After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, communities were forced to respond to their needs. Vieques was no exception, Ana Elisa Pérez Quintero was doing agroecological work in Vieques, cultivating, educating and organizing a support network among farmers. Ana joined forces with a group of women, including Elda, and together they carried out community organizing and activism efforts. They held community assemblies, community censuses and established a community dining room where, in addition to having a collection center, they facilitated workshops on topics relevant to what was happening on the island. In the facilities of the Catholic Church of Vieques they established a community garden and a space where the community could meet and feel safe and could process the situations they were experiencing in the midst of governmental abandonment.
This resulted in the need to organize and formalize La Colmena Cimarrona founded in June 2018, although it was not until December 2019 that it was established on the farm in the Luján sector. We are a project that reaffirms the self-management capacity of the communities in search of meeting their needs from our gesture for food sovereignty through agroecological practices, beekeeping and solidarity economies.
La Colmena Cimarrona is rooted in responsible work, honesty and respect. We are committed to establishing a friendly and direct environment to resolve any discrepancies with fairness and love. Communication is extremely important, we will be evaluating our performance as a team. We strive to make our work environment comfortable, open, transparent, honest and clear for everyone.
We are an organization that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, motor or cognitive disability, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, physique; we strive for La Colmena Cimarrona to be inclusive and diverse.
Here you can see our agreements for a healthy work environment.
know how to support us to stay
Founder and co-manager
Teacher, Municipal Legislator and mother from Vieques. Active in social and environmental justice causes. She enjoys the company of her family, a good read and contact with nature.
Founder and co-manager
Sower, Caribbean, lover of bees, mountains, horses, a good plate of food and plants that heal. She works for sovereignty from the production of food that heals and dignifies. With her heart down and to the left, always in struggle.
Co-manager
Raised in front of the sea, watching the sunsets on the most beautiful beaches. Viequense of heart and soul, whose only goal is to improve the lifestyle of her community. Social Work student at the Rio Piedras Campus of our University of Puerto Rico. Conqueror of new knowledge, and committed to eat the world.
President
Boricua feminist germinated from the Yabucoeña strain who loves the mountains overlooking the sea. Nature lover and obsessed with hugging trees. I like the smell of cilantrillo with ginger, and the sound of rain on the tin roof. From my father I inherited the parsimony and from my mother the will. In my blood runs the bohemian, the pleasure of listening to stories and writing. Mother of Paula, who came to teach me. Salubrista by profession, popular educator by vocation.
Treasurer
From Barrio Puerto Real Sector La Esperanza, Social Worker by profession and vocation. Lover of Reading, Crafts, Plants and Cats. Excellent fritolera. Always in the availability to increase my knowledge for the benefit of the community in which I reside.
Secretary
Viequense diaspora and Vieques historian who was taught from an early age to love Isla Nena. When she is not imagining possible futures, she likes to see life bloom...free.
Vocal
Born in San Juan to a family from Arecibo and raised between Carolina and San Juan, she is passionate about promoting environmental justice from a holistic, multidisciplinary perspective. She is proud of the communities with and for whom she works, particularly the women community leaders who have taught her so much on both a personal and professional level.
Vocal
I am from Isla Nena, Vieques. Currently a History Guide at the Adrienne Serrano Montessori School in Vieques. Tourist guide in the most bioluminescent bay in the world: Mosquito Bay. Federated Teacher and faithful defender of public education. Passionate about social justice. Being part of this board allows me to connect with my grandparents' passion: Agriculture.
Born and raised between the sun and water sala' viequense. Addicted to adrenaline, adventure and getting to know new places. Currently, practicing as a forest firefighter in California and faithful believer that if we all contribute a little grain, the bag fills.
Mother of a little girl, Gihanna. I appreciate the opportunity to join your team and contribute to the innovative projects of the farm LA COLMENA CIMARRONA is a very beautiful place even though it is a lot of work the experience and kindness has been rewarding, I have the pleasure to enjoy was being on the farm, from riding on the tractor, plowing, planting, weeding on the benches, trimming, pineapple plantations and that my daughter loves it, among many others that have on this farm. The food made with what is harvested in this place is the tastiest, its flavors and above all we are a team that we submit to everything that there is ...
Daughter of Bieké, black, Caribbean, feminist and environmentalist. Committed to my community and the struggle for the dignified life we all deserve. Student of Wildlife Management at the University of Puerto Rico. Loving every day more the Earth that gives us everything.
I grew up in the Jardines de Vieques Residence. I enjoy creating versatile music, spending time with my family and friends. I am proudly a Vieques farmer.
The projects created by La Colmena Cimarrona are fiscally sponsored by HASER, Inc., a Puerto Rican non-profit with federal 501(c)(3) and Puerto Rico state (1101.01) tax-exempt status.