Borikén: A Puerto Rican Podcast

Crisis en Vieques y Culebra, pero el gobernador de Puerto Rico, Pedro Pierluisi responde con arrestos de protestantes que piden y demandan atención a la falta de transportación accesible. Transportación para estas islas municipales es esencial - no un lujo. Esperamos que el gobierno de Puerto Rico responda con acción y soluciones, en vez de arrestos y mas excusas.En este episodio escuchan la voz de una residente de Vieques que esta peleando junto a su pueblo, para algo tan básico y esencial: Transportación - Algo que el gobierno de Puerto Rico les niega uno y otra vez. Gracias Andrea por tu trabajo y dar tu tiempo. Andrea nos cuanta cosas que no se ven en los medios: de pescadores que hacen el trabajo que le pertenece al gobierno, de embarcaciones que no deben ser usadas en el mar y presentan peligrosos, de un gobierno fuera de contacto con la realidad. Y un pueblo que no se quita.  Vieques y Culebra - estamos contigo. 

Hawaiʻi and Borikén are connected in struggle. I wanted to take a moment with my sisters across the world, to share and to hold space on issues that only we understand fully. It is a rare moment when you can look someone in the eye and they understand the type of oppression you both struggle with.  It is important to ask why demanding freedom is labeled "radical." Spiritually, physically and mentally we have been affected by the policies of ownership of indigenous lands and bodies that continue to be "normalized." Those in power cannot continue to dictate the terms. You do not tell those that you oppress, how you will stop oppressing them, and this is why more conversations like these are needed.In this episode I sit down with two inspiring women, MYKIE & IHILANI, to talk about history and to talk about what real freedom would look like. More importantly, to say aloud to each other and to all of you that we must fight for a future where are free. Books: A Nation Rising by Noelani Goodyear-Kaʻōpua, From A Native Daughter by Haunani-Kay Trask, Fighting the Battle of Double Colonization by Haunani-Kay Trask,  'Native Hawaiian Law: A Treatise' edited by University of Hawaiʻi law professors Melody MacKenzie, Susan Serrano, and Kapua Sproat, Islanders in the Empire: Filipino and Puerto Rican Laborers in Hawaiʻi’ by JoAnna Poblete Instagram accounts to follow: @Kanaeokana @Puuhuluhulu @ProtectMaunakea Bios: Ihilani Lasconia is a Kānaka ʻŌiwi (Native Hawaiian) poet, student, and organizer from Waimānalo Oʻahu. ʻIhilani is currently a senior at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa majoring in Ethnic Studies. She is also a first-year master's candidate in Education Administration. ʻIhilani is a part of  Kia'i Ke Kahaukani which is a student group that advocates for the protection of Maunakea. ʻIhilani is a strong supporter of Native Hawaiian self-determination and the deoccupation of Hawaiʻi. She believes that political education is essential to liberation and that all struggles are interconnected.Mykie Ozoa-Aglugub is a Filipina-Boricua anti-imperialist feminist organizer in the illegally occupied Kingdom of Hawai‘i. She is a founding member of AF3IRM Hawai‘i, the local chapter of a transnational feminist organization, with 10 chapters across the US and in Hawai‘i and Borikén. Mykie is an expert in anti-gender violence advocacy and training and she holds a law degree from the UH Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law.

Es como pelear con el viento / Like fighting the windNosotros tenemos un problema en Vieques. Bueno - hay muchos, pero uso "nosotros" porque la diaspora y Boricuas por toda las islas están uniéndose al movimiento contra la directora Mara Peréz quien es responsable en parte - por la crisis de Vieques. En estos momentos muchos Viequenses se encuentran con transportación no segura ni confiable, aunque es su derecho tenerlo. Se encuentran sin gasolina, sin comida  - todo porque hay una persona que no quiere dejar su puesto - ya que el pueblo dice que ha fallado en su deber en esa posición. Y preguntamos también, a los representantes en Puerto Rico, porque se usa la Policía como TAXI.En este episodio escucharan a Andrea Del Mar Bonilla, quien vive en Vieques hablar sobre su experiencia, y también de como fue que su video se convirtió en un momento de acción e indignación. Vamos todos a visibilizar la lucha en Vieques.We have a problem on Vieques. Well - there are many, but I use "we" because the diaspora and Boricuas all over the islands are joining the movement against director Mara Peréz who is partly responsible for the Vieques crisis. At this time, many Viequenses find transportation unsafe and unreliable, although it is their right to have it. They find themselves without gas, without food - and are demanding the resignation of the Director of Transportation to Vieques. And we also ask why Puerto Rican representatives are using Police as TAXI to get to the island of Vieques.In this episode, you'll listen to Andrea Bonilla, who lives in Vieques, talk about her experience and how her video became a moment of action and outrage. Let's bring light to the struggle of Vieques.(As of this episode's publishing -  Mara Perez - the Director of ATM has RESIGNED!)#PuertoRico #Vieques #MaraRenuncia #Boriken

