My dear Moms of Puerto Rico,
I am so sorry. For days after your island was historically devastated by the powerful Hurricane Maria, your fellow Americans argued loudly about the proper observance of our national anthem and cast only a side glance at your suffering.
It is inexcusable.
But make no mistake, you, my American sisters, are loved and cared for. Slowly but surely, your fellow moms here on the main land States have been rallying each other to help. We’ve been shouting about it on Facebook, we’ve been linking to ways to donate, we’ve been donating money, and we’ve been organizing supply drives. Finally, we are waking up and GETTING BUSY to come to your aid. Our children are raising money with lemonade stands and collecting much-needed hygiene supplies at their elementary schools.
Our college students are making their mamas proud, and rallying around the students from Puerto Rico who attend their universities. They are hosting fundraising and supply drives as well. Their optimism and energy will soon, oh so soon I pray, change your lives for the better.
It took these grassroots movements and some star power to get the media more interested in covering your story—and that is so, so wrong on many levels. But now that more people know of your desperation, the giving is rolling in and snowballing.