I WAS LIVING.

>>PRESIDENCIES, WHAT SHE'S.

>>LIKE FOR FOR LIKE ELECTIONS HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THAT HAS SUCH A HUGE TOLL IN WHAT HAPPENS IN PUERTO RICO.

AND WE SAW IT AFTER HURRICANE MARIA ESPECIALLY, AND WE'VE SEEN IT THROUGHOUT THIS FIVE YEARS.

SO THAT BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMETIMES PEOPLE SAY THE COST OF LIVING, IT'S CHEAPER.

NO, THEY HAVE AN 11.5 SALES TAX OVER THERE.

I WAS I WAS SAYING LIKE MILK, BREAD.

IT'S SO EXPENSIVE TO LIVE THERE.

PEOPLE CAN BARELY AFFORD HOMES.

AND WE TALK ABOUT HOME PRICES HERE.

IMAGINE MAKING $7.25 AN HOUR.

>>YEAH.

I WANT TO TALK A BIT MORE ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

IN A MOMENT.

KIRSTEN LET ME JUST ASK YOU ABOUT THE ONGOING INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, THOUGH, PARTICULARLY ELECTRICITY, WHICH WE'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT.

I MEAN, ARE THERE PLACES WHERE THE POWER IS STILL UNRELIABLE, WOULD YOU SAY?

>>OH, FOR SURE.

SO BACKGROUND, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF BACKGROUND TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE'VE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT.

SO THE GRID WAS MADE IN THE 1940S AND FIFTIES, OBVIOUSLY NOT THE PUERTO RICO OF TODAY IN TERMS OF POPULATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

RIGHT.

AND WHAT HAS TO BE MAINTAINED.

AND THERE'S A BIG ARGUMENT ABOUT, WELL NOW WE'RE TRYING TO JUST HANDLE WHAT IT WAS THAT WAS BUILT THAT WASN'T MAINTAINED, BUT ALSO BUILT IN A WAY THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR TODAY, RIGHT?

BUT IT'S THE EXISTING POWER GRID.

THEY GOT TO DEAL WITH IT.

THEY CAN'T JUST START FROM SCRATCH IN THAT RESPECT, RIGHT?

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE WAS A HUGE OUTAGE BACK IN APRIL WHERE ABOUT HALF A MILLION PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE POWER, RIGHT?

NOW THAT OUTAGE HAPPENED AT A SUBSTATION IN COSTA SUR.

TAND THAT IS ABOUT 90 MINUTES FROM SAN JUAN.

SO THERE'S A FIRE AT A SUBSTATION 90 MINUTES FROM SAN JUAN AND POWER IN SAN JUAN.

GOES OUT.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS INSTEAD OF LIKE A POWER PLANT OR SUBSTATIONS THAT JUST POWER THAT REGION OR THAT AREA, YOU HAVE THAT POWER BEING AFFECTED ACROSS THE ISLAND.

SO THE SYSTEM WASN'T GREAT TO BEGIN WITH, BUT NOW THEY'RE DEALING WITH IT, RIGHT?

I SAT DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENT OF LUMA, WHICH IS THE PRIVATE DISTRIBUTOR OF POWER I SAT DOWN WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PREPA, WHICH IS THE GENERATOR POWER ON THE ISLAND.

I SAT DOWN AND I SPOKE WITH GOVERNOR PEDRO PIERLUISI VIA ZOOM AND THEY ALL SAID IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT LONGER THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

LUMA WAS GIVEN A VERY FRAGILE SYSTEM THAT HAD NOT BEEN MAINTAINED IN THE DECADES PRIOR TO HURRICANE MARIA.

SO IT WAS A 1-2 PUNCH.

IT WASN'T HURRICANE MARIA CAME AND DEVASTATED EVERYTHING.

THE SYSTEM WAS ALREADY FRAGILE, AND NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED >>CREAKING.

>>100% NOT MAINTAINED THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE FOR DECADES, RIGHT?

