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This teacher needs your help!

Mr. Mercaldo from Brooklyn, NY is requesting books through DonorsChoose, the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.

See what Mr. Mercaldo is requesting

La Borinqueña Graphic Novels for Hispanic Heritage!

Help me give my students graphic novels that affirm Latinx identities in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month!

  • $297 goal

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Hooray! This project is fully funded

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mr. Mercaldo for his next project!

Help Mr. Mercaldo

Keep the momentum going! Make a donation to Mr. Mercaldo for his next project!

My Students

My students benefiting from this project are in a Title One school where the majority receive free or reduced-price lunches. Many families receive meals and coats from our school's food pantry. My students are hard-working scholars. All of the students have recently returned to the school building and are learning in-person this school year risking COVID infection in their pursuit of receiving an equitable education. In one of my three classes, my students speak four different languages. We have begun the school year with a lot of helpful, respectful behavior and enthusiasm for learning!

I hope to keep the momentum going by getting the best learning materials available for these scholars who deserve it!

My Project

Several of my students identify as Hispanic and it would be wonderful for them to be able to access graphic novel books that celebrate a superhero that is proud to identify as Puerto Rican and a woman. Scholars who are not Hispanic also benefit from reading about other cultures than their own and seeing that others are worthy of this representation.

September 15th-October 15th is also Hispanic Heritage Month and a great time of year to honor authors like Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez.

Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez is a graphic novelist most notably recognized as the writer and creator of the critically acclaimed and bestselling superhero series La Borinqueña. In addition, he is the recipient of the San Diego Comic-Con 2019 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic efforts via the benefit anthology Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico featuring La Borinqueña teaming up with Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman and other DC Comics heroes. He self-published this anthology under his own studio Somos Arte and to date Edgardo has raised close to a quarter of a million dollars for grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico via the La Borinqueña Grants Program.

La Borinqueña is an original character and patriotic symbol presented in a classic superhero story created and written by graphic novelist Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. Her powers are drawn from history and mysticism found on the island of Puerto Rico. The fictional character, Marisol Rios De La Luz, is a Columbia University Earth and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate student living with her parents in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She takes a semester of study abroad in collaboration with the University of Puerto Rico. There she explores the caves of Puerto Rico and finds superhuman strength, the power of flight, and control of the storms!

Mr. Mercaldo New Heights Middle School 722 Grades 6-8

Celebrate Black teachers and kids! This project supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of students are Black.

Equity Focus

At this school, more than 50% of students are Black, Latino, and/or Native American, and more than 50% come from low-income households. Learn how your donation to this school supports a more equitable education.

This project will directly impact historically underfunded classrooms.

More about Mr. Mercaldo

Brooklyn, NY View local requests

Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

54 students impacted 5donors

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Expand the "Where your donation goes" section below to see exactly what Mr. Mercaldo is requesting.

See our finances

Where Your Donation Goes

Materials Cost Quantity Total
La Borinqueña • Amazon Business $19.99 4 $79.96
La Borinqueña #2 • Amazon Business $19.99 4 $79.96
Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico • Amazon Business $14.69 4 $58.76

Materials cost

$218.68

Vendor shipping charges

FREE

Sales tax

$0.00

3rd party payment processing fee

$3.28

Fulfillment labor & materials

$30.00

Total project cost

$251.96

Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

$44.46

Total project goal

$296.42

How we calculate what's needed

Total project goal

$296.42

3 Donors

-$148.21

Donations toward project cost

-$125.98

Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$22.23

match offer

-$148.21

Match offer toward project cost

-$125.98

Match offer to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms

-$22.23

Still needed View calculationHide calculation

$0.00

Our team works hard to negotiate the best pricing and selections available.

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Project Activity

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