Negrita

Overview

Welcome back to Rico en Sueños all! Lu and Wilson here! We hope episode one was equal parts entertaining and enlightening because we’re here to bring you the second submission of the season; and what a submission is it!

There are many social complexities when we talk about race, identity and blackness. With the census coming up, the question of what box Puerto Ricans can check is coming up again. This has put a spotlight on the African aspects of Puerto Rican culture and some injustices experienced by Afro-Boricuas today.

Last episode we talked about the parts of the Taíno culture that stayed alive in Puerto Rican Heritage. Today we’re going to continue by exploring the Black/African roots still alive on the island.

We’ve got three fabulous and phenomenal guests for this episode — Esmeralda Santiago, Isabel Dieppa, and Venessa Vida-Kelley — who reflect and share their thoughts about the prominent cultural influence the people of Africa brought to the island of Puerto Rico.

Esmeralda reflects on the African roots in her own blood as we talk about her depiction of enslaved people on the island in her Novel “Conquistadora”. Isabel shares the inspiration behind her decision to use Orishas in her own Puerto Rican centered story, and her reporting on the city of Loiza. Vanessa shares her experience with the Afro-Borinquen music style known as Bomba and the place of music in her web comic Manu.

This is a good one listeners!!! So get ready for some more of those rich dreams from the island.

If you’re interested in the “War Against All Puerto Ricans” recommendation, consider purchasing it from your local bookstore OR picking it up at your local library. You can locate a local bookstore via Indiebound.org and you can locate your neighborhood library via Worldcat.org.

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