On the occasion of the Week of the Leader and Community Groups and Community Self-Managementthe non-profit organization Science Puerto Rico (CienciaPR) published the digital book “Science and solidarity: Stories of community leaders in Puerto Rico”which highlights the experiences of 11 citizens who use science to address the needs and priorities of their communities.
“Leaders play a crucial role in putting science at the service of their communities. “These people have a very rich knowledge about the realities, needs and priorities of their people, and that positions them as the most appropriate people to use science to create contextualized solutions”said the doctor Mónica Feliú Mójerdirector of the Public Participation in Science Unit at CienciaPR, in a press release.
“That is why, in the past four years, CienciaPR has strived to establish solid links with leaders, providing them with tools and opportunities to strengthen the solutions already present within their communities,” he emphasized.
The leaders portrayed in “Science and Solidarity” reside in San Juan, Guayama, Loíza, Trujillo Alto, Ponce, Mayagüez and Yabucoa, although their impact extends beyond their municipalities. They serve diverse communities, including public housing residents, older adultspeople with functional diversity and the deaf communityamong other. Her names are Yamilette Luciano Ruiz, Frances Felton, Jeffrey Rivera Sanabria, Jessica Galletti, Mirta Colón Pellecier, Lohary Munet Piñeiro, Sor Faustina Rodríguez, Lenis Rodríguez Amaro, Aslín Estrada Díaz, Evelyn Medina Bonilla and Lucía Santana Benítez.
Feliú Mójer highlighted that they were all participants in Here we take care of ourselves, a community and multimedia project that promotes prevention and well-being, and the Community Science Laboratory (CienciaCoLab), which supports leaders in carrying out local projects. Both are initiatives of the Public Participation in Science Unit of CienciaPR.
The book is available for download, free of charge, at this link. Also, it will be available on Amazon and all income generated from its sale will support CienciaPR's community efforts.