What happens when the stories of us are told by us, with us? I wanted to ask the Director of the incredible documentary Landfall  many questions but at the heart of our conversation was a strong sense that community is really key in telling our stories.I hope you will share this really powerful interview with Cecilia Aldarondo because so much of what leads to healing from trauma comes through art and the dialogues we have together. Cecilia Aldarondo is a documentary director-producer from the Puerto Rican diaspora who works at the intersection of poetics and politics. Her feature documentaries MEMORIES OF A PENITENT HEART (2016) and LANDFALL (2020) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and were co-produced by the award-winning PBS series POV. LANDFALL's many awards include the 2020 DOC NYC Film Festival Viewfinders Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary, the 2021 Film Independent Truer than Fiction Spirit Award nomination, and a 2021 Cinema Eye Spotlight Award nomination. Among Aldarondo's fellowships and honors are the Guggenheim, a two-time MacDowell Colony Fellowship, the 2021 New America Fellowship, and Women at Sundance 2017. In 2019 she was named to DOC NYC's 40 Under 40 list and is one of 2015’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film. She teaches at Williams College.You can learn more about the documentary by following their social media @LandfallFilm and going to the website/ articles linked below:https://www.facebook.com/LandfallDoc@landfallfilm (Instagram)@blackscrackle (Instagram)@Landfall_Doc (Twitter)@blackscrackle (Twitter)https://deadline.com/2021/01/landfall-director-cecilia-aldarondo-pbs-pov-documentary-interview-news-1234674738/https://fb.watch/3qwbkTgVqJ/https://www.claridadpuertorico.com/maria-isaias-las-monjas-en-la-piedra-sobre-el-mar/https://www.80grados.net/pueblo-o-multitud-hegemonia-o-posthegemonia-ceiba-1999-san-juan-2019-vieques-2020/

This week, lets talk about race and racism. Let's talk about Cultural appropriation. Let's talk about why black lives matter, but many of the reactions around a recent case of appropriation left many Black Latinxs asking  - where is the solidarity in our community when it comes to black voices and black lives.I invited la Doctora Barbara Abadia-Rexauch to speak about an article published recently on another case of a white woman putting on the Latina costume. Something actual Latinxs are not able to do, and certainly with none of the privileges that this affords.The article published on Prism Reports by the journalist Tina Vazquez revealed that a prominent lawyer / activist in the New York community was actually not Puerto Rican and Colombian as she had presented, but instead a white woman from Georgia with Irish Italian and Russian ancestry. Recently, and due to the demand for accountability, this person has resigned from her position at the National Lawyers Guild and faces community accountability.Dr. Bárbara Abadía-Rexach is a communication scholar, sociocultural anthropologist, and Afro Puerto Rican feminist and antiracist leader. She received a BA in Public Communication and a MA in Theory and Research of Communication from the University of Puerto Rico, and a Ph.D. in Anthropology from The University of Texas at Austin. Abadía-Rexach is Assistant Professor of Afrolatinidades at the Latina/o Studies Department at San Francisco State University. Her academic work explores racialization from different cultural productions in Puerto Rico and its diasporas, and within the Latinx communities. She is the author of the book Musicalizando la raza. La racialización en Puerto Rico a través de la música (2012). Her recently published academic articles include: Summer 2019: The Great Racialized Puerto Rican Family Protesting in the Street Fearlessly (2020); Centro y periferia: Las identidades en el nuevo movimiento de la bomba puertorriqueña (2019) and The New Puerto Rican Bomba Movement (2016). She is one of Colectivo Ilé’ community organizers, and a member of the Black Latinas Know Collective. Abadía-Rexach produces and moderates the radio program NEGRAS at Cadena Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico. She is a collaborator of the Spanish digital platform Afroféminas, and the Puerto Rican feminist and solidarity journalist project Todas. Articles to read/share:https://www.prismreports.org/article/2021/1/7/the-national-lawyers-guilds-outgoing-latina-president-is-a-white-womanhttps://www.prismreports.org/article/2021/1/14/attorney-who-posed-as-latina-resigns-and-faces-community-accountabilityhttps://www.blacklatinasknow.org/post/the-replay-white-passes-and-black-exclusions-in-latinidad?fbclid=IwAR2qe91ZUzkXZNhEWp9n0m0F0Jgy94hLKe6TzheeFIWtweXmNAzd8sSSSqw

Happy 2021! Question. Have you ever heard of these Supreme Court decisions called The Insular Cases? Well, they are a very strange set of cases that you might find uniquely shocking. In this interview I speak to Andrés González Berdecía who provides an exceptional overview of what the Insular cases are and what it's impact is in Puerto Rico in 2021. (spoiler: white supremacy is definitely at play)Andrés is an attorney with a background in Political Science. He participated in the student movements in Puerto Rico, and has worked in the Department of Justice in Puerto Rico. He is currently a Legal Advisor to the Speaker of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) in the House of Representatives. He is co-host of the incredibly insightful podcast called Radio Independencia (go subscribe!).With the insurrection happening this past week at the Capital, I wanted to bring you some interesting historical facts on Puerto Rico, on what it means to not be free, and actually why the events of the week are a bit ironic in light of the storming of the Capital in 1954 by four Puerto Ricans who were fighting against something that dates back to the early 1900s. A real issue, that we're still fighting today. Tune in on your preferred podcast app or watch the video on Youtube. Please don't forget to like and share on all the social media platforms. Stay safe, and thank you, as always, for listening.

