The historical context and journey of Puerto Rico's environmental activism
From colonization to community activism, this timeline traces the key events that shaped Puerto Rico's environmental movement and the formation of Casa Pueblo.
Christopher Columbus arrives in Puerto Rico, beginning centuries of colonial influence.
Spain cedes Puerto Rico after decades of exploitation, shifting colonial control to the United States.
The Jones Act is established, which severely limited Puerto Rico's economic development by restricting shipping and trade.
Four large American corporations controlled more than half of sugar production and owned over 120,000 acres of the best lands in Puerto Rico.
A corporate plan to exploit Puerto Rico's natural resources, including mining 37,000 acres for copper, gold, silver, nickel, chromium, and cobalt.
Art and Culture Workshop of Adjuntas is established, which would later become the precursor to Casa Pueblo.
Tinti teaches English in 7th grade where Ivan becomes her student, creating connections that would later become important for the movement.
Alexis and Tinti acquire the old mansion that would become Casa Pueblo headquarters, establishing a permanent base for their activism.
Tinti and Alexis were among just 7 people at their first meeting. Five left, saying there was "no way to save" Puerto Rico, but they persisted.
They developed the "pedagogy of resistance" formula: science + culture + community = change, establishing their methodology for activism.
Created "Concert Homeland" with 18 children performing folk dancing, using cultural expression as a form of resistance and education.
Organized 12+ kite festivals with anti-mining messages, using creative public events to spread awareness about environmental threats.
Established the Hostos Library to provide access to books, including "prohibited" literature, creating educational resources for the community.
Created a craft store and developed Café Madre Isla coffee, establishing economic independence and sustainable business models.
Saved the town forest, protecting 1,000 acres of land from development and extractive industries.
Established Bosque Escuela (Forest School) on 150 acres, creating an environmental education center for the community.
Protected La Olympia forest, preserving another 1,000 acres of critical habitat and ecosystem.
Protected the Río Grande de Arecibo watershed, which provides water to San Juan, securing a critical water resource for the island's population.
Started with all volunteer work, building a community-based movement from the ground up.
Used art and culture as "the artistic fuse of our fight," leveraging creative expression for social and environmental change.
Engaged children and youth through cultural activities, ensuring the movement would continue through future generations.
Coordinated a demonstration where 800 school students formed "No Mines" with their bodies, creating a powerful visual statement against mining.
Developed economic self-sufficiency through the craft store and coffee production, creating a model for sustainable activism.
The work of Casa Pueblo and activists like Tinti Deya continues to shape Puerto Rico's environmental and cultural landscape today.
Their story, documented in "TINTI: When We Almost Lost Puerto Rico," serves as both a historical record and an inspiration for future generations of environmental and cultural activists.
A documentary film by Eliud Lamboy