Puerto Rico 2019 Pre-Post

Besides Puerto Rico being a U.S. territory, I have no personal connection to the island. Growing up I never knew anyone from Puerto Rico, and it was never a topic that was discussed in my school. Due to the climate of the U.S., I feel even less connected to Puerto Rico because it is only a territory and not as publicized as events happening in the states. Growing up with the privilege that I have, their struggles don't extremely connect with me personally, however they absolutely connect to the service I do. Patrons that visit TASK often feel like they don't have a voice, though they are apart of this country, and I have had many conversations with people that feel they are forgotten by our political system. This is very similar to Puerto Rico in the fact that because of they are a territory, they are still apart of the U.S. but often forgotten about and not given all of the support that they need to succeed.

The experimentation in Puerto Rico was something that really stuck with me throughout the reading. I was really shocked and horrified when I read that there was an experiment done that "resulted in the coercive sterilization of one-third of Puerto Rican women". For something intrusive and horrific to have happened, however I have never heard about it before reading this book, shows how much of abuse that is allowed to be swept under the rug. This must have had massive effects on their population that they can still feel today. The abuse of power that allowed this and many other experiments to happen across the territory is terrifying, and I am interested in learning more about how this was allowed for so long, and what measures can be taken to prevent this cyclical pattern from continuing.

I am extremely interested in learning more about the overall relationship with Puerto Rico in connection to the United States, and the variations of policies and funding they receive compared to the states. I understand that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens and can move freely through the United States, however I want to know more about what they do and don't receive from the U.S., and what voice they have in the government to make change. I also want to understand more why they are not a state, and what would change for the people of Puerto Rico if that change was ever to be made