La Comay needs to be cancelled. This tv show does not need any more space on the air. It's time. For those who may not know, La Comay is a show in Puerto Rico that is under fire for their sexualization of an image of a young girl. The incident occurred just this past week and involves the daughter of the only woman running for governor of Puerto Rico. In this episode, I wanted to share the response of one journalist in an article written by a journalist and educator Christina Del Mar Quiles on todaspr.com - because she perfectly captured that this behavior represents a continuous cycle of violence against women in Puerto Rico.The patriarchy doesn’t want happy girlshttps://www.todaspr.com/el-patriarcado-no-quiere-ninas-felices/Other Resources mentioned in this episodeHistory of Racist comments on black Puerto Ricanshttps://www.latinorebels.com/2020/06/14/callstocancelcomay/More here:https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=720264408747097Where do we go from here? What can you do?You can find the action Items put together by feminist activists on the island on my instagram page. And I always want to share resources and orgs to follow so if you haven't seen them before please check out the following: Taller SaludColectiva Feminista en construccionRevista EtnicaTodasPRConsentimientoPRWaves Ahead

Sandy G was a Black Puerto Rican woman from Williamsburg, Brooklyn and she died at the hands of a white cop who entered her home on a supposed wellness check but instead shot her in her bed three times, claiming she raised her gun even though forensics conclusively determined she did not. Words escape me as I sit here wondering how many more lives need to be taken before something is done about the lives taken by police.This shooting was investigated for 6 months before it was determined as justified. A black woman's murder was determined as justified but every detail of this case points to a cover up. As you'll learn from hearing her son's story in this episode, there is a shocking reason why the case did not go to court. Governor Cuomo of NY and the State Attorney General have failed this woman's family, because they did not intervene even when there was evidence of misconduct, conflict of interest and culpability. It becomes clear when you listen to the case details that cops with connections might be able to get away with murder in the state of New York.There are glaring problems with the narrative and case details that lead us to understand that Sandy's death wan't the result of self defense on the part of the cop. This man was in full control of the situation and he should be arrested and charged.  Listen to the details of this case to hear what really happened that fall afternoon in 2017. After listening to the case details and her son's story, if you also feel that more answers are needed please sign the family's petition. Please share their instagram and social media pages as well, to demand that the case be reopened and the cop responsible, arrested. Sandy was a wonderful mother, a two time cancer survivor, with a background in social work and a veteran officer  - but none of these things mattered to the man who entered her room while she lay defenseless and shot her to death.Petition: https://www.change.org/p/andrew-m-cuomo-justice-reforms-in-honor-of-sandy-guardiolaSocial Media: @JusticeforSandyG_https://www.facebook.com/groups/347082589589643/

On today’s episode I give you my take on this pandemic, how it’s shaped life for New Yorkers, & what's happening in Puerto Rico, as they continue to face challenges other places do not: From closure of airports, to buying life saving supplies.An important note, if you feel you have the virus, unsure what to do Apple has partnered with the CDC on a screening tool. Note: they use your data, without personal info.This week I kept thinking that we rely on our leaders for solace in challenging times and right now there is a lack of leadership and collaboration.As the epicenter, New York predict they'll run out of medical supplies in a week, and need 140k beds. Meanwhile over half of cases in NY are 18-49 yrs old. In Italy, they reported the highest jump in deaths in 24 hrs, with over 900 people dead. Note: Italy had 3.2 beds per 1 thousand people while the US has 2.8 per 1000. Hospitals are running out of beds/protective equipment. As cases rise, I discuss how Wall Street shouldn't determine the response to a health crisis. We can't put a cost to human life - even if that has been the status quo in America. Ultimately though, the response to the virus will be guided by how we deal with class in America.Music credit:  Alynda Segarra a Puerto Rican singer & lead of Hurray for the Riff RaffTexas Lt Gov who prefers to die to save economy/GrandchildrenNYC deaths: More than 1 person per 24 hoursNYTimes Op edPR Recovery plan & Puerto Rico FB on COVID19PR epidemiologist not equipped to handle crisis (note: She has since been removed from this position) & PR "first" death in the newsPuerto Rico Needs Medical Supplies but faces RestrictionsFears of being ignored during pandemicPocillo Podcast: a Puerto Rican podcastMost vulnerable workers in PRAn estimate of deaths from Coronavirus in Puerto RicoThe Daily: NYTimes PodcastThe Ezra Klein ShowRemezclaBoricua Short DocThe Seeds we SowLessons from ItalyFor more go to Borikenpodcast.com

