There’s so much I’ve heard about the Puerto Rican people from Puerto Rican people from my hometown before coming here. I’ve heard they’re passionate about their plantains, jolly and loud, but most importantly they are resistant and love their island. I think that’s what I learned most while here about the people. They are determined and tough people. Although the hurricane hit a bit of a year ago, many people have come together to rebuild and those efforts continue. From seeing locals like Titi come and help clean, to seeing neighbors work on their houses to seeing how hardcore Francisco was on cutting coconut trees. The people are hoping for a new beginning and to push forward for a better future and their passion is contagious.
The policies I learned about include the Jones Act and the inability to vote in federal elections as well as lack of representation. These policies have made it hard for Puerto Rico to rebuild their economy and access assistance funds post hurricane. It’s also because of this that there is 2 sides of the movement towards a new future: pro statehood and pro independence. While the first is supported more by the older generation, the second is more supported by the younger generation. The effects of these policies are manifested in the high cost of living as well as the lack of hurricane relief funding.
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