Meet the Founder
Hi and welcome! My name is Krystal, and I’m so glad you found Buy the Block PR. As the founder of this movement, a proud Nuyorican, and a native New Yorker from the Lower East Side, my connection to my Puerto Rican heritage has always been strong—despite never visiting the island until I was 38 years old. It was that first trip that changed everything—my soul recognized I was home even before my mind and body could process it. In that moment, my identity made sense in a way it never had before. But I also quickly realized how disconnected many of us in the diaspora are from Puerto Rico, often misled or unaware of the island’s true history, culture, and opportunities.
Despite having no known family there, I felt an undeniable sense of belonging. Over the next few years, I immersed myself in the island’s culture, returning frequently to explore its landscapes, communities, and realities. Among Puerto Rico’s beauty, I also saw vast potential—an opportunity not just to visit, but to return, live, and thrive. An opportunity to unite locals and the diaspora and share our vast knowledge and experiences with each other. Many non-Puerto Ricans had already done it, so why not us?
This realization inspired Buy the Block PR. In New York, “the Block” represents more than just the street you live or grew up on—it symbolizes where you were born, raised and made, a source of deep pride and nostalgia. Every New Yorker has their “Block.” The idea behind Buy the Block PR was born not only from my own desire to reconnect and return, but also from witnessing hundreds of others in social media groups and chats expressing the same longing but not knowing where to start. Seeing the countless abandoned homes across the island only strengthened my resolve. One fleeting thought became a mission: We need to unite and “Buy the Block.”
At its core, this movement is about education. Through documenting my own experience, my goal is to provide the resources and knowledge that will help guide others on their journey home. However, this initiative must be rooted in integrity. We must recognize that it is dangerously easy for the colonized to become the colonizer, and that is not what we want. Buy the Block PR is not about coming to Puerto Rico to take, but to learn, integrate, and rebuild alongside the people who have been here all along. True community revitalization can only happen in partnership with locals—not as outsiders imposing change, but as family restoring what is rightfully ours.
This movement is my personal love letter to Puerto Rico, a bridge between the diaspora and native Puerto Ricans. I understand the longing to reconnect, the difficulties of making the move, and the desire not just to live on the island, but to truly belong. By sharing my experiences, insights, and lessons, I hope to empower others to navigate this journey with confidence and authenticity.
Beyond real estate, Buy the Block PR is about building sustainable communities enriched by arts, music, agriculture, and economic initiatives that honor Puerto Rican heritage while fostering long-term resilience for all.
So, if any of this speaks to you, join me on this journey. I don’t claim to have all the answers—far from it—but I am committed to learning and sharing with you everything I can. There is much work to be done, and together we will do it. ¡Qué rico!