It has been almost four months since Hurricane Maria formed and left in her path destruction for many Caribbean countries. When Hurricane Maria first devastated the Caribbean I was proud to see many families and businesses working together to prepare supplies and conduct trips to Puerto Rico just to help as much as they can.
This is what America should be, I thought. People helping people.
However, gears quickly changed, as they often do, to the political effects of Hurricane Maria. No longer was it a matter of who needs help and where can we go to provide that help? Instead, it became a matter of who do we feel like helping today?
Yes, the United States has provided a home for those who do no longer have one, but what are we doing to help those without electricity? What are we going to do for the individuals and families who are unable to come to the United States? Even many families in the United States are being affected.
Families are unable to find or contact their loved ones in Puerto Rico. Also, many medications for illnesses, such as cancer, come from Puerto Rico. There are many patients around the United States who are waiting for new treatments that can replace their previous treatments, which has led to a substantial decline in their health.
Well, the University of South Florida is doing something.
Alongside USF Global Disaster Management, Humanitarian Relief and Homeland Security, the USF Men's Basketball team donated five dollars of each ticket sold to organizations assisting in relief efforts. On January 13th, Cincinnati took the win against USF's Men's Basketball team. However, we as a university won because every ticket to that game will change someone's life for the better.
Though the height of the media exposure for Puerto Rico has passed, aside for the political effects and opinions of the natural disaster, I am honored to stand with a school that will not fall into political arguments about "if we should". Instead, we as a university do what we can! We don't just help while it's popular to help. We continue to donate and fund mission trips to Puerto Rico. We help as long as the help is needed, and that's why I'm proud to be a Bull!