WHEN I BROUGHT THAT QUESTION TO TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PREPA, I SAID, WELL, LUMA, WHO I JUST SPOKE TO, SAID THAT THEY WERE HANDED DOWN A FRAGILE SYSTEM THAT YOU GUYS DID NOT MAINTAIN.

AND HE SAID, YES, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BANKRUPTCY IN 2014, THEY SAID, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE FUNDS TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE GRID.

AND WHEN I ASKED HIM POINT BLANK, HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?

THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR PREPA SAID ABOUT EIGHT YEARS BEFORE THE ELECTRICAL GRID IS PROPERLY RESTORED FOR A 2022 STATE OF THE ART SYSTEM THAT CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE A CATEGORY FOUR.

>>AND A LOT OF PUERTO RICANS SORT OF SUSPECTED MANY OF THEIR PROBLEMS CORRUPTION.

AND I WONDER ABOUT CORRUPTION AS AN ONGOING ISSUE JENNIFER.

I MEAN THE FORMER GOVERNOR WANDA VAZQUEZ WAS ARRESTED BY THE FBI ON BRIBERY CHARGES EARLIER THIS MONTH.

I MEAN, THIS IS A THIS IS A PROBLEM THE ISLAND FACES ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

>>IT IS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK THAT MANY PUERTO RICANS, ESPECIALLY LIVING AND GROWING UP ON THE ISLAND, HAVE GROWN TOO USED TO THIS BEING THE NORM.

AND AFTER THAT, WHAT WE CALL EL VERANO DE DIECIINUEVE THAT SUMMER OF 2019 WHERE THE HUGE PROTESTS HAPPENED AND THEY OUSTED FORMER GOVERNOR RICARDO ROSSELLO.

I THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN LIKE AN UPBRINGING AND KIND OF LIKE PEOPLE OPENING THEIR EYES INTO THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS INTO OUR OWN HANDS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS CORRUPTION AS THE NORM ANYMORE.

>>I MEAN PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING AGAIN RIGHT?

I MEAN, IS THIS A THREAT TO THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WOULD YOU SAY?

>>THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION SAID LOUD AND CLEAR THEY'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE INTIMIDATED BY THIS PROTEST THEY AREN'T BY NO MEANS AS THE ONES THAT HAPPENED IN 2019 AND THOSE ONCE HAD LIKE A BIGGER BACKGROUND RIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT FAMOUS CHAT THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED WHERE ALL THIS COMMENTS ABOUT HURRICANE MARIA ESPECIALLY-- >>THE TEXT MESSAGE, >>THE TEXT MESSAGES BETWEEN GOVERNOR ROSARIO AND HIS FORMER GOVERNMENT TEAM, RIGHT?

SO IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

THERE ARE STILL PROTESTING NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE THEIR VOICES AND THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT OK WITH LUMA COMING IN.

THEY KNEW THE SYSTEM THEY WERE GETTING.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS A SURPRISE WHEN THEY GOT THERE.

BUT I THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE UNDER THE EXPECTATION THAT BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO BE A PRIVATE ENTITY NOW OUT OF NOWHERE, WITHIN A YEAR, MORE OR LESS, EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE FIXED.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

THINGS HAVE SOMETIMES EVEN GOTTEN WORSE.

AND THEY'RE SO USED TO THE FACT THAT IT STARTS SPRINKLING, NOT EVEN RAINING.

>>YEAH.

>>AND YOU SEE EVEN MEMES ONLINE OF PEOPLE MAKING A JOKE LIKE, "OK, POWER IS GOING OUT" NOW WITH THE TROPICAL STORM FIONA AROUND THE CORNER.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF POSTS OF PEOPLE SAYING LIKE, "HEY, LUMA, I'M CALLING TO TO ANNOUNCE A POWER OUTAGE."

AND THEY'RE LIKE, "OH, WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?"

"IT'S HAPPENING TOMORROW."

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE PEOPLE JOKE ABOUT IT JUST BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SURVIVAL MODE ATTITUDE.

TOWARDS IT.

BUT IT'S VERY SAD THAT THAT IS THE NORM.

