Decolonial visual resistance as a public health strategy in post-María Puerto Rico

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Sociology
• Visual Culture Studies

Background:

• Natural disasters and coloniality disproportionately impact marginalized communities' health.
• Hurricane María exacerbated existing health inequities in Puerto Rico.
• Colonial structures often perpetuate the invisibility of affected populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of images as a strategy for understanding disaster impacts on marginalized communities.
• To describe how Puerto Ricans used images to challenge coloniality and advocate for improved public health responses post-Hurricane María.
• To analyze decolonial visual resistance in the context of natural disasters.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods research design.
• Ethnographic observations.
• Qualitative in-depth interviews (n=67) with healthcare system representatives.
• Analysis of personal photographs, local newspaper images, and social media content.

Main Results:

• Puerto Ricans utilized images as a form of "decolonial visual resistance."
• Visual strategies challenged the invisibility imposed by coloniality.
• Images served to advocate for a more humane and equitable public health response.
• The study highlights a subversion of traditional public health imagery.

Conclusions:

• The use of images by Puerto Ricans represents a powerful act of decolonial visual resistance.
• This resistance effectively countered the invisibility fostered by coloniality.
• Visual strategies are crucial for advocating for equitable public health interventions in disaster contexts.