Our foundation is named after Puerto Rico’s national tree, the Ceiba, a tree that symbolizes strength and resistance, and that our Taíno and African ancestors believed was spiritually sacred. We were inspired to use this tree as our namesake because of the story of a 400-year-old Ceiba on Vieques that survived not only a brutal colonial plantation, but also bulldozing by the US Navy in 1940. Importantly, the Ceiba tree on Vieques also survived Hurricane María in 2017. In 2019, for the first time since being severely damaged by the hurricane, the ancient Ceiba on Vieques bloomed pink blossoms. 

Click here to learn more about the important roll Ceiba trees play in Puerto Rico’s ecosystem, and the cultural history and symbolism of these trees.