>>AND TO THAT END, I WENT TO WHEN I WAS IN PUERTO RICO RECENTLY, WENT TO AN AREA CALLED MARICAO IT'S A MOUNTAINOUS AREA IT'S OVER 2 HOURS FROM SAN JUAN IT LITERALLY YOU'RE GOING FOR AN HOUR OF THAT TRIP UP A MOUNTAIN, RIGHT?

AND I REMEMBER THINKING, HOW DID AFTER MARIA, HOW DID PEOPLE GET HERE?

LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE NEED TO BE IN A HUMMER AND A FULL ON, YOU KNOW, MILITARY VEHICLE TO REALLY GET THROUGH THAT VEGETATION AND NARROW ROADS.

AND HE EVEN SAID ONE OF THE PUBLIC DIRECTORS FOR THE MUNICIPALITY TOLD ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN WINDS GO WITH 30, 35 MILES AN HOUR, WE LOSE POWER HERE.

AND THEN AFTER THAT WE USE WE LOSE WATER BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT AND IT'S TIED UP TOGETHER.

SO JUST WITH THAT, THEY ARE TERRIFIED OF EVEN THAT HAPPENING, LET ALONE A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM THAT CARRIES WINDS OF 40, 45 MILES AN HOUR.

>>JUST BRIEFLY BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THIS SEGMENT, I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

A JUDGE AGREED TO THIS DEBT RESTRUCTURING PLAN EARLY THIS YEAR.

PUERTO RICO FORMALLY EXITED BANKRUPTCY IN MARCH.

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY GENERALLY IS IN BUSINESS ON THE ISLAND AT THIS POINT?

I MEAN, THEY'RE KIND OF EMERGING FROM BANKRUPTCY AT A TIME WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF ECONOMIC HEADWINDS ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

>>RIGHT.

SO WE START AT 70 BILLION, THEN RESTRUCTURE IT TO 33 BILLION NOW AT 7 BILLION.

AND THERE IS A STRUCTURE AND A PLAN IN THE CURRENT BUDGET TO PAY THAT REMAINING DEBT.

BUT NOW IT'S LIKE A WASH, RIGHT?

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE A PROFIT?

WE ACTUALLY NOW HAVE THE PROPER FUNDS TO PAY THAT REMAINING DEBT, BUT THEN WHERE'S THE MONEY COMING IN TO ACTUALLY MOVE US FORWARD?

AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF TAX INCENTIVES FOR MAINLANDERS TO COME TO PUERTO RICO.

YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE WAS IT 100% TAX EXEMPTION ON ON CAPITAL GAINS FOR A BUSINESS AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME WHEN YOU STARTED A BUSINESS IN PUERTO RICO?

THE IDEA BEING THAT YOU BRING IN BUSINESS YOU HIRE PUERTO RICAN EMPLOYEES AND YOU YOURSELF ARE GIVING BACK TO THE ECONOMY THAT HAS SOME SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES THAT WEREN'T EXPECTED WITH AREAS LIKE DORADO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH ALWAYS BEEN A VERY ANGLICIZED PART OF PUERTO RICO, BECOMING EVEN MORE ANGLICIZED TO THE POINT WHERE YOU DON'T SPEAK SPANISH THERE.

AND PEOPLE AT LEAST TOLD ME WHEN I WAS IN THE ISLAND THEY DON'T FEEL WELCOME GOING THERE BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S NOT MEANT FOR THEM.

AND SO THERE ARE SOME UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES TO THOSE TAX INCENTIVES TO MOVE THE ISLAND FORWARD.

>>IT'S FELT KIND OF LIKE A GENTRIFICATION SCENARIO PRETTY MUCH, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN THAT AREA IN DORADO, EVEN IN OLD SAN JUAN WHICH IS SUCH A TOURISTIC AREA, THAT AREA OF CONDADO AND A LOT OF AIRBNBS ARE MOVING IN.

AND IT'S PEOPLE THAT CAN COME IN AND BUY HOUSES, CASH, LIKE SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA DURING THE PANDEMIC THAT SO MANY PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE WERE COMING HERE, BUYING CASH, BUYING OVER, ASKING PRICES.

