Mariela Fullana Acosta | Todas

Skin color determines not only who receives adequate medical care, but also how long it takes to receive a diagnosis. In Puerto Rico, where an estimated 75,000 people live with endometriosis, Black people with uteruses face greater obstacles to having their pain heard and identified in time.

Despite being appointed without public hearings or the support of feminist organizations, Astrid Piñeiro Vázquez says she’s determined to maintain her independence from Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González Colón, whom she is tasked with holding accountable. The position, which Piñeiro Vázquez assumed on March 31, carries a 10-year term.

Puerto Rico Women’s Advocate Astrid Piñeiro Vázquez said she trusts that the proposed federal funding cuts will be smaller than anticipated, that the Puerto Rico Legislature will increase her office’s budget, and that citizens will step up with donations to organizations serving survivors of gender-based violence.