Yo soy Boricua, pa'que tu lo sepas!

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.

First, I just like to comment to those who felt that this Film was not about Puerto Ricans....I felt that This was a great start for Rosie to get the information out there about our Heritage. From this film I was able to understand my culture and begin to see where our people came from. My Family was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico. I would have never know the struggle that city went thru if it was not for this film. I now know the struggles that our people went thru when they came to the United States seeking the American Dream. This movie left me wanting to know more about my people and to appreciate what my grandmother and grandfather went thru.

PR, has its beauty just like everywhere else you go in the world. But, it does have its poverty stricken areas too. So just cause you been to Pr, I'm sure you haven't visited every nook and cranny of the island, because its not just the Haitians or the Cubans or the Dominicans....its everywhere and everyone....

I feel that Rosie Perez and her Crew did a great job getting us to want to know more...No one can put our entire heritage into a short documentary...so if you want to know more do the research and go out and make a 5 or 10 hour movie to explain every piece of our culture...overall I thought it was a good start and I hope that other people can see that and at least acknowledge what she opened our eyes too.

Goodbless, One Proud Cali Rican!!

Rosie, I think you did an alright job but you could have added so much more to include all Puertoricans and not just the stereotypes. I was so surprised that you did not mention Luis Munoz Marin... you didn't mention him at all... It was a great effort but I was disappointed that there was not enough viewing of the beautiful places in PR. I Love PR and go often. My whole family is still there. I have Aunt's that will never leave and have never left... LOL I felt as if you were trying to get people to feel sorry for us. I don't want people feeling that way. You know that feeling you had when you called the University to set them straight after saying that you went from homeless to Hollywood... That is the feeling I got. Not all Boricuas are from the ghetto and none of my family lives in poverty. As a matter of fact I have never even seen the type of poverty you have shown in the movie. I have seen it in the Dominican Republic and in Central America but never in PR (Maybe just haven't been in those places).

My beef with PR is that we don't fight harder to become a state. There is no way in He$$ that we could ever be Independent and why would we want to. We have been promised the opportunity to become a state since 1954... what is taking so damn long. I wish you would have put more beauty of the island and politics in the film. Congress has been doing economic studies on the island for years and this documentary just made it seem as if we are not ready to become a state. This is a major set back. We need to promote our prosperity, show off what we have and what we have accomplished.

Hermana - you did alright.. and I felt more love after seeing the film. But Nena come on... let's show off in a good way let there be a Part two... "Puerto Rico - Today"... what do you say? Un Abrazo, Lisette

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!

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.