AND THE PEOPLE HERE COULDN'T AFFORD THOSE PRICES.

SO THAT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN PUERTO RICO.

AND PEOPLE FEEL LEFT OUT AND PUSHED OUT OF EVEN BEING ABLE TO OWN ANYTHING IN THEIR HOMELAND.

>>THAT MAKES LIFE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND FOR SURE.

WELL YOU CAN WATCH A SEGMENT IN SPANISH ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS LINKS TO HURRICANE MARIA, INFORMATION FROM NOAA AND FEMA.

ON OUR WEBSITE.

YOU'LL ALSO FIND A LINK TO INFORMATION ON HOW TO WATCH KIRSTEN'S SPECIAL "HURRICANE MARIA: POWER AND PERSEVERANCE."

IT'S ALL ON OUR WEBSITE, WUCF.ORG/NEWSNIGHT OK, NEXT TONIGHT, CENTRAL FLORIDA'S PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY, FIVE YEARS ON FROM HURRICANE MARIA.

I TALKED THIS WEEK WITH MARUCCI GUZMAN FROM THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION LATINO LEADERSHIP, WHICH OPERATES HEALTH CLINICS AUTISM CENTERS AND A SCHOOL CATERING TO OUR REGION'S PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY.

>>WE WERE ON THE GROUND IN PUERTO RICO RIGHT AFTER THE HURRICANE.

WE TOOK THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF FIRST AID SUPPLIES, FOOD, MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO PUERTO RICO.

AND WHILE WE WERE THERE, WE HAPPENED TO MENTION TO SOMEONE ON THE AIR THAT WE HAVE A NONPROFIT IN ORLANDO AND THE NAME SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE.

SO OVERNIGHT WE BECAME ALMOST THE FIRST RESPONSE CENTER FOR INDIVIDUALS MOVING FROM PUERTO RICO TO ORLANDO.

AND IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE HELPED OVER 11,000 FAMILIES.

>>SO WRIT LARGE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THIS COMMUNITY?

IT OBVIOUSLY PUT A LOT OF STRESS ON SERVICES AND ON THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

WHAT DID IT MEAN FOR THE COMMUNITY?

>>SURE.

SO IT WAS A LOGICAL KIND OF PROGRESSION TO SEE FAMILIES MOVING FROM PUERTO RICO TO ORLANDO.

OVER THE YEARS WE'VE BECOME THE EPICENTER OF PUERTO RICO HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

SO FAMILIES, OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO MOVE SOMEWHERE, YOU'RE GOING TO GO WHERE YOUR FAMILY IS.

AND A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAD FAMILY HERE.

BUT YEAH, OVERNIGHT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TAKE SUCH A LARGE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS AND, YOU KNOW, INTEGRATE THEM INTO COMMUNITY, FIND SERVICES, BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE HELP THAT THEY REQUIRED.

>>IS THAT INTEGRATION PROCESS STILL ONGOING?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

YOU SEE FAMILIES, WE DO A LOT OF WORK AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE SEE THE MOST WORK AROUND.

YOU KNOW, THE TRAUMA, THE DEVASTATION THAT WAS LEFT WITHIN FAMILIES, HAVING TO LEAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE EVER KNOWN OVERNIGHT, YOU KNOW, MAKE A TRIP THAT YOU WEREN'T PREPARED FOR, THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE SAVINGS FOR, THAT YOU HAD NO INTENTION OF DOING, AND THEN JUST BEING FORCED TO BECAUSE YOU'VE LOST EVERYTHING BACK HOME.

THAT'S KIND OF SOMETHING THAT STILL CONTINUES TO AFFECT THE FAMILIES THAT WE SEE HERE.

>>YOU MENTIONED MENTAL HEALTH.

WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF TRAUMAS THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE ON THE ISLAND DURING THE HURRICANE EXPERIENCING.

>>WHAT YOU SAW, INDIVIDUALS THAT LITERALLY SAW FAMILY MEMBERS DIE.

