You Won’t See These Leaders on the News

www.ozy.com [OZY]( OZY A Modern Media Company Share This Sh*t December 10, 2022 Share This Sh*t [The drop]( YOU WON’T SEE THESE LEADERS ON THE NEWS From a tale of devastation emerges a story of leadership and hope. Sponsored by [Cariuma]( ‘I Went Into a State of Panic’ Sarah Brown in Rio de Janeiro [@BrSarahTr]( When her apartment’s windows could no longer sustain the downpour of the Category 4 hurricane, torrential rains began to fill Luz Grisselle’s apartment. “There was so much water that it entered [our home] in a cascade, it was a waterfall,” said Grisselle. “I went into a state of panic.” Grisselle turned her own sense of panic into action. She joined a group of women in the Torres de Francia condominium and set up a makeshift kitchen to prepare hot meals when food was scarce, providing a community spirit. Grisselle watched anxiously as the water flooded her home in the Torres de Francia complex of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in September 2017. Outside, Hurricane Maria wrecked Puerto Rico’s power grid, plunging the entire island into darkness. For 16 hours, there was no sound other than the deafening howl of the 155 mph winds that left streets debris-strewn, neighborhoods flattened, and the island starved of freshwater and medical aid — a crisis in which thousands of people perished. Against this backdrop, Grisselle turned her own sense of panic into action. She joined a group of women in the Torres de Francia complex and set up a makeshift kitchen to make food for as many people as possible. Even with no electricity and little access to basic necessities, the women helped hundreds of families survive by making them hot meals when food was scarce and providing a community spirit to keep hope alive. “This is a story of women using food as a platform, to redirect desperation to hope, to redirect inertia with passion,” said [Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto](. The award-winning advocate was the mayor of San Juan when the hurricane struck, and she met the women from Torres de Francia when they approached her for help. “These women have stayed tattooed in my soul from the moment I met them,” said Cruz Soto. Today, Cruz Soto is the host of [Sheroics](, OZY’s latest podcast and a platform for the stories of ordinary women doing extraordinary things, which launched recently on Dec. 7. The first season features stories told by Latin American guests. In the debut episode, Cruz Soto shares the real-life story that is close to her heart — about the extraordinary leadership that emerged from the rubble of Hurricane Maria, against all odds. ADVERTISEMENT [Our Favorite Gift To Give]( Winter is here and the festivities have begun. From caroling at your neighbor’s door to building snowmen in the front yard, [these sneakers](have to be in your lineup. They’re good-looking, crazy-comfy, and have been seen on everyone from surfers, to skaters and even celebs. And what better gift to give than the one that’s been a favorite of ours all year long? Made from consciously-sourced materials, they’re the perfect mix of elevated style and comfort. We can’t forget to mention – each pair purchased plants two trees in the Brazilian Rainforest AND ships to your doorstep in a single box packaging, made with 100% recycled and recyclable paper. We love gifts that are Mother-Earth-approved! Treat yourself this holiday season and use your personalized code, [OZYDEC for 15% off.]( [SHOP NOW]( ‘Human Cages’ In September 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by two hurricanes in quick succession. Hurricane Irma came first, on Sept. 7. With winds up to 180 mph, the Category 5 hurricane whipped across the Caribbean and the east coast of the U.S., causing flash floods, widespread power outages and colossal damage to infrastructure. Residents of Puerto Rico were still picking up the pieces of their debilitated island when, less than two weeks later, Hurricane Maria struck. The damage was catastrophic. The storm engulfed the island, making it disappear off the radar and leaving residents at the mercy of the hurricane’s relentless onslaught. With no elevators working and homes quickly filling with water, housing complexes like Torres de Francia became “human cages,” Cruz Soto said. You don’t have to be in the 6 o’clock news to be a leader. - C. Yulín Cruz Soto “The desolation, the stillness, it was eerie,” Cruz Soto recalled. A series of administrative failures compounded the direct effects of the hurricane. The island, a territory of the U.S. since 1898, waited for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, yet the response was slow. Vice President and then-[Senator Kamala Harris claimed]( at the time that, “The government failed Puerto Rico at every level.” But that didn’t deter the Torres de Francia women. They took matters into their own hands, determined to do what they could with the few resources they had. “You don’t have to be in the 6 o’clock news to be a leader,” said Cruz Soto. “These women exercised the most powerful leadership.” ADVERTISEMENT [Our Favorite Sneakers This Year]( We all know winter can have a tendency to get us down sometimes. The temps are dropping, the days are shorter and you often are looking for that one thing that brings you the warmth of the summer sunshine. We’re proud to say that we found it. The celeb fave – OCA Low Suede by [Cariuma]( is BACK IN STOCK after clearing a 77,000-person waitlist! You heard us. These celeb, skater, and surfer-loved kicks are back; say goodbye to their mile-long waitlist (for now). With mentions from Vogue, Fast Company, Forbes, and many, many more, they’re going to go fast…again. If you snag ‘em now, we promise you’ll be filled with warmth, cheer and you’ll sport our favorite sneakers of the year! JSYK: These sneakers never go on sale, but OZY readers get a special offer by clicking the link below and using the code [OZYDEC for 15% off](your next purchase. [TAKE ME SHOPPING]( NEW FROM OZY MEDIA PRODUCTIONS Uniting and celebrating women in sneaker culture and creating a space for everyone who loves dope kicks and fly 'fits. Check out Sneaker Fiends, hosted by The Notorious KIA -- new episodes drop every Thursday. Would you like to hear the stories of brave women who have turned hardship into crusades of love? Join the former Mayor of San Juan, C. Yulin Cruz, as she brings you these compelling stories in OZY Studio's new podcast Sheroics! ‘Start from Scratch’ The women of Torres de Francia scavenged the hurricane rubble for any resources they might be able to use. They took wood from the debris clogging the streets, then dried it and built fires for cooking. Fugal Ocasio, one of the women from Torres de Francia, described their initial efforts this way: “We’re going to start from scratch, but we will start.” The Torres de Francia kitchen became a model that was replicated in 26 other locations across San Juan. They went door to door, gathering any provisions that had weathered the storm. They bundled items together with relief donations that Cruz Soto provided to them from the flow of items arriving at the makeshift donation center in Roberto Clemente Stadium. Piece by piece, they were soon preparing lunch and dinner for hundreds of survivors, ultimately serving up food for over 400 families in the hurricane’s aftermath. Pots and pans bubbled over open flame as they cooked beans, rice, meats and sauces to provide nourishment for the people whose lives had been upended. This success story did not end at Torres de Francia, whose makeshift kitchen became a model that was replicated in 26 other locations across San Juan. The leadership by these women inspired a project that provided sustenance and hope to tens of thousands of people — yet they deny the heroism of their actions. “They just think it had to be done, and they just did it,” said Cruz Soto. “That humility is what makes them a real example for others.” This week’s episode of the [Sheroics podcast]( illuminates how a group of seemingly ordinary women emerged from their flooded apartments to become the unsung sheroes of San Juan. “It’s amazing how a single act of love has ripples so powerful,” said Cruz Soto. “Saying that they’re trailblazers, it’s an understatement.” COMMUNITY CORNER Tell us about a shero in your family or community. [SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS HERE]( [TV]( | [PODCASTS]( | [NEWS]( | [FESTIVALS]( OZY is a diverse, global and forward-looking media and entertainment company focused on “the New and the Next.” OZY creates space for fresh perspectives, and offers new takes on everything from news and culture to technology, business, learning and entertainment. #OZYMedia, #TheDrop OZY Media, 800 West El Camino Mountain View, California 94040 This email was sent to {EMAIL} [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Read Online](