Puerto Rican Experiences

The term Hispanic refers to people who are capable of speaking and comprehending the Spanish language, and whose ancestry identifies with the Hispanic culture. The three main Hispanic groups in the United States are Cubans, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans. Puerto Ricans are people who identify themselves as Hispanics of Puerto Rican origin, meaning they were either born in Puerto Rico, or have family ancestry that traces back to Puerto Rico. According to Lopez & Patten (2015), in 2013, Puerto Ricans were the second-largest Hispanic origin population living in the United States, accounting for 9.5%. This population continues to grow. In fact, between 1980 and 2013, the Puerto Rican population in the United States had increased by 56% (Lopez & Patten, 2015). Puerto Rican culture is unique, and quite complex. To gain knowledge and a better understanding of the Puerto Rican culture, I attended the Puerto Rican Festival held in Milwaukee, and conducted an interview with Melinda Nieves, a Puerto Rican woman living in Appleton. Through these experiences, I found that Puerto Rican culture is centered around language, family, and religion, as well as music and delicious food.

Hartford is the home to the highest percentage (27%) of Puerto Ricans in the country (Cruz, 5). Nonetheless, Puerto Ricans still face myriad challenges with respect to the integration and acceptance of their culture in Hartford. Although the PR community is only two generations old, Puerto Ricans have managed to both organize and mobilize in this relatively short time (Cruz, 2). Puerto Ricans have focused closely on their ethnic identity because they viewed their incorporation into the political sphere occurring only by means of asserting their difference (Cruz, 10). They have made their mark on politics in Hartford through demographic growth, development of leadership in the community, and their

According to the Migration Policy Institute, the U.S. immigration population is at 42.2 million, which is 13.3 percent of the total U.S. population. There are a variety of reasons immigrants come to the U.S. Many of them have been forced out of their homes and countries because of war, persecution, and poverty. They see the United States as the opportunity for employment, freedom, and overall, a better life for them and their families. However, sometimes in the United States they are treated just as bad, or even worse than they were in their home countries. They are met with violence, non acceptance, and ignorance. Although immigrants have gained many more rights than before, they are still falsely

Pablo Camacho was one of my old family friend who lives in Puerto Rico, since that’s where my family’s from. He used to be my dad’s family accountant who ran all the numbers and did all the financial operations of the business. Since my dad moved away from the island, we still keep in touch because of how close they were. Therefore, I thought this was the perfect person to vex or ask him questions for my interview. I have to disclose that Puerto Rico’s primary language is not English and I had to translate this interview from Spanish. I did my best in translating everything and summarizing it.

From the late 1800's to the 1960's, Puerto Ricans began to rise to recognition as a dominating influence, creating chaos in American society. This comment is based on the immigration of Puerto Ricans to America, and the problems it caused.

Puerto Ricans face challenges in every aspect of their lives in and out of the island of Puerto Rico. In America, a trip to the hospital and or post offices may make life difficult when this culture of people try to figure out what they need or have had done. The need for medical care to ensure they have received immunizations necessary for school or work poses a problem especially because of the language barrier. If this culture of people find themselves in a courtroom situation they will clean but not with a full understanding of the situation the plead and the full ramifications of the plate even with an

Another large component of Puerto Ricanness is Race. All of the different cultures that have throughout history combined to form Puerto Rico effect their nationality, history, lifestyles, traditions, music, and foods.

I come from a place where patriotism runs through its citizen’s veins and where people face situations together, as the big community they are. In this place people are known to be loud and when someone has an issue, it becomes everyone’s issue. Puerto Rico may be relatively small in size, but big in its heart. Some people may argue that the heart of Puerto Rico is found on its people; while I debate that the heart of my beautiful island does not lie solemnly on its people, but on its cultural identity.

Many applicants are not getting equal or fair treatment and are lacking help. Some immigrants that escape their own country are fleeing because they are missing the opportunities they could have in the United States. Millions of undocumented workers face discrimination and are taken advantage of in the workplace. As a result, the U.S. had a petition filed against them for failing to protect the rights of the workers (American Civil Liberties Union 132). There have been many cases or videos showing how citizens are criticizing and discriminating other races who have worked and been successful at becoming citizens. In one video, a woman told another Hispanic citizen that she needed to go back to where she came from and that no one wanted her here. The Southern Poverty Law

What has been the experience Puerto Rico has had with the United States? How did they become attached to the U.S.?

What's a common location that comes up in discussion when someone thinks of a destination to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the Main land of the United States? Normally Puerto Rico isn't too far away from conversation. Puerto Rico is a beautiful place with the perfect climate and many historical sites to take that getaway that you have always wanted. Today we will discuss major issues in/of Puerto Rico, the significance of this research and data sources, and lastly I will describe the data collected and research found during my inquiry on the region known as Puerto Rico

The autobiography When I was Puerto Rican, written by Esmeralda Santiago, tells a story of a poor girl trying to succeed. The settings in this novel have an important influence on Esmeralda. They influence her behavior and change her ideals as an adult. Negi goes through many changes based on the challenges she faces by moving to new locations where society is different. All of these changes allow her to become a stronger person. When she lives in El Mangle, Negi has to face extreme prejudice against her upbringing as a jibara. When she leaves Puerto Rico to move to Brooklyn, she is forced to face an entirely different society. All of these events that took place in Esmeralda’s childhood had a significant impact in shaping her into an adult.

Not many may know that Puerto Rico is considered to be American territory. Soon people all over America will know because Puerto Rico could possibly become the fifty first state or could be separated from America completely. Most of Puerto Ricans would like statehood 61% to be exact, this citizens would like to be united with America once and for all. There are some Puerto Ricans would like to be free association and the amount is 33% citizens who want a relationship without political territory with a degree of statehood with America. The last percentage are the citizens who want to be independent which is 5%. As the percentage shows most Puerto Ricans would like to become the fifty first state of America and add one more star onto America.

The turbulent relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico is reflected in some shape or form in the literature of Puerto Rican and neorriqueño authors. In writings it is a relationship of systematic oppression and racial and class discrimination, not only between Puerto Rican Americans but all Latino Americans as they moved north searching for the “American Dream” only to find that it is nothing but mere fantasy. Neorriqueño poets such as Tato Laviera, Julia de Burgos, Pedro Pietri, and many others write in their verses about experiences of discrimination inside of the United States. Yet at the same time some of these verses speak about taking pride in an identity that is both American and Puerto Rican, a mixed, or mestiza, self identity. In exploring these positive and negative concepts within the poetry of Laviera, de Burgos, and Pietri, an understanding can be reached of the complexities of the United States-Puerto Rican/neorriqueño relationship and the power of poetic expression of neorriqueño identity.

Growing up as a Caucasian American Jewish girl living in Brooklyn in the 1950s, Puerto Rico was this magical island in a far away land where rich people would vacation and honeymoon. Puerto Rico was a fantasy world island just the way the theme parks in Orlando are a fantasy getaway. Puerto Rico is there to serve tourists, not an island that is inhabited by over 3.7 million people (according to the July 2011 Census Bureau) who raise families and dream of a prosperous future. One doesn’t imagine the poverty and the challenges that most Puerto Rican “American citizen’s” experience day-to-day because that will take away from the fantasy. For me there has always been a connection to Puerto Rico. I had