YESTERDAY, I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH AND I SAW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FAMILY THAT WAS AT A HOSPITAL, WHILE THEY'RE AT THE HOSPITAL THE ROOF COLLAPSED AND THEY HAD TO MOVE OUT PATIENTS WHILE THEY WERE THERE GETTING HELP.

SO JUST, YOU KNOW, THE DEVASTATION OF LOSING EVERYTHING IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.

AND YOU KNOW, UNTIL IT AFFECTS YOU, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND.

BUT WHEN IT'S YOU, WHEN IT'S YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS, WHEN IT'S PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW PERSONALLY, THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT TRAUMA, IT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE REAL.

>> IS THAT TRAUMA DOES THAT TRAUMA CONTINUE FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE RELOCATED WHO'VE SORT OF TURNED THEIR LIVES UPSIDE DOWN?

I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING IS, ARE THERE A LOT OF TRAUMATIZED PEOPLE HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA STILL WHO LOST A LOT BACK ON THE ISLAND, AND ARE NOW LIVING HERE AND TRYING TO PICK UP THOSE PIECES?

>>ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK YOU JUST WAKE UP AND GET OVER.

YOU HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT FOR LACK OF HEALTH INSURANCE, FOR LACK OF, YOU KNOW, JUST BILINGUAL THERAPISTS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT HELP.

SO THEY'VE GONE TO WORK THEIR KIDS ARE IN SCHOOL AND THEY MAY HAVE FOUND A CHURCH, BUT THEY STILL HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH THAT TRAUMA.

SO THROUGH LIKE OUR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, WE'RE ABLE TO EITHER PROVIDE IT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INSURANCE THROUGH OUR MENTAL HEALTH OFFICE, BUT THROUGH OUR FREE CLINIC, OUR PSYCHIATRIST IS ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES FREE OF COSTS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE.

AND THOSE CONVERSATIONS CONTINUE.

FIVE YEARS LATER.

>>MARUCCI GUZMAN THERE.

LET ME START WITH YOU ON THIS ONE KIRSTEN, I MEAN, BRINGING THIS HOME TO CENTRAL FLORIDA, WE SAW THAT HUGE INFLUX IN PUERTO RICO AFTER THE STORM, FIVE YEARS AGO.

ARE THE EFFECTS OF THAT MIGRATION STILL BEING FELT HERE IN OUR REGION?

>>YES, NOT AS STEADY, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A HUGE BUMP AFTER HURRICANE MARIA BY YEARS LATER, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD MADE THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR HOME IN PUERTO RICO.

I THINK THE INTERESTING EFFECT IS THAT WE'RE ALL FEELING THE HOUSING CRISIS RIGHT IN CENTRAL FLORIDIANS WHO LIVE HERE ALREADY FEEL THAT ALREADY ALREADY BEEN IMPACTED.

AND THEN YOU ADD TO THAT, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER POTENTIAL MAJOR CRISIS ON THE ISLAND THAT WOULD BRING MORE EVACUEES HERE AND THE TROUBLE THAT CAUSES FOR OUR HOUSING ISSUE.

WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS FOLKS BEING PUSHED OUT TO AREAS BEYOND THE TYPICAL KISSIMMEE SAINT CLOUD.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE IN DAVENPORT NOW WE'RE IN HAINES CITY.

NOW WE'RE EVEN IN LAKE COUNTY, RIGHT.

AREAS FURTHER PUSHING OUT BECAUSE THERE'S MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK THERE IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO AFFORD SOMEWHERE TO LIVE.

AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY HAPPENING FOR US IN CENTRAL FLORIDA FLORIDIANS HERE, BUT ALSO PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING TO COME OVER AND TRY TO FIND A NEW PLACE TO LIVE.

>>YEAH, I MEAN, JENNIFER, I'VE BEEN TOLD BY LEADERS IN THE PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY THAT THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR PUERTO RICANS THAT THAT ARE THAT ARE STILL SUFFERING FIVE YEARS ON HERE IN OUR REGION.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING AND WHAT WOULD YOU ASSESS ARE THE THE LEADS THAT THE NEEDS FOR THAT COMMUNITY LOCALLY?

