Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto

Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto was the Mayor of San Juan when hurricanes Irma & María devastated Puerto Rico. She was vocal about the deficient response by Federal agencies and about the fact that President Trump claimed he "was the best thing that has happened to Puerto Rico". Cruz Soto became the voice of people literally dying when she said in a press conference "(w)e are dying here and you are killing us with your bureaucracy an your inefficiency".

Having lead the city after two earthquakes, two coastal storms, political unrest resulting in then Governor resigning, two earthquakes and the pandemic Cruz Soto has first hand experience and expertise about Municipal readiness and disaster recovery and response. She was co-lead of Harvard's JFK Program from Harvard Square to the Oval Office which provides women with a general framework to run for office. Cruz Soto has been a Fellow at Mount Holyoke College and University of Chicago and Women's issues were at the fore-front of her twelve years in public office in PR. She has a Masters in Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and a national co-chair for Sen Bernie Sanders Presidential run 2020. Wrote a book EL PODER ESTA EN LA CALLE about how political alliances outside of the partisan realm shaped a new governance paradigm for me as a Mayor. Cruz Soto has her own podcast called SHEROICS. She is currently working on a book about her experiences after Hurricanes Irma & María. She is a member of the Board of Annies' List looking to have progressive women elected up and down the ballot in Texas.

Media Appearances include: all major networks in the US, web programs, podcasts as well as BBC and other European radio and magazine publications.

Sub-specialties:
Puerto Rico - Have been an elected official for 12 years and continued to work with the Puerto Rican Diaspora on issues of self-determination, community empowerment and food sovereingty.

Disaster Recovery at the municipal level - I have been the subject of various research pieces in particular one at Harvard University JFK regarding the recovery process at the municipal level.

Climate change - Although not an expert on climate change I am an expert on the deadly effects on climate change and its impact on people's live as well as climate change induced migration.

Women in Politics - Based on my experiences this is subject which I am personally experienced at and specially from the perspective of a Latino woman. I have been a resource for Harvard Women and Power program for the past 2 years as well as a resource for Mount Holyoke College.