coquis :: who are they and why do we care?

The coqui is a tree frog endemic to the island of Puerto Rico. They are about the size of a penny, but have very loud voices. Once one starts singing, they all follow suit & in a split second an entire mountainside could be singing its praises to mother nature. Many of us say they represent the heart and soul of the island because hearing such a powerful choir in person forces one to remember the importance of a strong community.

The sounds of the coquis chirping on the island is burned in my brain as THE memory of Puerto Rico from my childhood - my surroundings a blur, but the chirping deafening. Now, there are much less sounds of the coquis on the island, so it’s important that we, as Puerto Ricans [& humans in general], keep them and their legacy alive. For that reason - I’ve chosen the Taino symbol for the coqui as the perfect way to keep that legacy of love and community alive thru art.

As far as Justin Payne is concerned, the coqui is an extremely vital symbol for how loud my voice can be, no matter what size I am. As a gay Puerto Rican man, I have a unique position as an underserved Latine individual born as a United States citizen. Meaning - I’m a queer person of color born with rights that many of my brothers and sisters are not afforded. For that reason, it’s extremely important for me to have my voice heard - so I may help to amplify the voice of so many others. By incorporating coquis into my art, I am manifesting the community that I want to have with every single one of my Puerto Rican [& beyond] siblings and I am hoping that, as the voices of the coquis, my voice will carry through the mountains to spark a revolution.