Past Projects
Cultural Heritage
ISER Caribe is exploring and conserving our Caribbean Cultural Heritage involves delving into the rich traditions, languages, art, music, and historical narratives that shape the identity of the region. ISER Caribe’s endeavor encompasses the celebration and transmission of intangible cultural elements, fostering a deep appreciation for the diverse and interconnected histories that define the unique cultural heritage of the Caribbean.
Samana Community Archive
After Spanish Haiti and the Republic of Haiti were integrated into one nation in 1822, invitations were extended in 1824 to freed African American communities in the United States to help build the first Black republic in the Americas. The largest grouping of these descendant communities still lives in Samaná, Dominican Republic. ISER Caribe is supporting the transnational celebration of this migration's 200-year anniversary by helping in the development of the Historical center, supporting the formation of a music academy and developing a virtual archive to conserve and share historical documents pertaining to the daily lives of the community.
Community Outreach & Support
ISER Caribe’s community outreach program connects with and serves communities through targeted activities, events, or services. These programs aim to build positive relationships, address community needs, and promote mutual understanding, fostering a sense of collaboration and support for the overall well-being and development of the community.
La Playa Reverdece
La Playa Reverdece is a community-sponsored initiative from the Playa de Ponce focused on improving the livelihoods of the playeros by supporting the arts and culture. The Playa Reverdece advocates for responsible stewardship of the marine and coastal resources of Ponce and works towards developing a new sustainable urban development of the Ponce beach area.
Gardening Workshops
About one-third of adult residents in Puerto Rico experience food insecurity due to reliance on foreign food imports. To help combat this problem and create more locally produced food, ISER Caribe conducted a series of workshops to teach the community how to develop different types of gardens. These series of workshops are freely available on >> ISER Caribe’s YouTube channel.
Rain Gardens
Green infrastructures are rare in Puerto Rico and solutions are needed to address water quality issues throughout the island. To help address water quality, ISER Caribe developed five rain gardens in communities at the Playa de Ponce that suffer from flooding problems and non-point source water contamination. The rain gardens were developed in collaboration with the School of Architecture of the Universidad Católica de Ponce.
WATTA Mobile Emergency System
ISER Caribe collaborated with BEMBA PR, an art collective that works out of Taller Lumpen in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, to install two water collection systems. In addition, we collaborated on the development of the Watta, which is a mobile device that can be used to provide water and power to communities in need of these services. These collaborations were under the Mayagüez Art District (M.A.D.) project.