ISER Caribe promotes healthy and sustainable livelihoods, by endorsing a model that is economically viable and oriented towards the preservation of the environment and the empowerment of communities.  As a research and educational organization based in Puerto Rico we engage and connect with communities across the Caribbean and in coastal communities across the Americas on projects related to marine restoration and conservation, climate change, and social and environmental justice. Through our collaborative projects we build consensus that allows us to develop participatory actions, capacity building and horizontal knowledge transfer through applied research, local outreach activities, and education. We expect that our work will lead to community-led stewardship of natural resources within social ecological systems, and healthier more just ecosystems and communities.