La Borinqueña is the only superhero series dedicated to philanthropic work. Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez created the character, writes, and publishes the graphic novel with his partner Kyung Jeon-Miranda under their studio Somos Arte. In 2018 they started their La Borinqueña Grant Awards to support local non-profits in Puerto Rico and won Edgardo the comic book industry’s highest honor, the Eisner, for their humanitarian work in Puerto Rico. Together, Edgardo and Kyung visit Puerto Rico to award micro-grants to local non-profit organizations and projects in Puerto Rico that are committed to sustainable development in the areas of child development, women's health, agriculture, environmental justice, and the arts that also recognize the preservation of Afro-Puerto Rican heritage. Their charity work started just weeks after the devastation of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria in 2017. It was then that DC Comics teamed up with Edgardo to produce the best-selling graphic novel anthology Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico. This book and others they have published under their studio Somos Arte have raised close to a quarter of a million dollars to their charity work in Puerto Rico. Recently their collaboration with NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) helped them produce the publication La Borinqueña Guest Starring Rosario Dawson with their real-life longtime actor/activist ally and friend. In 2023 they return to Puerto Rico to award micro-grants as part of their commitment to support organizations that help them envision a thriving Puerto Rico that is self-sufficient.
Please consider donating to our La Borinqueña Grant Awards.
All donations will be made to our Fiscal Conduit Aprendes Foundation (501c3 Non-profit Organization).
Asociación Recreativa y Educativa Comunal del Barrio Mariana (ARECMA)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
- Awarded $5000 microgrant in 2020
ARECMA is a community-based, non-profit organization created to work and ensure the well-being and integral development of the neighborhood and its people using the participation of its inhabitants as the main mechanism. Located in Mariana, ARECMA used their grant to build a community space with everything from a tool library, book exchange, small business incubator, kitchen and spaces for reading and books for children and young adults.
CONTACT: Susana Sanabria Cruz, Executive Director, arecma.organiza@gmail.com
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Asociación Mayagüezana de Personas con Impedimentos (AMPI)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2019
AMPI has been working for the benefit of the community that represents adults with intellectual disabilities. La Casa de Junny, Inc., La Casa de AMPI, Inc. and La Casa de Doña Here , Inc. are three independent corporations that offer safe and permanent housing to a total of 18 people with intellectual disabilities and very low income. Our grant helped support AMPI to provide transportation to their residents.
CONTACT: Esther Caro, Executive Director, caro_esther@yahoo.com
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Boys and Girls Clubs of Puerto Rico
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
- Awarded $5000 microgrant in 2020
The Boys & Girls Clubs was established 50 years ago to fill the need to provide after school programs to participants ages 6 to 18 through educational programs, post-secondary support, entrepreneurship and career development. Our grant funded the arts program first in Loíza in 2018 and then in Las Margaritas in 2020.
CONTACT: Aida Gisela Asencio, Manager of Annual Giving, aida.asencio@bgcpr.org
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CORALations
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
- Awarded $5000 microgrant in 2020
CORALations trains and employs high school students, graduates and university undergraduates from the local community to become Reef Guardians. The goal of the Reef Guardians project is to enhance the management of the beaches of Culebra, through the creation of educational coastal zone management related jobs for local youth.
CONTACT: Mary Ann Lucking, Executive Director, coralations@gmail.com
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Corporación Piñones se Integra (COPI)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
- Awarded $5000 microgrant in 2020
COPI operates the Piñones Cultural and Ecotourism Center where they offer various services in the areas of: culture and ecological education: classes and workshops on Puerto Rican Bomba dance, bicycle and kayak rental, conferences; and other activities that contribute to transform for a good life in community.
CONTACT: Maricruz Rivera Clemente, Executive Director, copi1pr@gmail.com
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Creative Justice Initiative
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
Creative Justice Initiative, non-profit organization founded by Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, looks to develop an economic framework of cultural arts for community development from an Afro-Scientific perspective in Loiza/Piñones, Puerto Rico. Corredor Afro in Loiza provides workshops for youth and adult focused on history, memory, and development of skills in tour preparedness, silkscreen production and handcrafted traditional art making. Our funds helped to provide workshops in music, dance, song, theater, storytelling, and writing and art exhibitions.
