Her name is: Cynthia
She is from: Villalba and Ponce, Puerto Rico
The reason she started doing this work: Cynthia believes every community deserves access to healthy ecosystems and the power to shape its own future. Her work bridges science, design, and justice to help communities imagine and build climate-ready places.
One fun fact: She can turn any walk—no matter how short—into a full ecological tour, complete with soil, tree, and water-cycle commentary.
Her name is: Mariangelie
She are from: Comerío, Puerto Rico
The reason they started doing this work: A natural-born leader, she helped rebuild her community after Hurricane María. She believes communities hold the deepest understanding of their own solutions and should always lead the way.
One fun fact: She’s becoming an avid birdwatcher and spots new species everywhere she goes.
His name is: Sebastián
He is from: San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico
The reason he started doing this work: Sebastián is a sociologist, agroecological farmer, and environmental planner committed to transforming how communities relate to land, food, and climate resilience.
One fun fact: He has a legendary power of persuasion—he can convince almost anyone that anything is possible.
Their name is: Erid
They are from: Caguas, Puerto Rico
The reason they started doing this work: A community leader who became a skilled botanist and organizer through lived experience, he believes in the power of people caring for their own territories through collective stewardship.
One fun fact: He can climb a coconut palm faster than a lizard—and he’s proud of it.
Puerto Rico
In May of 2025, the Puerto Rican community organization La Maraña launched a Community Forest Service program which aims to reduce urban heat islands through reforestation and depaving efforts. Through the project, they are collecting climate and public health data that will help understand the implications of urban heat islands and develop additional actions to mitigate their effects.
Currently, they are focusing on the design, purchase of materials, and construction of the first community nursery at Urbe Apie’s Huerto Feliz. It is the first step toward planting 400 trees in the Caguas town center. This nursery will be a space of sowing, learning, and meeting—a place where the community can cultivate and support reforestation processes. In addition, the nursery will strengthen the collective work, creating links and projects that are born from the community and for the community. Cities tend to get much warmer than their surrounding rural landscapes, particularly during the summer. This temperature difference occurs when cities’ unshaded roads and buildings heat up during the day and radiate that heat into the surrounding air. La Maraña uses participatory design as a catalyst for transformation. They advocate for collective management, where communities drive innovative solutions and sustainable development.