title: Organizing, educating, and advocating for health and human rights in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
abstract: I briefly review the process of community organization, education, and advocacy activities that ended the harmful military practices in the island-municipality of Vieques, Puerto Rico, while drawing attention to the intersection of human rights and social justice in the context of local and global implications. The Viequense experience was one of building an organization based on people's experiences and strengths, educating people to increase individual and collective efficacy and power, and advocating for policy change with an assertive cohesive action. Public health practitioners must continue supporting community-led interventions in the restoration of the island's environment and other resources vital for people's health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 715 North Pleasant St, Arnold House, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. mitorres@schoolph.umass.edu
authors.forename: Maria Idalí
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D003153:Community Health Services / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006266:Health Education / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D008889:Military Personnel; D011647:Puerto Rico; D012935:Social Justice