The transcript of Dialogos Radio’s interview with Déborah Berman-Santana, retired professor of geography and ethnic studies at Mills College in Oakland, California. This interview was recorded prior to the impact of Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico, and aired on our broadcasts for the week of September 27-October 3, 2017. Find the podcast of this interview here.

MN: Joining us today on Dialogos Radio and the Dialogos Interview Series for our first broadcast of the 2017-2018 season is one of our regular guests, Déborah Berman-Santana, who is a retired professor of geography and ethnic studies at Mills College in Oakland, California. Deborah will speak to us today about the latest taking place in Puerto Rico, an island that especially recently has been ravaged on multiple fronts, and which presents many similarities with what we’re seeing on an ongoing basis in Greece. Déborah, welcome back to our program.

DBS: Thank you, glad to be here.

MN: Let’s begin with perhaps the most pressing issue of all, Hurricane Irma and its aftermath. What was the impact of the storm on Puerto Rico and how was the island able to respond? Continue reading →