New York pledges $280,000 to Puerto Rico resilience centers

The annual Somos Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, focused this week on policy, culture, and support for working families. The event, held at the Caribe Hilton under the theme 'Opening paths: 40 years of legacy,' concluded on Saturday with several new announcements from New York officials.

Governor Kathy Hochul detailed a plan to deepen cooperation between the State University of New York and the University of Puerto Rico. This partnership, which began in 2018, aims to improve student success and research. Under the new agreement, ten students from each institution will participate in a field research exchange on hydrogeology during the spring 2027 semester. The collaboration specifically links SUNY Buffalo with the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez.

Hochul also named Dr. Luis Colón, a chemistry professor at SUNY Buffalo, as the first academic collaboration fellow. Colón will lead efforts to expand educational opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions. "New York is proud to continue strengthening the alliance between SUNY and the University of Puerto Rico," Hochul said. "We are building bridges that benefit students in both systems."

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. described the inter-institutional collaboration as evidence of New York's commitment to student success in the island. He noted that these alliances prepare students for future careers. "Through these innovative alliances, SUNY offers our students opportunities to prepare for their future careers," King said.

A separate agreement involves the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Through its BRIDGE program, the department will launch a competitive summer internship for University of Puerto Rico students in gerontology and public health. The eight-week program, funded by the Administration for Community Living, will run in June and July. Applications open in January. Participants will receive supervision in geriatrics and geriatric psychiatry, including care for people with Alzheimer's disease. They will also engage in mentored research and community health education.

The Hispanic Federation and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York announced a $280,000 investment to support ten community resilience centers in Puerto Rico. The funds will provide water storage systems, backup power, and kitchen infrastructure. These centers are designed to help communities prepare for and respond to the island's water crisis, hurricanes, and other emergencies.

Hochul stated that her administration supports the installation of water cisterns to help families mitigate limited access to potable water. Frankie Miranda, president of the Hispanic Federation, emphasized that these community-led centers have been vital in past responses. "When organized communities have the necessary resources to prepare, respond, and recover quickly from disasters, people are safer and lives are saved," Miranda said.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Comptroller Mark Levine, and state senators and assembly members also attended the conference. The event served as a platform for these leaders to discuss shared policy goals with Puerto Rican stakeholders.