Hundreds Raise Money For Puerto Rico In Harlem

PX11 reports that the night was called Boricuas United. Hundreds gathered in East Harlem for a Puerto Rican relief fund raiser with lots of style, Salsa and substance.

There was incredible performances of dancing, poetry and comedy all for a cause near and dear to all those in attendance:

“It was a devastation hurricane. This is something we have got to do for our community,” Violeta Galagarza, the Boricuas United organizer, told PIX11. “Puerto Rico is my life. I’m Puerto Rican. Nuorican. My blood runs as a Puerto Rican.”

Three weeks after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico,  much of the island remains dark and without clean water. The death toll stands at 48.

City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito just returned from there.

“Our US citizens are worth the same as anyone in Florida and Texas,” Mark-Viverito told the crowd, “but the response we received is way, way inadequate.”

At the Sunday night fundraiser, Major Workd presented a check for $10,000 and everyone in attendance donated $20 each to the Hispanic Federation.

“We also brought two cases of water,” Kenia Andrade, one of those attending the fundraiser, told PIX11. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve been doing what we can, trying to help.”

PIX11 has been reporting extensively on the devastation and relief efforts and now we are partnering with Puerto Rican Yankee Legend Jorge Posada’s Foundation to get more help to the island.

“Hurricane Maria was devastating. No electricity, no food, no water. We need your help,” Posada told PIX11.

So the relief efforts continue in New York and in Puerto Rico and PIX11 will be traveling with the Jorge Posada Foundation to Puerto Rico and will have live reports starting Tuesday.

To donate to PIX11 relief effort click here.