Wanda Vasquez is the current governor of Puerto Rico, but when she was the Secretary of Justice she asked another official not to send her any evidence from leaked chats that potentially could incriminate people from her own party (PNP). She is only governor today because the people of Puerto Rico protested for over a week, until the last Governor finally resigned in disgrace. Since the discovery of the warehouse, she has fired multiple people, but it is a clear distraction from the fact that she is also part of the same party that has lied to the people. She will not be granted any exemption in the eyes of the Puerto Rican people, although she may try.The other person that the people are pointing to is a man named Thomas Rivera Schatz. For brevity, only know that he is President of the Senate and also called one of the most corrupt of all. The people also want him out.Tomorrow is Martin Luther King day, and people will be protesting both on the island and in many other states. We hope you'll join us in Puerto Rico, Washington DC, NYC, Philly, Los Angeles. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." ― Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from the Birmingham Jail This episode is more my take on things, so you'll hear my anger, my emotions because these are things I cannot hide or shy from. And while it's not objective I can say with certainty that the facts are clear: they lied, and we need to clean house, we need to vote them out. There's no time to waste. I'll also say that I'm feeling a lot of sadness because so many deaths could have been prevented. This government decided the lives of our communities meant nothing. But my stepfather was a good man. He deserved to live.Lastly, I wanted to end this latest episode with the audio from the viral video taken inside the warehouse found in Ponce. The voice belongs to a good citizen, a good neighbor, a patriot, a man who was willing to show the world and his community that our government needs to be replaced by people who won't sit back and watch while people suffer. I hope these officials are persecuted for these crimes against the good people of Puerto Rico. Que Viva Puerto Rico Libre.

Puerto Rico January 17, 2020: Over 700 homes damaged due to multiple earthquakes that have hit the southern part of the island, and victims of the disaster are sleeping outside, some with children, others with their elderly parents. We know of 1 death, and another indirect death due to a hospital not fixed after Hurricane Maria. Funds from Hurricane Maria have been held in limbo and only recently were these funds dangled in front of the faces of Puerto Ricans… but with a catch.As coincidence would have it, Puerto Ricans have been demanding a cancellation of billions in debt which hasn’t been audited and many suspect contains illegal deals. So aid is being offered in exchange for something: They want to give more power to the undemocratically elected fiscal board, in order to ensure that debt is fully paid by the people who had no dealings in that debt. In other words, victims of a disaster are being offered aid just so that the US government can impose even more austerity on them. Meanwhile, the people are saying, they have no freedom to choose, as the real ‘Governor’ of Puerto Rico is the Judge Swain, who decides how this debt will be paid to the Wall Street hedge funds/vultures that have their sights set on taking everything from victims of 2 disasters, who are colonized and without any real power, representation.There are moments like this that teach us, and make very clear, what is lacking and what needs to be done moving forward. And it’s participatory democracy and learning how to organize that has been an incredibly important part of this cultural evolution happening in Puerto Rico.This is why this week I speak to a member of a community initiative that was there on the ground first, before local or federal officials, because they remain committed to the needs of the people and providing real relief, rather than the illusion of it.I want to thank La Brigada Solidaria del Oeste for their commitment to communities and their incredibly impactful model of listening to their needs - which unfortunately is a radical concept to federal and local officials who continuously fail to provide real leadership. However, Puerto Ricans have caught on, and they are starting to see that real change will come with organizing communities. People power is what got a governor kicked out this summer, with millions on the street saying: Enough. This interview was done a week after the first large earthquake and there are so many more updates but I hope this interview inspires you to get involved, donate, and keep raising awareness with me. Thank you.For more information on La Brigada and other organizations that are doing community work on the ground - please check out these links:https://www.facebook.com/brigadasolidariaoestePaypal Donations to: BrigadaSolidariaOeste@gmail.comhttps://www.mariafund.org/

