Latin American Restaurant Workers: Surviving a Hurricane in Pandemic Times

The howling of the wind and the metallic sound of boats crashing against each other in the nearby marina were beyond terrifying for Elisa Olivares, 46, as Hurricane Ian made a violent landfall in Fort Myers Beach in Florida on September 28, 2022. Olivares, originally from Mexico, recounts that she started to fear for her life when the destructive storm surge reached the top of the stairs that lead to her small one-bedroom second-floor rental apartment. Elisa lives with her husband Arturo Garay, 38, their daughter 15-year-old daughter Yoshe Garay, and her older brother Jorge Olivares, 61. They made the decision not to evacuate because their only choice was to ride their bikes to the nearest storm shelter, because they don’t own a vehicle. Besides, they were afraid of catching Covid-19 in a crowded space. Limited means and lack of transportation, as well as that fear, prevented them from evacuating; after all, Elisa had lived and worked in the restaurant industry here for 16 years and she had never experienced a catastrophic hurricane before. As soon as the storm had passed, the family emerged from their humble dwelling to find unprecedented havoc.

Shaken-up survivors gathered in the streets looking for family and friends and to see what was left standing. A little more than 500 people stayed. Survivors packed a few belongings that they could easily carry, while others had only what they were wearing. They walked off the island, making their way out slowly on unrecognizable demolished streets and piles of dangerous debris, crossing over the Matanzas Bridge on the northern side of the island. Soon officials would close all entrances to allow rescue and recovery personnel to do their work, which lasted two weeks. Once again, Elisa and her family decided to stay during this period because of their continued fear of becoming infected with Covid-19 if they went to a post-storm shelter They were among a handful of Latin Americans left on Fort Myers Beach at this point, with no power or water and relying on hot foods delivered by relief organizations. In retrospect, Elisa found that her faith had helped her during one of the most powerful hurricanes in Florida’s history. As the island opened and residents started to return to their decimated community, Elisa realized that at least they still had a home. In the wake of the hurricane, despite their uncertain future, this family is hopeful and grateful to be alive.