In 2016, Dr. Melissa Rosario (Opi-Li), a Nuyorican anthropologist moved to Puerto Rico with a vision to create a healing station to strengthen alliances between the island and the diaspora. It was babilla (courage) which led them to leave a career in academia and their life in the diaspora to build a community of decolonial practice in the ancestral lands of Boriké. Early on in their rematriation journey, they met visual artist Lau Pat RA. (Urukī) and formed a loveship, a long-term partnership that would serve as the container for the evolution of CEPA.

In 2017, once Hurricane Maria hit the island, Urukī officially joined the project, contributing his knowledge, time, and skills as an islander, artist, and activist to help bring Melissa’s vision to life. Urukī saw the project’s mission as a healing opportunity for islanders as well as a possibility towards unifying Boricuas from historical fragmentation. They dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to this work, taking on diverse responsibilities while shaping the visual identity of the project and documenting CEPA's journey.

What began with Urukī handcrafting a xylography logo to print by hand on wellness supplies given in brigades during these early post-hurricane moments later evolved into co-directorship with Melissa.

In 2018, they established the workshop-house (bohio-taller). It has served as a meeting place between the island and diaspora over the years and has provided refuge for many people from the queer and trans community from both sides of el charco. Urukī and Opi-Li served as principal stewards of the space as well as hosts for the visitor solidarity program. To acknowledge the importance of this collaboration to CEPA's origin, we honor Urukī with the title of co-founder and Opi-Li as founder.