CONTACT: Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Executive Director, drmartamorenovega@gmail.com
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El Departamento de la Comida
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2019
- Awarded $5000 microgrant in 2020
El Departamento de la Comida is an alternative agency to government entities and big NGOs. They are connected to small, sustainable food projects around the island that do not receive the same support or carry the same privilege as other projects. Our grant supported their college student and volunteer brigades which provided physical support of tool lending, providing seeds, and labor to smaller farms on the island.
CONTACT: Tara Rodriguez Besosa, Kieran Murray, Co-founders/Co-directors, tara@eldepartamentodelacomida.org
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El Puente: Enlace Latino de Acción Climática (ELAC)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
ELAC's vision is to connect communities, groups and individual leaders to address climate change, promoting safety, comprehensive health and cultural values of self-determination, sustainability, social justice and peace in Puerto Rico. Our grant supported their works to create environmental awareness and encourage citizen participation for mitigation and adaptation to climate change.
CONTACT: elac@elpuente.us
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Fundación Cortés
- Proceeds from the sale of Cortés Chocolate bars to fund programs at Fundación Cortés
Fundación Cortés is an initiative that, through the arts and humanities, promotes the strengthening of the values of people of Puerto Rico. Fundación Cortés is committed to education that uses the visual arts as an aid to raise awareness about the identity as a people and instill feelings of trust that promote positive and strengthening changes in the spirit of the Puerto Rican and Caribbean community.
CONTACT: Adelisa González-Lugo, Executive Director, fundacioncortespr@gmail.com
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La Brigada Solidaria del Oeste (BSO)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
La Brigada Solidaria del Oeste (BSO) was founded in the city of Mayagüez, just before the passage of Hurricane Maria. Our grant supported their efforts to provide help after the passage of atmospheric disaster. The BSO is composed of activists from different struggles (agro-ecological, feminist, environmental, university, etc.), in addition to volunteers for whom the BSO has been one of their first experiences within an organization that fights for empowerment of communities.
CONTACT: Cristine Diez Correa, Secretary, brigadasolidariaoeste@gmail.com
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Mujeres Ayudando Madres (MAM)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2019
MAM is a non-profit organization with the objective of educating and supporting families during the pregnancy process. Founded in San Juan in 2007, MAM offers gynecological/ obstetric, midwifery, psychological, legal and educational services. 2018 grant funds went toward a project to provide women with a woman-centered, family focused, and Puerto Rican-specific teaching guides for community health education. 2019 grant funds supported the development of their vegan Café that provides education of healthy meals to new mothers.
CONTACT: Vanessa Caldari, Director, mam@mujeresayudandomadres.com
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Multisensory Reading Centers of Puerto Rico, Inc. (MRC)
- Awarded $10,000 grant in 2018
The mission of Multisensory Reading Centers of Puerto Rico, Inc. (MRC) is to provide access to effective literacy instruction for struggling readers in Puerto Rico, particularly students with language-based learning disabilities. MRC reaches out and educates parents and teachers through workshops, one on one meetings and written communications. 2018 grant funds went towards training additional teachers to accept more students and follow them into the upper grades.
CONTACT: Dr. Yadira Sánchez, Executive Director, ysanchez@mrcpr.org
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2019 LA BORINQUEÑA HEROÍNA DE LAS ARTES
Ilena Cabra Joglar
- Awarded $1,000 grant in 2019 to Coordinadora Paz para las Mujeres
As an musician and artist, Ilena Cabra Joglar uses her platform to stand for social justice. In her own words she proclaims "don't be afraid to be a feminist," to her fans at her concerts. Her art denounces sexism, and violence towards women. As recipient of our 2019 'Heroina de las Artes' Ileana donates her award to Coordinadora Paz para las Mujeres in the spirit of continuing to fight for social justice and equality for Puerto Rican women.
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2021 Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez speaks about the La Borinqueña Grant Awards
2020 La Borinqueña Awards Ceremony held virtually
2019 La Borinqueña Awards Ceremony held in San Juan, Puerto Rico
2018 La Borinqueña Awards Ceremony held in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico