Ep. 120 — We Will Rise Again: A Post-Melissa Reflection

A storm can level homes, but it also reveals what we stand on. Hurricane Melissa’s record winds and devastating surge tore through Jamaica and neighboring territories, but the story is bigger than wind speed—it’s a living history of language, science, memory, and community that runs through the Caribbean. We trace the roots of “hurricane” to Taino and Kalinago cosmologies, revisit Cuba’s pioneering forecasting under Father Benito Viñez, and connect these legacies to today’s urgent fight for climate justice and long-term recovery.

I open up about the shock of seeing beloved places underwater and the ache of waiting on WhatsApp for family updates from afar. This episode offers more than reflection; it’s a roadmap. You’ll hear concrete ways to help now and sustain support later, from vetted donations and mutual aid to advocacy for loss-and-damage financing and regional capacity-building. If the Caribbean sits on the front lines of climate change while contributing the least to its causes, then fairness means resources, protection, and policy that match the stakes. Listen, share the links, and stand with communities rebuilding today for a safer tomorrow. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, leave a review, and pass it on so more people can act with us.

Support Hurricane Melissa Relief Efforts

• Jamaica

  • Government of Jamaica Relief Fund

  • Hurricane Melissa Volunteer Registration

  • Give Directly

  • Food For The Poor JA

  • American Friends of Jamaica

  • One Love School Drive: Rebuilding Jamaica's Schools

• Haiti

  • Hope for Haiti

  • Partners in Health

  • St. Luke Foundation for Haiti

• Cuba

  • People’s Forum

• Other Relief Efforts

  • US Caribbean Strong Relief Fund

  • Global Empowerment Mission