I. ¡Ay María!

The play ¡Ay María! was performed around the island in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. It was produced by Mariana Carbonell, directed by the street-theater activist, Maritza Pérez, and co-created by a group of independent actors as a way of coping with their own personal experiences that characterized everyday life during and after the storm.

Some of the topics that the play represents are the devastation of the hurricane, governmental neglect and misinformation, lack of public services, health care, and the displacement of a big part of the population.

Just like in Newark, 1974 the collective (although at times fragmented) body is the protagonist.

Recommended Film and Discussion

Relevant Data

.According to several studies between 3,000-4,000 people died as a result of neglectful conditions after Hurricane Maria.

.Approximately 160,000 residents of the island relocated to the United States after Hurricane Maria, mostly to Florida. This movement represents one of the most significant migrations of Puerto Ricans to the U.S. mainland in the island’s history in terms of both volume and duration. Puerto Rico has lost 12% of its population in the last decade.

.Studies by the Department of Education established that 57% of children experienced PTSD symptoms. They had a friend or family member leave Puerto Rico, 45% reported damage to their homes and 32% experienced shortages of water or food. Also, about one-third of the children surveyed felt their lives were at risk during or after the storm.

.According to the Puerto Rican newspaper Metro adults on the island have also experienced psychological challenges, including stress and trauma, in the wake of Maria. In the nine months following the storm, suicides increased by 18% and calls to Puerto Rico’s main suicide hotline rose 13% compared with the previous year. Suicide rates are still on the rise.

Recommended Article

A New Report Questions the Federal Response to Hurricane Maria By Stephen Ross Johnson

Individual Analysis

Discuss Marisa’s argument on page 58. Search for other sections of the play to explain the quote and support your analysis:

“Now we can see how badly administered this country is from the Department of Consumer Affairs to the Department of Housing, Health, and Education. While people were going hungry, the government was signing multimillion-dollar contracts with American companies, and you get to thinking, what has the government ever done for us?”

Climate Activism in the Aftermath of Maria

What connections do you see between the play’s ending and the reportage?

Update: Fiona