This article is  the preface of the book "Ciencia y solidaridad: Historias de líderes comunitarios en Puerto Rico" (Science and Solidarity: Stories of Community Leaders in Puerto Rico).

The community leaders of Puerto Rico are an essential fiber of our country. They constitute an important network of support and security for countless individuals, especially those who are vulnerable and marginalized, in the face of disasters, everyday crises, and institutional failures. They are like the tabonuco, a native tree of Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles, with great historical, social, and cultural significance.