The Center for Economic Renewal, Growth and Excellence
A THRIVING AND PROSPEROUS PUERTO RICO
By Patricia PadrónCRECE Intern 2025 “You’re all entrepreneurs. You’re running a business, it’s called you.” That line from Dr. George Marakas, Associate Dean for Research and Doctoral Studies at Florida International University, caught me completely off guard. At first, I didn’t think it applied to me. I’ve never pictured myself as an entrepreneur. I don’t…
By Juan Carlos GastónHistorian and Program ManagerCentro CRECE One of my favorite things to do is sit with my mother and listen to her stories about her childhood in the rural fields of Isabela, Puerto Rico. As she speaks, I pay close attention to her vivid descriptions of life some 70 years ago: coping with hurricanes…
By Patricia Padrón Summer Intern 2025 “The first wealth is health.” The words of Ralph Waldo Emerson capture a truth I’ve come to understand over the years: everything in life feels harder when we don’t feel well. Our energy, focus, confidence, and even creativity are all tied to how we take care of our bodies and…
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