Jennice Fuentes is founder and CEO of BoricuActivatEd, a nonprofit that helps people understand government, find their voice, and become more effective advocates for themselves and their communities.

Jennice was born and raised in Puerto Rico and spent 25 years working in the U.S. House of Representatives, eventually serving as chief of staff to Congressman Luis Gutiérrez. After leaving Capitol Hill in 2013, she founded Fuentes Strategies, a government relations and consulting firm providing advice to corporations, individuals, and nonprofits with interests before Congress, federal agencies, and the European Community.

Along the way, Jennice also pursued another passion — acting — building a professional career that included appearances in Law & Order, Godless, and HBO’s K Street.

Then, in September 2017, Hurricane Maria changed the course of her life. As Puerto Rico’s infrastructure collapsed and Jennice worried about family on the island, she heard a reporter say, “Without Congress, we are dead.”

Jennice knew Congress. She knew how it worked. And she realized she could use that knowledge to help ordinary people understand the system, navigate it, and advocate for themselves.

That realization became BoricuActivatEd.

In this episode, we talk about Hurricane Maria, Jennice’s years on Capitol Hill, her parallel life as an actor, and what she has learned about power, civic engagement, advocacy, and helping people recognize — and exercise — the influence they already have.