Tag Archives: Puerto Rico

Watch how a team of hairstylists and makeup artists give back to Puerto Rico

With Puerto Rico still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria and damaging earthquakes, volunteers are stepping up to help the island in unconventional ways.

By: Heather Newgen

Puerto Rico has always been a popular vacation spot and destination for tourists, but for Lou Rod it’s something much more–it’s home.

“My family, including my grandparents and mother, were both impacted by the hurricane. It broke me,” Rod revealed.

Although he no longer lives in Puerto Rico, he comes back often to visit family and friends, and when he saw the amount of destruction and how many people were affected by the events, he decided to do something about it.

Rod who is the, Founder and CEO of MLR Artist Management, created the campaign Care 4 Puerto, which helps the locals in a few  ways. One, he travels with his creative team of professional hairstylists, makeup artists and manicurists to the island to give residents makeovers. Two, he brings essential supplies like clothing, diapers and batteries to hand out to anyone in need and he also helps stimulate the economy by hiring locals for the days he’s in town doing a variety of projects.

RELATED: How a team of hair stylists and makeup artists helped Puerto Rico “feel human again”

“A lot of times when you think about giving service after such devastation, you think about rebuilding a home or getting water supplies or food supplies–those are the basic needs to survive. We’re not necessarily building houses here. We’re not in those types of industries or trades, but we were able to use a trade that we specialize in. We were able to create a project where we’re providing comfort, we’re providing luxury services that is the first that’s taken away from individuals because they’re trying to make ends meet,” Rod told The Voluntourist.

For the last three years, the talented group of artists have visited Puerto Rico on their own dime to volunteer, and will continue to do so on an annual basis.

Please watch the video to see Rod and his team in action as they give back and make a positive impact in Puerto Rico.

How a Team of Hair and Makeup Artists Helped Puerto Rico “Feel Human Again”

While Puerto Rico officials are still forced to make calls for aid amid food, clean water and power shortages due to Hurricane Maria, volunteers are stepping up to help the island in unconventional clever ways. Lou Rod Cueva, Founder and CEO of MLR Artist Management, and his creative team of professional hairstylists, makeup artists, and manicurists, are some of those volunteers.

By Heather Newgen

Lou Rod Cueva in Guayama, Puerto
Photo by: Nathan Alan

“My family, including my grandparents and mother, were both impacted by the hurricane. It broke me. This project was so meaningful and purposefully because it hit so close to home. I promised them that we would do something about this,” Cueva told The Voluntourist.

So he gathered members of his agency and headed to Puerto Rico to give back, but not in the typical way you’d expect. His team gave free makeovers to locals and the response was incredible.

Nathan Alan
Photo by: Lou Rod Cueva

“Everyone we were in the presence of was so warm and welcoming and fun,” Sparklle Thames, a makeup artist said.

Sparklle Thames in Guayama, Puerto Rico
Photo by: Lou Rod Cueva

“I feel like our industry is about glamour and vanity, but we have huge hearts and we like to make people feel good. That’s why I’m in the profession I’m in. There’s nothing better than seeing someone smile or giving them confidence or just making their day, and that’s why I was very excited to be part of this trip,” Brandy Castillo, a hairstylist told us.

Brandy Lazaro Castillo with the stylish Gloria Colón in Guayama, Puerto Rico.

She continued, “Being in Guayama was phenomenal. Everyone was so sweet, so kind and so open and so thankful. They were so patient, even after such a crisis and they were so loving and caring. It was a beautiful thing to see. I’m very blessed to be a part of this.”

Cueva, who launched his Boston-based company in 2010 added, “A lot of times when you think about giving service after such devastation, you think about rebuilding a home or getting water supplies or food supplies–those are the basic needs to survive. We’re not necessarily building houses here. We’re not in those types of industries or trades, but we were able to use a trade that we specialize in. We were able to create a project where we’re providing comfort, we’re providing luxury services that is the first that’s taken away from individuals because they’re trying to make ends meet.”

Photo by: Nathan Alan

And he’s right. Most people would never think of using skills like these artists have to volunteer after a natural disaster, which is what makes this effort that much more inspiring and remarkable.

Cueva explained how he came up with the idea.