>>YEAH, I MEAN, THERE WAS A LOT OF HELP WHEN WHEN HURRICANE MARIA HAPPENED.

WE SAW LIKE FEMA WAS HELPING WE SAW THE VOUCHERS THAT WERE HAPPENING THAT MONTH BY MONTH.

THEY WERE EITHER BEING EXTENDED OR CUTTING DOWN BUT THERE WAS A MISCONCEPTION OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THINKING THAT PUERTO RICANS GETTING HERE WERE HAVING EVERYTHING HANDED TO THEM.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY WERE GIVING A KEY TO APARTMENT "HEY, GO!"

THEY WERE STAYING IN MOTELS IN THE 192 IN MANY PLACES WHERE YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY.

>>AND A LOT OF THAT'S STILL HAPPENING, RIGHT?

>>AND THEY ARE STILL THERE.

SO YES, THERE WAS HELP, I THINK, AND I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS LIKE MARUCCI GUZMAN AND MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVING THROUGH THIS, THAT THERE WAS NOT NECESSARILY A TRANSITION OF HOW DO WE MOVE THEM FROM THIS HELP THAT IS ENDING AT THE END OF THE MONTH TO NOW.

I LIVE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, SO THERE WAS KIND OF LIKE AN EXPECTATION THAT MANY OF THEM WERE GOING TO GO BACK.

MANY DID, BECAUSE THEN YOU SEE THAT NOT EVERYTHING IS ROSES HERE.

IT'S HARD TO EVEN AFFORD LIVING HERE.

BUT THERE WASN'T A CLEAR TRANSITION OF HOW ARE WE HELPING THESE PEOPLE NOW?

BUT AT THE END OF THE MONTH, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.

>>YEAH.

I MEAN, HOW MUCH DOES THAT HOUSING CRISIS THAT WE TALK ABOUT, OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS IN THIS REGION PLAY INTO THIS?

I MEAN, I WAS COVERING THIS, YOU KNOW, PUERTO RICAN STRUGGLING TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE FIVE YEARS AGO IN THIS REGION.

IT'S GOT TO BE EVEN HARDER NOW, RIGHT?

>>WELL, I REMEMBER AT THAT TIME, I WAS COVERING SIMILAR STORIES AND I REMEMBER A STORY OF A FAMILY OF ABOUT TEN AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR THREE STORY HOME ON A MOUNTAIN IN PUERTO RICO, AND WE WERE COMFORTABLE.

FEMA CAME BY AND SAID THE HOUSE IS NOW UNLIVABLE.

WE CAN NO LONGER LIVE THERE.

SO WHAT HAPPENS?

THEY COME OVER TO CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THEY'RE LIVING.

IT WAS LIKE GENERATIONS, MULTIGENERATIONAL FAMILY, GRANDPARENTS, PARENTS AND GRANDCHILDREN, RIGHT?

SO IT'S ABOUT TEN PEOPLE LIVING IN TWO DIFFERENT MOTEL ROOMS, AS YOU MENTIONED.

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS?

I HAD DONE A STORY WHERE THE FEMA VOUCHER WAS ABOUT TO RUN OUT AND THEY GO, "WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

WE CAME OVER HERE PENNILESS WITH NOTHING."

IF YOU'RE IN PUERTO RICO, LIKE YOU SAY, MAKING $7.25 AN HOUR AND EVEN LESS AT THAT TIME, RIGHT?

FIVE YEARS AGO, AND YOU'RE JUST MAKING IT BY, BUT YOU HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LIVE AND YOU HAVE A CAR AND YOU'VE MADE A COMFORTABLE LIFE FOR YOURSELF.

YOU'RE STRUGGLING, BUT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE AND YOU HAVE A RELIABLE PLACE TO LIVE.

AND FOOD NOW THAT'S TAKEN FROM YOU.

NOW YOU'RE PENNILESS.

WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO NATURAL DISASTERS, THOSE WHO ARE LIVING IN POVERTY, POVERTY ARE THE MOST IMPACTED, RIGHT?

SO YOU COME OVER TO CENTRAL FLORIDA, YOU'RE GIVEN A VOUCHER FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, AND NOW YOU'RE GOING, WELL, I HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ASSIMILATE, TO LEARN NEW CULTURE, TO POTENTIALLY LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE AND TO GET A JOB WITH ALL THOSE PARAMETERS IN PLACE.

AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE FIRST MONTH, LAST MONTH RENT, YOU KNOW, AND PROVE ALL THESE FACTORS.

HOW CAN I DO THAT IN A MATTER OF MONTHS?

>>YEAH, RIGHT.

FOR A FAMILY OF TEN, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT?

AND THEN YOU HAVE OLDER PEOPLE WHO MAYBE WEREN'T EVEN WORKING ANYMORE WHEN THEY WERE IN PUERTO RICO.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S NOT AS EASY AS THERE NEEDS TO BE A BRIDGE THAT'S BUILT TO SAY, HEY, WE CAN PROVIDE THIS EMERGENCY HELP.

AND AFTER THAT, THERE'S A DIFFERENT CHAPTER FOR IF YOU'RE GOING TO STAY HERE AND HERE'S THE CHANNEL TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, OR THE CHANNEL TO GET YOU BACK HOME TO PUERTO RICO IF YOU CAN OR DESIRE TO THAT BRIDGE NEEDS TO BE BUILT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE HAVE SHORTAGES HERE, THERE IN NEED.

IF YOU'RE WORKING AT LAW ENFORCEMENT, IF YOU'RE A NURSE, IF YOU'RE A TEACHER, THESE ARE ALL SHORTAGES THAT WE'RE FEELING.

SO WHY DON'T WE ACTUALLY TRANSITION THOSE PEOPLE IN THOSE POSITIONS SO THEY HAVE A HOME AND A JOB AND THEY CAN MAKE A LIFE HERE IF THEY SO WISH, WHETHER IT BE LONG TERM OR SHORT TERM.

>>AND HURRICANE MARIA EXTENDS WAY FURTHER THAN JUST SEPTEMBER 20TH AND THE AFTERMATH.

AND THE YEAR LATER.

WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT PUERTO RICO IS EXTRA FRAGILE BECAUSE OF HURRICANE MARIA.

AND THEN THEY WENT THROUGH A SERIES OF EARTHQUAKES.

SO PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T LIVE LEAVE THE ISLAND DURING HURRICANE MARIA, AFTER THE EARTHQUAKES, THEY HAD TO COME HERE.

THERE WERE NO VOUCHERS THERE.

THERE WERE NO LIKE FEMA HELP THEN SO IT'S A DIFFERENT LIKE THERE'S THAT NATURAL DISASTER OF REFUGEES COMING HERE WITH A DIFFERENT SITUATION.

SO NOT EVERYBODY CAME DIRECTLY BECAUSE OF HURRICANE MARIA, BUT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE SITUATION DOWN IN PUERTO RICO AFTER HURRICANE MARIA, TOO, AND THEN AFTER THE EARTHQUAKES, THEY HAD THE PANDEMIC, MOST OF THE PUERTO RICANS LIVING HERE WERE WORKING IN TOURISM, WERE WORKING AT THE THEME PARKS IN THE AIRPORT.

WHEN EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN, THEY HAVE NOTHING AGAIN.

>>WELL, JUST FINALLY THIS EVENING, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU ALLUDED TO A LITTLE EARLIER, JENNIFER, AND THAT'S THE POLITICS THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE ASSIMILATION PROCESSES, I GUESS, FOR PUERTO RICANS THAT ARE COMING HERE.

I MEAN, WE'RE APPROACHING THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

WE'VE TALKED ON THIS PROGRAM BEFORE, YOU AND I, ABOUT POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND VOTER TURNOUT IN THE PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY, CENTRAL FLORIDA.

