The Evolution of Puerto Rican Identity in the U.S. How migration and generational shifts impact identity.
“Puerto Ricans in the diaspora” refers to Puerto Ricans who live outside of Puerto Rico, primarily in the United States and other parts of the world. The term “diaspora” typically describes communities of people who have migrated from their homeland, often due to economic, political, or social reasons.
For Puerto Ricans, the diaspora is significant because of the long history of migration to the mainland U.S., especially to cities like New York, Orlando, Chicago, and Philadelphia. This migration has been driven by factors such as economic hardship, job opportunities, and natural disasters like Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Despite being physically removed from the island, Puerto Ricans in the diaspora often maintain strong cultural, political, and familial ties to Puerto Rico, advocating for issues affecting the island and preserving their heritage in their new communities.
My Migration Story
I didn’t grow up waking up to the sound of el coquí or spending my afternoons under the shade of a flamboyán tree, but my heart still beats to the rhythm of Puerto Rico. For those of us in the diaspora, being Puerto Rican is more than just birthplace or ancestry—it’s an emotional, cultural, and deeply personal experience that constantly pulls us between two worlds.
Although my birth place was in Ponce, that life didn’t last long enough for me to grow roots en la tierra. My connection to Puerto Rico was stitched together by family stories, the smell of sofrito in the kitchen, and the unmistakable sounds of salsa and reggaetón at every gathering. My Puerto Ricanness wasn’t something I lived daily in the physical sense, but it was embedded in me in ways that transcended geography.
Once we landed in Newark, NJ, papi may have found work, he may not have. He’s no longer with us to tell me what that time line looked like. I do know that we eventually ended up in foster care due to the massive crack cocaine epidemic lingering in the urban neighborhoods across the US. We were young when that occurred- so young that I remember not being able to speak English to my black foster family.
For years in school, in a predominantly black elementary, I was called the white girl. I had no idea what i was. I only knew that the outer layer of me looked like my teachers and I went home to the color of the kids that picked on me.
When ever I was asked what I was—“I was half white and half black.” (insert side eye)
In hindsight, what would any second grader know about identity if its wasn’t just the outer layer. Especially in an urban city ran by drugs and corruption similar to that what was occurring on the island. Except, my parents weren’t able to escape their new US life. They were swallowed up and spit back out.
A Dual Identity: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá
One of the hardest parts of being Puerto Rican in the diaspora is the feeling of never fully belonging to one place or the other. When I visit Puerto Rico, I’m reminded that I’m an outsider—sometimes subtly, sometimes explicitly. I don’t have an accent. My English has been perfected through years of white washing US education.
Maybe my Spanish isn’t as fluid PR Spanish with its island tailored verbiage so I stick out sometimes. I feel the weight of not knowing the latest slang or missing out on cultural moments that shaped those who never left.- like spotting a banana tree on public ground and taking what you need to feed your family.
But in the U.S., I’m also reminded that I’m different. There are constant events where I am never white enough for this but could be black enough for that.
There’s this assumption that Puerto Rico is a foreign country. The questions about whether I’m an American citizen. The frustration of constantly explaining my identity to those who see me as “other.” Even in a place I call home, I’m reminded that my roots dig into soil elsewhere.
So where do I or we belong?
Political Tensions in Puerto Rico in the 1980s
The Puerto Ricans who moved to the U.S. in the 1980s were part of a continued migration trend influenced by economic struggles, political tensions, and social dynamics on the island that still exist today. Opertaion Boot Strap is still a lingering shit stain on the island.
The 1980s in Puerto Rico were marked by significant political and economic challenges, which contributed to migration patterns.
Four Reasons why Puerto Ricans migrated
- The Status Debate (Statehood vs. Commonwealth vs. Independence)
- The 1980s saw heightened political tensions over Puerto Rico’s political status. The pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP) and the pro-commonwealth Popular Democratic Party (PPD) were at odds, with independence advocates (represented by the Puerto Rican Independence Party, PIP) also pushing their agenda.
- In 1980, the gubernatorial election was particularly controversial. The PNP’s Carlos Romero Barceló narrowly defeated the PPD’s Rafael Hernández Colón, leading to accusations of electoral fraud and a deepening political divide.
- Violence and Crackdowns on Pro-Independence Activism
- The Puerto Rican independence movement faced severe repression in the 1980s. The FBI and local police surveilled, harassed, and even assassinated independence activists in covert operations.
- One of the most infamous cases was the 1983 Cerro Maravilla killings, where two pro-independence activists were executed by police in what was later revealed to be an extrajudicial killing disguised as an anti-terrorism operation. The scandal exposed government corruption and police brutality, increasing distrust in the government.
- Economic Struggles and Industrial Decline
- The island’s economy suffered due to the decline of U.S. manufacturing operations. The benefits of Operation Bootstrap, an industrialization initiative that began in the 1940s, were fading as companies sought cheaper labor elsewhere.
- Unemployment rose, and many Puerto Ricans, particularly the working class, left for the U.S. in search of economic opportunities, especially in New York, Florida, and Chicago.
- U.S. Military Presence and Resistance
- The U.S. Navy’s use of Vieques as a bombing range sparked protests among Puerto Ricans. While large-scale resistance peaked in the 1990s and early 2000s, opposition was already building in the 1980s, with activists demanding an end to military operations on the island.
One foot here and the other foot there
While many of those who left the island for many or any reason looking for a better stable life, I doubt any of them forget to wave the flag.
Yo soy boricua. Pa que tu lo sepas!