Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: A Poetic Tribute to Puerto Rico In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting a powerful piece by Bow Seat alum Jay Gangadin, a We All Rise Prize winner from Maineville, Ohio. Through his poem, Jay captures the devastation Hurricane Maria left on Puerto Rico and the ongoing resilience of its people. Inspired by his mother’s homeland, Jay’s words reflect the unyielding strength of Puerto Ricans as they rebuild their communities and fight for a sustainable, empowered future. In his reflection, Jay shared, “The personal connection with my mother’s homeland served as my primary inspiration. My poem focuses on the destructive path of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, where the estimated death toll surpassed 3,000. Puerto Rico has yet to fully recover, and with each storm season, the island’s vulnerable infrastructure faces new threats. The diaspora and those on the island must continue advocating for revitalization, systemic improvements, and p...