Yo soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepas!

I think that this film is great. Its target audience will find the film very insightful. I highly recommend this film for all to see! There is a lot of history explained. Not many people, even Puerto Ricans, who know about Don Pedro Albizu Campos, but they should. In the film, the audience is introduced to the works of Campos. The film helps people to begin to understand the stagnated situation the island of Puerto Rico and it's people are in. After viewing the film, the audience should be interested in learning more about Puerto Ricans and their culture. For those that seek to learn more, there are a lot of academic works dedicated to the study of Puerto Ricans and Puerto Rico.

As a Puertorican raised in Chicago, "por la Division" I certainly can identify with the documentary. Some people, especially from mainland Puerto Rico may consider it offensive or distorted, but for us, those who were raised in New York or Chicago, prior to the new Puertorican boom exodus to Miami and Orlando that came in the late 1980's, we can tell, we have lived that we have suffered that, not to mention our parents and ancestors. Myself, I was victim of more discrimination from mainland Puertoricans when I returned as a child to the Island than the one I already experienced in Chicago. Gringo, jincho, etc were among the nice compliments I got from the mainlanders.

Newyoricans, Chicagoricans, we have something in common and it is our pride in our ancestry and heritage.

The part of visiting cousins you have never seen brought fond memories. The documentary presents a relatively unknown aspect of Puertorican history, especially the discrimination against independentist, documented experiments performed on women and radiation exposure to inmates and the awful living conditions that our ancestors had to endure in New York living in slums resembling those that many Italian immigrants experienced during the 1910's. Something's are better not said, but this kind of thing must be denounced. For those of my paisanos who live in LALAland, this documentary is not for you. For those who want to learn and research a little bit more, this is a good starting point.

Bravo Rosie!

This thoroughly engaging documentary will resonate not just with the Latin community, but with immigrants in general. Through interviews with Rosie Perez, her family members, and leading figures in the Puerto Rican immigrant community, this documentary gives tremendous insight into just what makes Puerto Ricans "so damn proud," while revealing shocking tidbits of history that have never been revealed in Uncle Sam's textbooks. Viewers will learn about the forced sterilization of Puerto Rican women, the Young Lords, and Pedro Albizu Campos, Puerto Rico's very own Nelson Mandela/ Martin Luther King civil rights leader. This fun-to-watch, educational, deeply personal film is filled with music, laughter, and the warmth of family and national pride. Fans of Rosie Perez are in for a real treat. By the end of this documentary, you feel like you're on a friendly first-name basis with this still fly girl.

At first, I was a little skeptical about watching this film because most films I have watched go along with all of the stereotypes. I heard an interview on the radio, where Rosie gave an overall summary of what the movie included. This sparked an interest in watching it. She spoke about testing samples taken from Puerto Rico, and although I knew worst than this has happened, to imagine that such a civilized country would do something like this. Since then, I have referred people to see this movie. I think that it is important to know where you came from...and why we're where we are today. It was after watching this film that I started asking my parents questions because I remembered that as a child my parents participated in political movements in Puerto Rico. I found out that it was for this reason that we moved to Boston, MA. Corruption in PR during that time was at it's best and the police and government were ridding' of all people who were in the independent movement. I never understood it, but now I understand why my parents were fighting.

Thanks Rosie! We need to continue to educate the world... And ask those posting ignorant responses, where they came from... Chances are, they don't know.

Rosie and her family did a wonderful job of outlining our history in a way that is exciting and informative. Even the dedicated historian might learn a thing or two from this film but what it offers most is a genuine 'feel' of the Puerto Rican experience in America. Sure, the PBS programs of Puerto Rico are more informative, but they lack the personal touch.

But here's whats wrong with the film... Though the Taino Indians were mentioned probably over a dozen times, their culture and history explained, the contribution of Africans to the island was sadly absent from the documentary. I am very happy that the more contemporary historical black figures such as Don Pedro Albizu Campos were celebrated in the film, but you'd think black folks did nothing but work until he came along. Much was said about resistance against Spain and about bomba music, but they forgot to mention that bomba is African music as it is interpreted in Puerto Rico and that it too was part of the resistance. No mention that those barriles (drums) were outlawed because they were part of the resistance.

There was an entertaining, if not slightly embarrassing section (if we can't laugh ourselves...) on Puerto Rican Spanish. They mentioned the Taino influence, they mentioned the English words that have crept in but surprisingly, failed to mention all the African words that make up Puerto Rican Spanish like 'bemba' meaning lips or mondongo which brings me to food. Yes, they mentioned the frituras and Puerto Rican cooking but failed to mention the many African influences that make up our daily meals from cuchifritos and mondongo to pasteles.

My final comment: It was a good piece. I applaud our sister Rosie Perez on her directorial debut and wish her the best of luck. I encourage you to see it if you haven't, see it again if you have.