I MEAN, IS THERE ANY INDICATION THAT PUERTO RICANS WHO ARRIVED AFTER MARIA MIGHT BE FINDING THEIR VOICE MORE HERE?

DO WE KNOW WHAT SORT OF PARTICIPATION LEVELS ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE LIKELY TO BE.

>>THERE'S BIG GROUPS THAT ARE GETTING VERY ENGAGED IN THE POLITICS.

THEY WERE VERY ENGAGED IN THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.

I THINK THAT MOVING FORWARD TO NOVEMBER EIGHTH THERE'S A LOT TO WORK ON.

PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED ON LIKE BEING ABLE TO PAY THE RENT AT THE END OF THE MONTH.

THEY'RE FOCUSED ON BEING ABLE TO PUT FOOD ON THEIR TABLE.

THEY'RE STILL FIGURING A LOT OF THINGS OUT.

AND SOMETIMES ELECTIONS HERE, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE MAIN POINT AND THEY'RE IN THEIR MINDS, RIGHT?

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE TO DO IF THEY WANT TO REACH OUT THIS PUERTO RICAN POPULATION OR THE LATINO VOTE, THAT'S HOW IT'S CALLED, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND HOW ALL THIS LIKE HISPANICS HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA END UP VOTING.

SO THERE'S A BIG GROUP HERE THAT ARE LATINOS FOR BIDEN.

PUERTO RICANS FOR BIDEN, BUT THERE'S A HUGE GROUP OF PUERTO RICANS FOR TRUMP AS WELL.

SO IT'S VERY, VERY DIVIDED STILL.

>>I MEAN, THAT'S INTERESTING, ISN'T IT?

BECAUSE PEOPLE DO REFER TO "THE LATINO VOTE," RIGHT, IN FLORIDA.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY.

>>WHAT IS THAT?

>>RIGHT.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY RIDICULOUS BECAUSE IT'S IT'S NOT A HOMOGENOUS GROUP AT ALL.

>>WELL, THAT'S FUNNY.

WHEN I SAT DOWN VIA ZOOM AND SPOKE DOWN TO THE CURRENT GOVERNOR OF PUERTO RICO, HE GOT TO THE CONVERSATION ABOUT STATEHOOD.

AND THE WAY THINGS ARE BROKEN DOWN IN PUERTO RICO ISN'T NECESSARILY DEMOCRAT VERSUS REPUBLICAN.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH STATEHOOD VERSUS NOT STATEHOOD VERSUS STAYING A TERRITORY.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THERE'S THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S WHAT KIND OF BREAKS DOWN THE PARTIES.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF THE THE LAWMAKERS, THE CONCERN IS THAT, OH, WELL, THIS WILL ALL BE AUTOMATICALLY, YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATIC SENATORS, DEMOCRATIC VOTES.

YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE INCENTIVE THERE FOR REPUBLICANS TO VOTE ON THIS AND MAKE PUERTO RICO A STATE EVEN THOUGH THE PLEBISCITE CAME OUT THAT PUERTO RICANS DO WANT THAT.

BUT HE SAID THAT'S JUST NOT THE CASE ON THE ISLAND.

WE, HE'S LIKE, I'M A MODERATE.

BUT WE HAVE LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES HERE.

AND SO IT'S NOT AS HOMOGENOUS AS YOU WOULD THINK THEY ARE IN TERMS OF JUST BEING A DEMOCRATIC AREA.

>>OH CERTAINLY A FASCINATING TOPIC AND ONE THAT THE PARTIES ON THE MAINLAND ARE TRYING TO GET THEIR HEADS AROUND FOR SURE.

BE SURE TO JOIN THIS CONVERSATION, MAYBE YOU CAME TO FLORIDA FROM PUERTO RICO AFTER MARIA, TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCES WE'RE AT WUCFTV ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM.

WELL, THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK.

MY THANKS TO JENNIFER MARCIAL OCASIO AND KIRSTIN DELGADO.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 830 HERE ON WUCF.

FROM ALL OF US HERE AT NEWSNIGHT, TAKE CARE AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.