Superhero La Borinqueña's Next Mission: A Solar-Powered Grid for Puerto Rico

At the end of the story, there is an exclusive preview of the graphic novel.

The creators of the superhero comic La Borinque are working with the National Resource Defense Council to bring solar power to Puerto Rico. The land of the brave lord is named after the island's original Taino name.

The creators of the comic book series, a team of artists, and the Natural Resources Defense Council are working together to support solar energy in Puerto Rico. The 5th release in the Borinque universe is the book.

The actress is of Puerto Rican descent. She plays herself and is seen supporting La Borinque and the Nitainos, a superhero team that embodies different elements of Puerto Rico. They work with the main character to tackle issues like power equity and pollution in the graphic novel. Miranda-Rodriguez describes the character of the person as someone who can go in and out of different realities. She is an ally to La Borinque and the Nitainos in their efforts to address problems related to climate change and social justice issues in Puerto Rico.

Although the character is fictional, I see myself in her.

The book celebrates color, culture, and Caribbean resilience. You won't find the usual comic book onomatopoeia, but there are a lot of other things. Political corruption is one of the problems facing island residents.

The comic will explore how climate change affects Puerto Ricans in a number of ways, including domestic violence, cultural preservation, and equitable access to energy. The aftermath of natural disasters can amplify issues for vulnerable communities. While emergency services are overwhelmed and focused on reconstruction, domestic violence has been reported to happen more often. The number of women murdered by their partners nearly doubled after Hurricane Maria, according to an investigative report published in 2020. Women's rights organizations on the island called for a state of emergency over the spike in gender violence, but elected officials declined to do so.

Puerto Rico experienced the largest power failure in U.S. history during Hurricane Maria. Millions of people had spotty phone and internet service when power was not restored for almost a year. In the six months after Maria hit, nearly 3000 Puerto Ricans are thought to have died. Many people in remote areas went without necessary medical attention because the emergency response systems were overwhelmed. The people who died were poor or elderly.

The storm revealed an ugly truth about neglect and bad colonial policy to the rest of the world.

NRDC has worked with local organizations on expanding solar energy and preparing people for future storms in response to the infrastructural and resilience issues on the island. The upcoming La Borinque release will support NRDC in continuing to help more Puerto Ricans transition to solar energy through the La Borinque Grants Program.

After Hurricane Maria, Miranda-Rodriguez organized artists and worked with organizations to raise funds for the island's recovery. The next philanthropic project is the collaboration with NRDC. Miranda-Rodriguez wants La Borinque to be an updated, culturally relevant version of Captain Planet, which helped connect audiences to environmental concerns.

It was like in the 90s, when some kids grew up with this blue skin, green haired character. La Borinque is a fictional character, but she is based on real people. He said she looked like a real person.

The director of the NRDC's Southeast Energy, Climate, and Clean Energy Program is excited that the organization is part of the project. He was on the phone with his parents when the island was without power. He recalled that the line went dead.

He and other climate activists want a new energy system, not repairs to the current centralized model. He believes that a grid made up of rooftop solar panels would help vulnerable communities. Puerto Rico is an excellent location for rooftop solar energy and battery storage, but only 3% of the island's power comes from renewable sources, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands are the canary in the coal mine, unless we get off coal, those places are in deep trouble.

Some of the artists behind the comic series know how difficult it is to create art. Puerto Rican artists Eliana Falc and Francisco Javier Rodrguez have had to extend deadlines while working with Miranda-Rodriguez and the rest of the La Borinque. Working on the series has been an avenue for Rodr to show his feelings about the island's energy infrastructure and to support a transition to solar.

I was so angry after Maria. He said in Spanish that he didn't have any light or water.

Falc'n-Dvorsky has room in her fridge for neighbors who don't have to throw out their food when the power goes out. Her father has supported her in her transition to solar.

The system that her mother tried to transition into was not set up correctly. She supports the NRDC because she sees it with other island residents who have tried to go solar on their own. It was connected directly to LUMA.

Falc believes there isn't enough support and correct information for Puerto Ricans who are trying to find alternative ways to power their homes.

Miranda-Rodriguez hopes the new book will do even better than the previous one. He wants readers to support a clean-energy transition on the island.

The comic book can become a commercial if we use it.

The pages were illustrated by WillRosado, colored by Chris Sotomayor, and edited by Eliana Falc.

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