“We were using a trade that doesn’t get a lot of respect sometimes,” he said. “We feel as a group there’s more to this story than just cosmetics it’s about looking good and feeling good. I think Dove has really championed that. These people were going weeks and weeks and weeks without taking a proper shower or having access to cosmetics or grooming supplies. Having them feel human again, and having them feel that pride–Puerto Ricans are very strong people. They take pride in their appearance. It can be hurtful to them when they don’t feel confident because of the devastation. We really wanted to bring that back to them and I think we achieved that goal.”

Cassandra Lisi Photo by: Lou Rod Cueva

In two days, the team serviced between 150-200 people, which included Jetblue employees who worked tirelessly to help people in Puerto Rico right after the hurricane hit the island.

MLR Artists giving free makeovers to a local community in Puerto Rico
Photo by: Nathan Alan

“What I have to offer is great. It doesn’t necessarily seem like an important thing, but it was important. I saw the look on these people’s faces. Me massaging lotion on their face and adding powder and some lipstick was important, almost as important as being able to build something with my hands,” Thames said.

One of the many sponsors who donated products for the event
Photo by: Nathan Alan

In addition to the complimentary grooming services and makeovers, several sponsors like UNITE, Color Wow, Pinrose Scents, Elizabeth Grady, The Cue, Blo Blow Dry Bar-Sound End, and Trinity Church of California donated items for gift bags that were given to people. And Jetblue Airways comped the artist’s flights to Puerto Rico.

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Ricky Martin on Stopping Human Trafficking and Helping Puerto

Known for his good looks, sensational stage presence, sexy voice and great acting abilities, Ricky Martin has made a name for himself globally with his exceptional talents. While the 46-year-old international superstar has quite the in demand career and several projects in the works, he has another passion–giving back. His cause is ending human trafficking and to give vulnerable children a voice, he launched The Ricky Martin Foundation , which The Voluntourist recently talked to him about.

By Heather Newgen

“We’re fighting human trafficking. We’ve been fighting human trafficking for more than a decade now and it all started with Penelope [Cruz]. Many years ago we sponsored an orphanage and I’ve been trying to create laws and reinforce laws,” [to help children] he said.

“With everything happening with Puerto Rico, now is when the traffickers take advantage of the children. After an incident like the hurricane in Puerto Rico because there are kids that end of being orphaned and that’s when they come and seduce them into child porn and prostitute. It’s crazy like that,” he explained.

In addition, Martin said, “There are countries where you become an adult at the age of 12 and prostitution is tolerated. So if the child is being forced into prostitution, it’s not committing a crime because prostitution is tolerated at the age of 12.”

It was when he saw the problem first hand that he knew he had to do something.

“I went to India because this friend of mine was building an orphanage. From the airport he told me, ‘no let’s go straight to the streets. Let’s rescue girls.” When I found out these girls were five-years-old, six-years-old, seven years-old, and they were lured into prostitution, I went crazy,” he revealed.

“I came back home and educated myself on the subject and I went to talk to Congress. Then I went to Cambodia, I went to Thailand and went to Haiti right after the earthquake and we keep fighting. It’s very difficult.”

But that’s not all he’s fighting for. On September 16, 2017 Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico and caused severe devastation. Although it’s been three months since the hurricane hit the island, there is still widespread destruction and many don’t have basic needs.

“It’s important to keep talking about how 53 percent of the island is still without power. We’re talking about four million U.S. citizens that right now live in extreme isolation. We’re being forgotten and things are very tough now on the island,” Martin told The Voluntourist.

But there’s something you can do to help. The Ricky Martin Foundation is now accepting volunteers and welcome your inquires. “You can send us emails and now more than ever we have an amazing program for volunteers if you’re willing to come to the island and help children,” he told us.

Besides donating his time on the island, the Grammy Award-winning artist helped raise a substantial amount of money that will go directly to the people in need.

“We did a telethon for the victims of Puerto Rico. We did it with Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. So many people were involved and we raised almost $40 million. I have another fund that I did with YouCaring/Ricky Martin Foundation, and we’ve already raised about $4 million. We have to keep raising funds because it’s going to take at least for Puerto Rico to be anywhere near where it was.”

For more information, check out The Ricky Martin Foundation.

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