Environmental Justice in the Puerto Rican Archipelago:  A Study of the Parque La Ceiba de Vieques

This project seeks to establish an eco-cultural study of the Ecological Park of the Ceiba Tree of Vieques, Puerto Rico. The community-led park features a 350-year-old ceiba tree, a pillar of local cultural heritage that has withstood centuries of environmental colonialism, including decades of chemical weapon use by the U.S. Navy. After performing advance research remotely, students will spend twelve days (over J-term and spring break) onsite working under the direction of Professor Charlotte Rogers to produce a digital archive of local materials and write an explanatory finding aid, all to be donated to the Digital Library of the Caribbean and Ceiba Park activists. Students will acquire research experience in Caribbean archives, public-facing writing experience, and an understanding of how local efforts intersect with global issues of environmental justice.