"No University has faced what UVI has encountered in the last two weeks. We could not have imagined that our two beautiful campuses would be severely harmed by two catastrophic events that attempted to take away the dreams of our students. Yet it is in the face of unimaginable destructions and challenges that we must imagine a future that embraces and exceeds our dreams. UVI will not only rise again, but it will be more creative, profound, resilient and prosperous than it was before, or than we ever imagined." - UVI President David Hall (1).
 
After hurricanes Irma and Maria, the University of Virgin Islands is trying to raise close to $1,000,000 to rebuild their campuses and reimagine possibilities for their students, staff, and beyond.
 
Sign, share, and donate to help SOSOADAE raise the profile of this issue (2).

The truth is, we have two crises in the US Caribbean post hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The USVI is a close neighbour to Puerto Rico. Their student athletes share an intercollegiate league. So why haven't we heard about the suffering of USVI Americans in our outrage over US Caribbean hurricane relief?

Instead of raising the plight of US Virgin Islanders with Puerto Rico, the media has given us what can only be understood as anti-Black micro-aggressive comparisons to the US disaster response in Haiti (3) after the 2010 quake and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

The sad irony is that along with these comparisons, neither Puerto Rican relief activists, national progressive leadership, nor the media in general have raised the plight of the US Virgin Islands in their hurricane relief narratives, despite knowing that the USVI is in a situation as dire, if not worse, than that of PR.

At a recent press event for Puerto Rico Hurricane relief, I had the opportunity to speak with Rep. Raúl Grijalva  - longtime AZ congressional district three representative and respected member and co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (4) - to raise the question of why post-Maria hurricane relief in the US Caribbean is a discussion of Puerto Rico alone and not Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. He suggested that the matter rests with Black local and national leadership in raising the profile of the USVI issue.

If this is true, is unfortunate given that Black leadership often raises the profile of so many underrepresented populations, regardless of race, while raising their own - 

But if this is true, and Black leadership, in helping others, will not acknowledge and raise the plight of the US Virgin Islands, we at SOSOADAE desire to disrupt this quiet process.

The UVI Rise Relief Fund

In the wake of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the University of Virgin Islands sustained significant damage, and their classes are suspended indefinitely, but this isn't how they intend to end this story.

The institution is presently trying to raise almost $1,000,000 to feed, clothe, and house students and staff in recovery and rebuild their campuses so that classes can resume.

As I am writing this, the UVI has raised around $16,500. We believe that given the voice raised for Puerto Rico, UVI Rise Relief could twice exceed its goal. 

Help SOSOADAE raise the profile of this issue - And let’s end the silence and let US Virgin Islanders know that they are not forgotten as Americans.

Here's how you can help:

1. Text 2017Irma14 to 71777 and make a 100% tax deductible donation to the UVI Rise Relief Fund, or
2. Make an online donation.
3. Sign and Share!

If the donation links do not work, please copy and paste this link to your browser: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/2017IRMA/SOSOADAEL3C

Other ways you can support USVI Hurricane Relief:

Donate:

• 21 US Virgin Islands http://21usvihurricanehelp.com/
• US Virgin Islands disaster funds: http://onislandtimes.com/st-john-hurricane-irma-disaster-fund/

USVI in the media, post Irma and Maria:

• People: Victims of Hurricane Irma in the US Virgin Islands: Don't forget us. https://people.com/human-interest/victims-of-hurricane-irma-in-the-u-s-virgin-islands-dont-forget-us/amp/
• After Hurricane Irma, Bloomberg heads to devastated US Virgin Islands to raise awareness. https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/after-hurricane-irma-bloomberg-heads-to-devastated-u-s-virgin-islands-to-raise-awareness-1048419395655
• NYT - In the Virgin Islands, Hurricane Maria drowned what Irma didn't destroy. https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/09/27/us/hurricane-maria-virgin-islands.html

Sources:

1. UVI President David Hall's statement on UVI after Irma and Maria. http://www.uvi.edu/administration/about-uvi/hurricane_irma_maria_recovery.aspx
2. SOSOADAE stands with USVI https://howtososoadae.com/standforusvi/ (for the full version of this petition)
3. Washington Post compares PR disaster response to 2010 Haitian earthquake https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/investigations/us-responded-to-haiti-quake-more-forcefully-than-to-puerto-rico-disaster/2017/09/28/74fe9c02-a465-11e7-8cfe-d5b912fabc99_story.html
4. Congressman Raúl Grijalva. https://grijalva.house.gov/3rd-district/