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Rihanna Begs Trump to Send Aid to Puerto Rico


PHOTO: Gabriel Maseda/NurPhoto/Getty Images

For more than a week, Puerto Rico has suffered the effects of Hurricane Maria, a category 4 storm that has left the entire U.S. territory without power potentially for months, without additional aid from other countries. That changed earlier today, when President Donald Trump finally waived the Jones Act, a 1920 shipping law that would prevent non-U.S. vessels from transporting goods between U.S. ports, after immense pressure from the nation, Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rossello, and other public figures. One of them was Rihanna, who on Twitter early Thursday morning urged the president to send aid to the 3.5 million American citizens who reside on the island.

The singer tweeted a cover of Wednesday’s New York Daily News, which superimposed the headline “American Tragedy” in large block letters and “No food, no water, no power, no medical care for the dying … Puerto Rico needs more help, Mr. President!” over a photo of victims of Hurricane Maria. For the caption, Rihanna wrote, “Dear @realDonaldTrump I know you’ve probably already seen this, but I just wanted to make sure! Don’t let your people die like this.”

The tweet has since gone viral with over 50,000 retweets and 116,000 likes, bringing much needed attention to the amount of international aid that would have been denied by Trump’s refusal to temporarily waive the Jones Act. Before that, the singer had twice tweeted at the president, quoting a CBS News video of San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz saying, “I know that leaders aren’t supposed to cry…but we are having a humanitarian crisis here,” and posting a link to a video from The Shade Room calling for relief efforts.

On Wednesday, the President told reporters he based his decision on business interests, saying “a lot of people that work in the shipping industry…don’t want the Jones Act lifted,” reported Newsweek. The singer has yet to comment on the President’s announcement to backtrack on his initial statement, but she did send another tweet praising former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush for their fundraising efforts.

“Round of APPLAUSE to these gentlemen for taking control of this devastating situation!!! #CaribbeanGirl #OneLove,” wrote the singer, who is from Barbados.

Rihanna is not the only celebrity who has publically called for increased aid to Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands affected by Hurricane Maria. On Sunday, Jennifer Lopez, who is of Puerto Rican descent as well as cochair of the Empire State Relief & Recovery Effort, announced she would donate $1 million to relief efforts. Earlier, she had posted a video on Instagram urging fans to donate to Puerto Rico First Lady Beatriz Areizaga’s relief fund.

While social media is a good way to spread the word, here are some other ways you can contribute to the Puerto Rico relief effort.



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Jennifer Lopez Is Donating $1 Million to Help Puerto Rico Hurricane Victims


Amid the dizzying series of natural disasters to occur over the past few weeks was Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that left all of Puerto Rico without power, potentially for months. It’s killed at least 24 people, and it still continues to damage infrastructure throughout the region as a Category 2 hurricane. To help the victims attempting to rebuild their lives and communities, Jennifer Lopez is donating $1 million brought in by her recent Las Vegas concerts to Hurricane Maria relief.

“Given the loss and devastation, we need to pay attention to urgently support Puerto Rico and the Caribbean with donations and contributions,” she announced in a press conference with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday. “Alex Rodriguez and I, who are both New Yorkers, are using all our resources and relationships in entertainment, sports, and business to garner support for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. … We are working day and night to identify the needs.”

The singer and actress, who is of Puerto Rican descent, shared that she herself has family in Puerto Rico that she still hasn’t heard from.

As co-chair of the Empire State Relief & Recovery Effort, J.Lo has teamed up with her ex, Marc Anthony, and other celebrities to help the recent victims of Mexico’s earthquakes and the Caribbean’s hurricanes. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and player J.J. Barea have organized two airplanes full of supplies. The New York Yankees and Major League Baseball have also promised to contribute.

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Earlier, in an Instagram post, J.Lo urged fans to donate to Puerto Rico First Lady Beatriz Areizaga’s United for Puerto Rico relief fund. “The devastation is beyond belief,” she said. “Today, Puerto Rico needs our help.”

Want to get involved in the Puerto Rico relief effort? Here are some ways to contribute.



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Puerto Rico Has Been Devastated by Hurricane Maria—Here's How You Can Help


Just days after the islands of the Caribbean weathered Hurricane Irma, another storm has left the entire population of Puerto Rico without power. As of noon Wednesday, all of the 1.5 million customers of the island’s power company were without service, which means there is no electricity grid for millions of people (it’s home to 3.5 million people). And thanks to an ongoing financial woes, it could be months—yes, months—before power is restored.

Hurricane Maria is one of the strongest storms to hit Puerto Rico (it was the first category 4 to hit since 1932), and it will be impossible to know the true extent of its destruction until after it passes completely. Once the winds have calmed and the rain has stopped, residents will need help with everything from clean water to feminine hygiene products to money to rebuild ruined homes and schools. Here are a few ways you can help.

Unidos Por Puerto Rico: First lady of Puerto Rico, Beatriz Rosselló, joined forces with local businesses to create this aid fund for survivors of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.

Unicef: This United Nations fund helps children affected by disaster, and donations go toward everything from clean water to school supplies.

Maria & Irma: Puerto Rico Real-time Recovery Fund: This Indiegogo campaign is being managed by ConPRmetidos, a think tank dedicated to promoting social change in Puerto Rico. You can see updates from the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on the page.

Puerto Rican Hurricane Relief Fund: This fund is a group effort between a coalition of Los Angeles–based Puerto Rican groups, including Puerto Ricans in Action, The Ricans Food, I Am HomeMade, and El Floridita. This campaign has already found two local nonprofits to contribute to as they rebuild two towns on the island.

You may be tempted to donate to the Red Cross. Be careful. There are smaller and more local groups that need the help and will spend the money on what residents actually need and can distribute aid more efficiently.

If you’re wondering whether a charity or fund-raiser is trustworthy, you can research it on sites like Charity Navigator, which rates groups on how efficiently they spend their funding and how open they are about how they spend donations.



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