Watts on the Water: Puerto Rico Fundraiser

The Kind Sun Initiative — Powering the Caribbean, One Panel at a Time
Come meet the team behind a circular-energy movement connecting New York's Caribbean and Latino diaspora to solar projects back home. Learn how retired solar panels are getting a second life, meet others who care about energy justice and the islands, and find out how to be part of it.
What we do: The Kind Sun Initiative is a NY-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We intercept commercial solar panels before they hit the landfill — panels that still work perfectly but get retired when operators upgrade — and redeploy them to schools, cultural institutions, and underserved communities across Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. The circular economy in action: nothing wasted, everything serving a purpose.
Why it matters: Much of the Caribbean is facing an energy crisis — aging grids, fossil fuel dependence, and blackouts that leave families in the dark and paying some of the highest power rates anywhere. We're not waiting for a fix. We're building one, community by community. In April 2026 we completed Manatí's first solar-powered public building, and we're expanding into microgrids, an arts center in Santurce, a co-op in Salinas, and agrivoltaic farming in Lajas.
Join us on the water: This event kicks off our Watts on the Water charity cruise series — sunset cruises tied to NYC's biggest cultural parade weekends, where every ticket directly funds solar projects on the ground.

One unforgettable night of music, food, and community — and every ticket sold goes toward bringing affordable clean energy to Puerto Rico.

Upper Deck DJs
Mickey Perez (@djmickeyperez)
Uptown Vinyl Supreme (@uptownvinylsupreme)

Lower Deck DJs
Taina Enikeyi (@taina.enikeyi)
Special Guest TBA Live Music Cuatro by Mario Cancel-Bigay (@mariocancelbigay)

Food By

Black Rican Vegan (@blackricanvegan)
Lechonera La Piraña (@lapiranalechoneraz) Pier 36, 299 South St, New York, NY 10002 Doors 5:30 | Sail 6:30 | Re-dock 9:30

Afterparty at Barrio BX — 1247 Castle Hill Ave, Bronx (@barriobx) Early bird tickets are limited!

🚢 Puerto Rican Day Parade Kick-Off 📅 June 11, 2026 | Departing Pier 36 (299 South St, NYC) 🎟️ Get tickets on Zeffy or Resident Advisor — use code KSI5 for $5 off
Good to know:

• A ticketed fundraising event benefiting The Kind Sun Initiative (kindsun.org).
• Hosted by The Kind Sun Initiative. Misha our CEO, will be on-site to welcome attendees and serve as your point of contact.
• Attendees must be 18+.
• Find us on Instagram @kindsuninitiative.

You don't have to be on the island to make a difference. You just have to show up. 🌊☀️