I moved from Puerto Rico to Florida at the end of November 2017. Due to Hurricane Maria, my family lost everything—our house, belongings, even my business. I owned a store that sold cell phones and computer equipment, but we had to close since there was no electricity on the island.

When I arrived in Florida, I stayed with my cousin for a few days until I was able to bring over my wife and three children. We literally had to start from scratch since we had no additional family in Orlando. With the help of FEMA, we moved from hotel to hotel for six months while I drove for Uber and made food deliveries for a local Chinese restaurant. Eventually, we were able to move into an apartment, but things were still difficult. I worked an average of 14-16-hour days and barely got to spend time with my family. I knew I needed to find something different so I could provide a better life for my loved ones.

At the end of 2018, my friend Julio Rivera, who also moved to Florida because of Hurricane Maria, suggested we look for jobs with a solar company. He worked in Puerto Rico as a manager for solar companies. With five years of experience, he wanted to continue working in this industry and positively impact the environment. However, he had some disappointing experiences with different solar companies in the past and wanted to find a company with strong values and positive work culture.