EL

REFUGIO BOARD MEMBER PRESENTATION

NUEVA VIDA

2387 Holmden Avenue

Cleveland, OH 44109

CENTER FOR INFORMATION, ORIENTATION, AND HELP FOR THE REFUGEES

THE REFUGE

October 2017

EL REFUGIO BOARD MEMBERS

President: Steve Flores

Email: sabwafer62@sbcglobal.net

Vice-President: Lourdes Saldaa

Email: 1969capu@gmail.com
Secretary: Marilyn Reyes
Email: (work) mrivera@kelley-ferraro.com; (personal) maguie20@yahoo.com

Treasure: Leonna Mieses

Email: leonnamieses@gmail.com

Public Relations: Angel Cortes

Email:

Vocals:
Nilda Arroyo
Email: rnilda2009@yahoo.com

Enrique Reyes
Email: enriquehvac@yahoo.com

Miriam Castillo
Email: castillo4337@hotmail.com

Kandy Pinto:
Email: sorayaburgos03as@gmail.com

Jonathan Feliciano
Email: Jonblaze23@gmail.com

Arlene Rodriguez:
Email: monarod35@gmail.com

Juan Romero (216) 309-9834

 Strategic Plan Presentation

Part I Real Crisis situation

The mass movement of people leaving the island by the crisis after hurricane Maria.
Part II Citizen History

Brief History:

Barely a month before the United States enters World War I, President Woodrow Wilson signs
the Jones-Shafroth act, granting U.S. citizenship to the inhabitants of Puerto Rico.

Located about 1,000 miles southeast of Floridaand less than half that distance from the coast
of South AmericaPuerto Rico was ceded to the U.S. by Spain in December 1898 as part of the
Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War. In 1900, a Congressional act created a
civil government for the island; the first governor under this act, Charles H. Allen, was appointed
by President William McKinley and inaugurated that May in Puerto Ricos capital city, San
Juan.

On March 2, 1917, Wilson signed the Jones-Shafroth Act, under which Puerto Rico became a
U.S. territory and Puerto Ricans were granted statutory citizenship, meaning that citizenship was
granted by an act of Congress and not by the Constitution (thus it was not guaranteed by the
Constitution). The act also created a bill of rights for the territory, separated its government into
executive, legislative and judicial branches, and declared Puerto Ricos official language to be
English.

As citizens, Puerto Ricans could now join the U.S. Army, but few chose to do so. After Wilson
signed a compulsory military service act two months later, however, 20,000 Puerto Ricans were
eventually drafted to serve during World War I. Puerto Rican soldiers were sent to guard the
Panama Canal, the important waterway, in operation since 1914, which joined the Atlantic and
Pacific Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama in Central America. Puerto Rican infantry regiments
were also sent to the Western Front, including the 396th Infantry Regiment of Puerto Rico,
created in New York City, whose members earned the nickname Harlem Hell Fighters.

Later, during World War II, Puerto Rico became an important military and naval base for the
U.S. Army. Its economy continued to grow, aided by a hydroelectric-power expansion program
instituted in the 1940s. In 1951, Puerto Rican voters approved by referendum a new U.S. law
granting the islanders the right to draft their own constitution. In March 1952, Luis Munoz
Marin, Puerto Ricos governor, proclaimed Puerto Rico a freely associated U.S. commonwealth
under the new constitution; the status was made official that July. Though nationalist agitation
for the islands complete independence from the U.S. was a constantas were calls for Puerto
Rico to become a statesubsequent referendums confirmed the decision to remain a
commonwealth.

Part III- Plan Development

CENTER FOR INFORMATION, ORIENTATION, AND HELP FOR THE REFUGEES

THE REFUGE

VISION:

To be an instrument of information, orientation and help to emigrant, immigrants and refugees

from all nations.

MISION:

Provide the necessary help and orientation needed in moments of economic and family disaster.

PURPOSE:

To have a place where immigrants can find the necessary assistance to establish
themselves in the city of Cleveland and in the state of Ohio.
Utilize the available resources to channel the distribution of the help that are necessary in
moments of catastrophe within and outside of the United States.
Channel the acquisition of a refuge or shelter to temporarily house refugees.
Channel the acquisition of food, clothes, furniture and temporary and permanent housing
for the refugees of Hurricane Maria and other natural disasters.

Who would benefit from these services?

1. A person or family that come seeking refuge and placement in Cuyahoga County.
2. A person or family that arrived to the city of Cleveland who have been impacted by
Hurricane Maria on the island of Puerto Rico.
 FIRST STAGE OF EMERGENCY

The first stage of emergency will be focused on the refugees from the island of Puerto Rico.

Why Puerto Rico?

We know that prior to the disastrous earthquake in Mexico and the devastation caused by
Hurricanes Irma and Maria to the Caribbean islands, many institutions focused on the sending of
humanitarian aid to temporarily support the victims but almost no one thinks of the migratory
need that natural disasters provoke. The passing of Hurricane Maria over Puerto Rico and the
Caribbean was devastating, that could possibly cause a forced migration from each country.
Mexico and the other Caribbean islands, have migratory barriers but Puerto Rico, due to the
difficult living conditions after the hurricane and their US citizenship status, would be the
greatest number of forced immigrants to ensure the safety of their families.

Why Cleveland, Ohio?

Due to being victims of the hurricane, the Puerto Ricans would not take hurricanes zones like
Florida and other states as options for re-location. Consequently, many will think about
Cleveland to establish themselves. We are proposing an organization of an information center,
orientation and emergency assistance and continue to work with the establishment and
permanency of this necessary center.

AGENDA MEETING OCTOBER 26 2017

Topics:

Agency invited introduction

El Refugio Presentation

Discussion