#64 The Story of Imperialism in Puerto Rico - Dana López

In this episode, Dana takes us through the history and legacy of imperialism in Puerto Rico 

 

Dana López (she, her, ella) 39 years old lives in Aguadilla Puerto Rico with her daughter, partner, and 2 cats. Studying Master of Social Work remotely at Columbia University School of Social Work (Clinical Social Work and Social Welfare Policy) 

 

Dana grew up in several places across what is currently known as the United States racialized and socialized as a "middle class" white woman.  

She returned to university as an adult to complete undergraduate work in Psychology, Social Science and Writing. Then went on to graduate school at Columbia and through the process of education and returning to Puerto Rico during the pandemic to live closer to her partners family, became deeply interested- if not obsessed with the ways that oppressive US imperialist policy is enacted and impacts the people of Puerto Rico.  She discusses the throughlines from invasion to current issues of "status" of Puerto Rico. The ongoing displacement and gentrification of Puerto Ricans and the ways that the US obscures the colonial and imperialist "relationship" between Puerto Rico and the US. 

 

Only some of many books, articles and names for further learning about this issue:

 

-War Against All Puerto Ricans, Nelson A. Denis

-How to Hide an Empire, Daniel Immerwahr 

-La Mordaza (The Gag Law), Ivonne Acosta Lespier

-Free Puerto Rico, Pedro Albizu Campos (anything about Albizu Campos)

-Disaster Capitalism, Naomi Klein

-For those who like Marx and poetry... Read Lo Terciario/The Tertiary by Raquel Salas Rivera

-Centro Archives at Hunter College CUNY

https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/library/#archivesSection

-Boricua College Archives

-University of Puerto Rico Archives 

 

Policy list and key points mentioned for further research:
El Grito de Lares

Carta de Autonomia

The Jones Act 

The Gag Law

US Public Law 136 (forced sterilization of women in Puerto Rico)

Cornelius Rhoades

Ponce Massacre

Nationality Act

Act 20/22/60

PROMESA/ La Junta

Vieques bombings

History of pharmaceutical business, contraception testing

UN Decisions on decolonization of Puerto Rico

 

I.G. @TheGambian

 

 

Twitter:

@MomodouTaal

@DLopezsocialwrk