New coalition seeks to help Puerto Ricans adapt to life in Florida

A dozen civil organizations are teaming up to help Puerto Rican migrants settle in Central Florida, as islanders seek better economic conditions on the mainland.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which devastated the island’s infrastructure and caused millions of dollars worth of damage last year, Puerto Rican migration to the mainland has accelerated. Central Florida, especially, has seen a sharp uptick in migration, putting pressure on the region’s services.

The new organization, Abrazo Boricua, will be announced Thursday in Orlando and aims to help thousands of Puerto Rican families that have resettled in the Orlando region.

Abrazo Boricua — which translates to “Puerto Rican hug” — includes national Latino organizations like UnidosUS and the Hispanic Federation, as well as local faith and community organizations.

“The Latino community must come together in order to ensure that Puerto Rican families can successfully transition into the Orlando area,” said Betsy Franceschini, the Hispanic Federation’s senior state director of Florida and the Southeast.

“With over 200,000 Puerto Ricans having arrived in Florida since Hurricane Maria, we must all come together and ensure our American brothers and sisters have the tools they need to have a smooth transition into the Orlando area,” she said.

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Florida hosts the fastest-growing Puerto Rican population of the 50 states, a pattern that can partially be attributed to the hurricane and the state’s proximity to the island. Given that trend, the state could also house the largest mainland-based population of Puerto Ricans, as of this year.

Rep. Darren Soto (D-Fla.), who represents the region and is of Puerto Rican descent, said the large influx of newcomers was important because of the group’s size, but also because it is “symbolic and cherished by the 1.1 million of us already in Florida of Puerto Rican descent.”

According to Soto, Florida has adapted well to the new population.

“Most of the services, even though we’re a low-service state, have been there for what is absolutely needed. We’re a no-frills, no-services, low-tax state in Florida so you have to look at it through that prism,” he said. “The missing piece that we’ve been fighting for is affordable housing. But this is nothing new.”

Still, Puerto Ricans who are new to the state may not be accustomed to business dealings in Florida or may struggle with the language barrier more so than they would on the island. Abrazo Boricua aims to help people find jobs, register to vote, enroll in school and find housing, among other services.

“As a community, we have a duty to alleviate uncertainty and stress caused by this transition, reduce barriers to employment, increase job retention and employer satisfaction, and promote economic stability and prosperity in our community,” said Marcos Vilar, campaign director of Abrazo Boricua. “We look forward to starting this work and helping Puerto Rican families settle into the Orlando area.” 

And voter registration is a key issue for the Democratic-leaning community in the ultimate swing state.

“We care about them, and their well-being motivates us,” Soto said. “But you also have to look at the other side of the story which is the reason you have [Democratic Sen. Bill] Nelson, [Republican Gov. Rick] Scott and others jumping over themselves about the Puerto Rican vote, is the 1.1 million of us who are already there.”

Scott is challenging Nelson for his Senate seat.

“In a state where the last four major statewide elections, or five, Scott twice, Obama twice, and Trump were all decided by 1 point, any group that size can do a lot,” Soto said.