Maybe this week’s title should have been: “Overthrow of the Empire” because I love Star Wars.Today I share an interview I had this summer with Jonathan Soto on Institutions and Working class movements and speaking on an overthrow of the Colonial Consultancy class in Puerto Rico. This interview happened shortly after Pierluisi attempted to take on the title of Governor.We spoke about laws that create inequality to benefit global corporate entities, and that oppress people of color/marginalized communities. Just look at the fact that Six out of 10 kids are living under the poverty level in Puerto Rico. However, there is more awareness around corporate schemes and the people are realizing that the power can be taken back as Jonathan says because “They have money but we have People”For me it was really refreshing to discuss the shift that we are seeing from campaigns to communities. While we didn’t know at that time Wanda would take the “throne” so to speak… it is important to look back and to keep in mind going forward because there is still a lot of corruption in Puerto Rican politics. But keep an eye out for Asambleas de Pueblo / the Town Halls that are brainstorming & organizing around local issues that affect communities.“People aren’t awarded their contracts based on performance, it’s based on relationships and that’s why we see so much misuse of funding and inefficiencies” - SotoThis particular quote from the interview is incredibly relevant right now because the Ministry of the interior in Puerto Rico, Zoe Laboy, has had to come out to defend the awarding of $125,000 in contracts to her own son. In a poor attempt to persuade us that nepotism isn’t happening, she is convincing no one of the influence her position would have in these decisions. A recent article covers comments from Trump’s chief of states, Mick Mulvany that they are withholding Aid money from Puerto Rico because it is a corrupt place, and compare it to a foriegn country - the Ukraine. But the difference there is that Puerto Ricans went through a natural Disaster, have had to fight in US wars, have been forced to be a territory, without representation, without ability to really govern themselves outside of a puppet government and really Trump and his buddies should be holding up a mirror with an Impeachment inquiry that doesn’t appear to be going away. One interesting note too - that when I recorded this interview I mentioned that this is something that’s happening all over the world - people are waking up to corruption and the way the elite take advantage of those with less. Now we are seeing how the protests in Chile especially are creating the kind of pressure that forces our political leadership to step to the plate and answer for their abuse of the working class.My favorite quote from Jonathan’s interview was this one:  “Political Parties just distract from who’s really in power… and who is really in power is Wall Street.”I’ll leave you with one of Jonathan’s recent skits in front of the home of a Hedge Fund manager John Paulson who supports Trump and who holds  $120 million in Puerto Rico bonds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxxNVTtEizg&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR28qiaYkwKacE-PzxskL9bWg4acJ09j7C171TOehx0-w4GKzOgzzCZuf3E And don’t miss the discussion at the very end about the Pinata!! Thanks Jonathan!The Bus initiative Jonathan discussed is on instagram @ProjectRefugePRYou can reach Jonathan at @JWillSoto, and for the articles mentioned you can find them at www.borikenpodcast.com

When you grow up a minority in the US, especially Puerto Rican, you grow up assimilating. In every sense, you live in a bubble - the American dream, American history, American politics, American flag and very rarely do you see yourself in the images and the stories being told around you and in film or media. Many of us kids of the "diaspora" as we're called, rarely get to step foot on the 100x35 miles that make up a world of stories, of culture, of art and history we all may never fully learn completely. Some of that history was burned and can't be recovered. Hidden like a jewel in the backdrop of American history and politics is our own, an island colony that was taken over from the Spanish, the site of a genocide of Native Americans that to this day we bear the markings of.The blood that runs through us still holds the DNA of Indigenous Taino people. But when the news feeds you all the latest on Meghan Markle or Billie Eilish (who I love!), or the attention hungry Trump grabs the media by their ... It's hard to focus on where you come from. Popular media doesn't really care about the marginalized but as someone I care about always says, the stories that we all love, are the stories of the outsiders, the underdogs.But as we reclaim our roots, let's also take stock. Solidarity has been hard to come by but after Maria, we are seeing a new Boriken emerge. I still wonder how I and others will recover from the pain and the deaths we all experienced. I do have hope that we will. Every Puerto Rican I meet inspires me to raise my chin a little higher. And most especially my mom, because the last time I saw her I felt a shift and it felt good. Perhaps the tides really are turning.Today's episode is about that, about all of us coming together to speak to our experiences, to give ourselves permission to claim our space. Assimilation and identity. Latinos deal with these issues in many ways. But being different is not a flaw, it is a super power.For today's interview I speak with @therealNasim Nasim is a writer and actress that speaks about what we all go through, as Americans but also Latinos in this country, when we don't see ourselves represented in film or media. Nasim and I talk about what it was like to be the only brown girl in a sea of white kids, and how hard it was to feel accepted in a culture that celebrates blond hair or blue eyes. We don't have to hide or be ashamed though, because we are living in a time where culturally we have woken up to that. That's why I was so glad she got in touch. I wanted to speak to someone who could share the same feelings I had, because I know we are not alone in how we feel.We know who we are.Now let's get it.Abuelita the Film:https://www.instagram.com/abuelitathefilm/

