Columbia Center for Oral History Portal > Mi María oral history collection, 2018-2020
| Project: | Mi María oral history collection,
(see all project interviews) | Phys. Desc. : | Transcripts: 1060 pages sound file : digital preservation master, WAV files video file : digital preservation master, mp4 file | | Location: | Columbia Center for Oral History | | Full CLIO record >> |
Biographical NoteThe Mi María oral history collection consists of interviews conducted for the project "Mi María: Puerto Rico after the Hurricane." The project sought to study the impacts of Hurricane María and its aftermath on the people of Puerto Rico. It was led by Dr. Ricia Anne Chansky, professor in the Department of English at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. The project was designed as a large-scale public humanities project using biographical methodologies, with a focus on oral history. Conceptually, the project was situated within the contexts of critical disaster studies, environmental humanities, social justice, and climate justice. The project was undertaken in collaboration with social justice nonprofit Voice of Witness and the Humanities Action Lab "Initiative on Climate and Environmental Justice," led by Rutgers University. The interviews that were deposited at the Oral History Archives at Columbia were conducted between 2018 and 2020. They were part of a larger program of education, outreach, and scholarly output. At the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, approximately 150 undergraduate students were trained in protocols around interviewing, transcription, translation, editing, and oral history ethics. Digital and traveling exhibits were created through the Humanities Action Lab that used interviews and other sources and modes of expression. A monograph, Mi María: Surviving the Storm, was published in 2021 as part of the Voice of Witness series of Haymarket Books. This book was edited by Ricia Chansky and Marci Denesiuk, and it features interviews from the collection
Scope and ContentsThe Mi María oral history collection contains interviews conducted as part of of a large-scale public history project of the same name. Interviews document narrators' expriences during and following Hurricane María, which struck Puerto Rico and surrounding islands in September of 2017.
The collection reveals a rich tapestry of personal experiences related to Hurricane María and its profound impact on the lives of diverse individuals in Puerto Rico. The accounts offer insights into the lived experiences of the hurricane's aftermath, personal and community resilience, and the ongoing challenges faced during recovery. Themes of family, professional dedication, cultural identity, and personal tragedy are recurrent. In addition to dealing with the immediate effects of Hurricane Maria, many interviewees reflect on their lives before the hurricane, discussing their backgrounds, careers, and the events that led them to where they were when the hurricane struck. Many interviews address healthcare in the hurricane and its aftermath, including several interviews addressing childbirth. Other interviews document damage to homes, farms, and infrastructure and the challenges of rebuilding.
The collection also offers stories of migration and return to PuertoRico that underline themes of cultural identity, connection with the land, and familial ties. Mi María delves into the socio-economic and political landscape of Puerto Rico, including discussions on neocolonialism, economic inequality,and the complexities of Puerto Rican identity and nationality.
The collection's narrators are Carlos Bonilla Rodríguez, Lorel Cubano Santiago, Windy Díaz Díaz, Carlos Figueroa Vázquez, Luis Flores López, José García Sepúlveda, Sandra and Israel González, Neysha Irizarry Ortiz, Shania Tatyanna Lind González, Ramón López Soto, Vivienne Miranda Rodríguez, Miliana Ivelisse Montañez León, Rafael Ramos Díaz, Nilda Rodríguez Collazo, Emmanuel Rodríguez, and Belle Marie Torres Velázquez
SubjectsAccess ConditionsCopyrights are held by the respective interviewees. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York hold a non-exclusive license to enable library activities
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