This week I start the podcast subconsciously in a whisper... because this topic of toxic relationships is something people feel uncomfortable facing. I am glad I came across Beatriz Bonnin, because she opened up a conversation I've been wanting to share.We can have toxic relationships with our families, our partners, our friends and it's important to recognize them, understand the signs, and how to get out of those situations.As Beatriz says in this interview it's about not just unlearning but relearning. It's about your intuition. And we discuss 3 signs that a particular relationship is not working. Abusive and manipulative relationships also do not come out of malice or intention always either. We discuss cycles as well, generations that grow up seeing abuse and thinking that this is normal. "You are no one's pillow, you are no one's rehab," Beatriz says. We speak to the ability to change but that this has to be a radical process. Rehab, yoga, therapy, and many other tools will help you or your partner to get to the root of the problem. No one is perfect, we are human but you need to do the work to change. I got personal as well and discussed how trauma has affected me and my relationships and being accountable. Knowing how to identify what you need to work on and coming together to find what triggers are causing imbalance in relationships.For me the interview was a much needed reminder that we have to look into our actions, and the actions of those who we interact with because they will have a huge impact on your growth or lack of growth. Finding balance and the courage to address the trauma and uncomfortable topics is an important step towards healing.My favorite takeaways from the interview was to acknowledge your emotions, and to connect with yourself through self study. And I'm grateful to the universe for the chance to connect with Beatriz Bonnin.Mujeres empoderando mujeres... always. NOTE: Men also are part of this healing process. We spoke of the importance of men who are not afraid to connect to their emotions, because to them this doesn't show weakness but strength. And we need highlight them as well. Because as Beatriz says, there is not a space for most men to be able to do that. You can find Beatriz on Instagram @SanandoJuntasPR or @BeatrizBonninYogahttps://www.instagram.com/sanandojuntaspr/Beatriz also mentioned her Mentor which you can find here: https://www.instagram.com/lalupavia/

On July 25th after less than 2 weeks of protests and millions on the streets, the current Governor of Puerto Rico announced his resignation.“I see the future of Puerto Rico and it has no Puerto Ricans” - from the chats that have fired up the entire Puerto Rican nation and led to more than a million people on the streets of San Juan. This week, the resignation of the Governor, Ricardo Rossello led to celebrations and worldwide coverage.Movements or Revolutions like the one happening in Puerto Rico have historically been led by the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color, but often we don’t get to hear their voices. While I was happy mainstream media is on the island, led by David Begnaud, a reporter for CBS who is gay and a fierce advocate for Puerto Ricans on the island - we need to hear more from the queer Puerto Ricans who are a powerful and impactful voice in these movements.“When you grow up queer, you grow up having to fight the system” - Joanna CifredoSo I wanted to speak to those community activists that are queer and who have contributed in impactful ways with their words and actions and writings. One thing struck me when I spoke to Joanna Cifredo for her interview: they fight because there is no escaping the kind of discrimination they experience. There is no alternative for them. From the time they are young they know they are one of the most marginalized and most oppressed of groups. And let’s talk about intersectionality as well because being afrolatinx and queer comes with very different barriers and challenges. More coverage on that is needed from those who have been doing the work. I hope to capture more conversations around that soon.During the interview, Joanna mentioned the Orlando Pulse tragedy and that was such a punch in the gut because even though many Boricuas died in that tragedy and many of us know that, there is not enough acknowledgement of the threats their community faces every single day.I wanted to bring together queer voices for this episode because I know there are not enough platforms and not enough coverage that acknowledges their contributions  in their own words. Inclusivity shouldn’t be a fad or a buzz word, it should be an action. So let’s stand with them in solidarity and let’s acknowledge how important they are to this Puerto Rican Revolution because until there is justice for all there is no justice. I know I am a very small part of this movement but - I hope we recognize more and more the importance of these voices in a world that needs healing and unity.Joanna, Xavi, and Alejandro… thank you for letting me share your words, your passion and your intellect with our community of Boricuas both on the island and the Diaspora...I hope to see you en la isla or in New York someday soon…Pa’lante.___________________________________________________________________You can learn more about each of this weeks Interviewees at the following social media Instagram handles: @JoannaCifredo, @QueerJibaro (Xavi), and @AlejandroSantiago2020The first interview in the episode is with Joanna Cifredo a trans woman and Queer Activist who is doing amazing work with the Puerto Rican youth, the second is with writer Xavi Burgos Pena also an activist and amazing voice in the diaspora, and last but not least Alejandro Santiago, a social worker and community activist in Puerto Rico who is a powerful speaker and You can find Joanna's GoFundMe page here:https://www.gofundme.com/x2h5rw-supportcampalbizu?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_u_gThe Washington Post article by Lilliam Rivera can be found here:https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-puerto-ricos-protesters-can-teach-the-rest-of-us/2019/07/25/79bdf966-af00-11e9-bc5c-e

One hundred thousand people flooded the streets of Viejo San Juan Puerto Rico on July 17th. They came out to protest the current Governor not resigning from his position, all screaming “Ricky Renuncia” into the morning hours...In this episode we will hear  from various people on and off the island about why this moment is significant and why this calls unwanted attention on the relationship between the US and Puerto Rico. More than anything Puerto Ricans want to take back their dignity and identity. Many people who don’t understand the history do not realize that the current situation really speaks more to lack of freedoms. It speaks to something that doesn’t involve party or status of Puerto Rico, but more the psychological impact of years as a modern day colony.For those who have not been keeping up, after the FBI arrests last week, leaked chats between the governor and his inner circle have led to nonstop protests that people all over are calling historical(see links below). The arrests began on July 10 and the chats came out shortly after, revealing crass, cruel and what some are calling criminal behavior on the part of the governor and his circle. Since then those in the chat have stepped down but not the Governor. David Begnaud with CBS called out the refusal to step down as “tone deaf” during the Press Conference the Governor held, and many also took issue with the Governors claim that independent analysis was done to determine the leaked chats did not reveal any illegal activity - but he refused to name who did the investigation.As you can  imagine, Puerto Ricans on the island and across the world are furious and feeling a lot of pain as they are reminded yet again of the deaths resulting from the corruption and the negligence by this Governor and the US as well. It was important to me, to capture the voices of the people in this moment, because there are few spaces or news outlets that really capture what the average Puerto Rican is feeling, let alone any interviews done by women of color in the very white male and uninformed media space. I can’t tell you how often I end up rolling my eyes when we hear coverage about what Puerto Ricans have been experiencing for over a century… and it’s clear from the thousands of people that came out, that they are also tired of hearing a narrative that doesn’t represent their struggle.The protests will likely continue until the Governor resigns but there are also questions about what happens if Trump steps in or whether the people will be able to choose someone that does represent them, rather than a new Ricky. What is certain is that if the US intervenes and replaces the Governor, rather than allowing the people to choose for themselves, the colonial nature of the Island will be laid bare in ways it hasn’t in over 50 years.Follow me on instagram and facebook under @borikenpodcast and if you have any comments, feedback please reach out at borikenpodcast@gmail.com .My first interview with Carla Cavina is in spanish so I am providing a short description below: Carla states: The people are tired of the way the governor handled not just the Hurricane but the way he has worked to dismantle the Public university, labor rights, the Health system, and Public Schools.Rossello even put his full support behind former Secretary of Education Julia Keleher who was arrested by the FBI last week. Carla says that people on the island described Keleher as always disrespecting the people in every interview or public forum while she was committing fraud right under their noses with money meant for the children of Puerto Rico.For more... go to BorikenPodcast.com

Last week Americans celebrated the Independence of the colonies who fought against an oppressive British Empire, and Puerto Ricans are deeply aware of the irony. Many of us don’t celebrate the 4th of July, because it represents everything historically we have fought for but have been criminalized for: a call for Liberty and representation.  I took a moment to speak about July 4th with two friends born on the island but currently in the Diaspora. We discussed the scandal around the Puerto Rico Pageant and colorism, as well as the political corruption that just last week led to whispers of possible FBI arrests. Although we are not in Puerto Rico, we want to stay connected to our people and their struggle, because after Hurricane Maria - we are much more aware of how important that is.I saw first-hand how the American Political system has failed to address the colonial system they are responsible for in Puerto Rico. American politics not only ignores the obvious fact that Puerto Rico was invaded and colonized, they control the narrative - leading many Puerto Ricans to feel that only those who colonized us, can help us move forward. Clearly from the current state of the island, that has not been the case. We should question why we're all told Puerto Ricans aren't "fit" to lead their own nation. But this week for the first time in the island's history, evidence has come out about the Governor and his circle pointing directly to the corruption. We are seeing Puerto Ricans take to the streets asking for an end to the corruption that the colonial state supports. It's time for reparations for Puerto Rico and every colony that exists now, in the 21st Century.We have to take back the narrative, and keep raising the voices in every way we can, as mainstream media continues to ignore the stories coming from our island. We can't back down or stop calling out the blatant discrimination coming from the local Puerto Rican government and Trump administration or the pandering of American Politicians on latinx communities like mine. Enough is enough.It’s time the US government addresses lack of Freedoms Puerto Ricans and other Latinos experience in this country. And it starts here. Speaking and listening to Puerto Rican people, and all those who are directly impacted by the second class treatment of our communities.To hear the latest on what's happening in Puerto Rico today you can watch a local community activist here: https://www.facebook.com/mythirstybrain/videos/10104498928158707If you wish to support the podcast, simply go to Patreon.com and find Boriken Podcast to donate. Thank you for listening!https://www.patreon.com/BorikenLinks to topics described in this Episode:Miss Universe Puerto Rico https://www.latinorebels.com/2019/06/17/missuniversepuertorico/ The FBI and Raul Maldonado: Political Corruption in Puerto Ricohttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-24/puerto-rico-governor-ousts-treasurer-amid-reported-fbi-probehttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-27/fbi-is-probing-corruption-in-puerto-rico-government-contractJose Carrion supports Trump’s campaign and also controls Puerto Rican economyhttps://www.elnuevodia.com/english/english/nota/trumpscampaignbringsingonzalezandcarrion-2501812/

What do you do when ten or twelve people on your street alone develop cancer, or when your kids are playing in the backyard but you don't know if the ash that's covered everything will give them cancer or respiratory disease. What do you do when the water you drink could contain heavy metals that seeped into it because your government has allowed a coal company to dump it's waste in your community without any accountability to human health risks... That's when you know you're in Puerto Rico.This week we examine some of the events that led to a decade long struggle of the people against a multinational Coal Company called AES.We cover the issue by sharing some of the work of an Environmental Lawyer/community member Ruth Santiago, who has been on the ground fighting this issue as well as a post-doc fellow/researcher of Social Movements from St. Louis, Fernando Tormos Aponte. As protesters from Puerto Rico board a plane this week to Arlington, Virginia I wanted to speak to whoever is available from this movement about what is happening and what we can do to help. The stories are frightening. Check it out and please share/take action against the criminal behavior of AES.Click here to see how you can get involved with Climate Justice Alliance: https://climatejusticealliance.org/ You can follow the Puerto Rican Climate Justice/Environmental Justice groups here:https://www.facebook.com/cerocenizasdecarbon/https://www.facebook.com/viveboriken/https://www.facebook.com/CJAOurPower/Contact the EPA below and tell them that you want them to address the violations of human rights and toxic environmental waste causing cancer and other health problems in Puerto Rico:https://www.epa.gov/home/forms/contact-epaTo learn more about this issue you can find information in these articles:https://www.thenation.com/article/puerto-rico-coal-ash/http://periodismoinvestigativo.com/2016/03/puerto-rico-government-and-epa-agree-to-amend-aes-contract-behind-closed-doors/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/coal-ash-raising-concerns-over-health-risks-in-puerto-ricohttps://news.littlesis.org/2019/02/18/suny-chancellor-sits-on-board-of-aes-a-coal-power-company-dumping-toxic-waste-in-puerto-rico/https://www.latinorebels.com/2018/01/27/hurricane-maria-puerto-ricos-unnatural-disaster/https://www.latinorebels.com/2018/08/07/epapuertorico/

Before you do anything else today, go to this website and get yourself these amazing comic books: https://www.la-borinquena.com/ As a female person of color, I rarely saw myself represented in the content I consumed growing up, and I definitely do not remember ever seeing a Superhero that ever looked like ME. This is why La Borinqueña is so important to the younger generations of latinas.Graphic novelist Edgardo Miranda and a number of incredibly talented graphic artists from Puerto Rico and the US, worked on a comic book that raised funds for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria called RICANstruction - collaborating with DC Comics to raise awareness about the needs of the island.La Borinqueña is a Superhero that has inspired and raised close to a quarter of a million dollars for grassroots organizations on the islands. Yet her impact reaches far beyond this fact. Because children in our community can see themselves in a way they haven’t ever seen themselves before.What I learned when I sat down with Edgardo will leave you inspired. And the conversation will also push you to ask yourself: What does it mean to have real representation, and original stories, in the content you consume on a daily basis? And beyond that, to ask who are the gatekeepers that determine whether you see yourself in the content that you pay for?One of the amazing things about this comic series is that Edgardo was able to bring in DC Comics … from Wonder Woman to Superman, Batman and Green Lantern. We discussed that all it takes to raise awareness for the island is the belief that you can contribute, through your voice, your skills, your networks… through action. There are so many ways each of us can positively impact an island that experienced the worst hurricane in their history.The discussion with Edgardo covers many things but we started with the most looming crisis – the Puerto Rican debt crisis. He shares that his first comic with La Borinqueña was focused on being able to digest how the debt crisis is impacting the people and allow those most affected to have a voice, to counter the fact that the island’s residents are US citizens and yet do not have voting representation in Congress.Edgardo also discusses that the public needs to better understand Puerto Rico’s struggle under colonialism. And knowing Puerto Rico’s history is key. History is an important aspect of the comics that Edgardo felt was needed to fully capture what it means to be Puerto Rican and American.We spoke of the ability of La Borinqueña to tap into popular culture to tell Puerto Rican stories, and be a catalyst for more conversations. Edgardo noted that most comics are written by white men and the narratives therefore pursue white male fulfillment in villians that are bullies to be defeated. But Edgardo asks: “To tell our stories of people of color, what are we going to do differently? Are we going to perpetuate the same traps?”Edgardo notes that his upbringing was full of strong women who mentored him closely, and which had a huge influence on his creation of La Borinqueña Comics.He states his activism is centered on the issues that affect marginalized groups who have been discriminated against. We also spoke about the economic condition and climate change effects on Puerto Rico. The fact that the people of the islands have been working on borrowed money from the start.(Check out the episode on the Debt to learn about the historical economic justice issues affecting Puerto Rico here).Edgardo also shares what happened when Hurricane Maria hit and the circumstances around that tragic day that changed our lives. Edgardo spoke about being at a comic convention right after the Hurricane and worrying that it was inappropriate to be at this event given what was happening on the island. But ultimately many there described it as a therapeutic moment for all of them.We spoke also of the Puerto Ricans living in the US reali..