After three years in development, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College is excited to announce that its new Diasporican Educational Program—teaching the social history of the Puerto Rican Diaspora across borders, languages, identities, histories, and more—has officially launched to the public. The program offers an adaptable curriculum for classrooms and a self-guided course for high school students, college students, and lifelong learners. The two components of the Diasporican Educational Program are now available through its digital platform, DiasporicanEd.org.
Made possible by a multi-year grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), the curriculum, titled Reframing Puerto Rican Diasporas, was developed by educational experts and researchers at CENTRO to utilize and build upon the 50+ years of scholarship and research within the institution. Each unit of the curriculum includes original illustrated videos narrated by actress Sonia Manzano, along with supporting materials from CENTRO, including archival materials and data reports.
While framed specifically around Puerto Rico and its many diasporas, the curriculum is also broadly applicable for instruction in using primary sources and exploring archival collections while applying critical thinking. It challenges misconceptions about identity and culture, and explores concepts of community and belonging. This comprehensive curriculum is designed for educators, caretakers, students, lifelong learners, and anyone curious about Puerto Rico alike—regardless of their familiarity (or not) with Puerto Rico and its history.
“This grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission has provided the opportunity for us to create a rigorous and culturally sustaining curriculum on Puerto Rico and its diasporas. These lessons illuminate our history, culture, struggles, and accomplishments. We hope that people of all ages become inspired by Boricua history and take advantage of all this curriculum has to offer,” Dr. Yomaira C. Figueroa-Vásquez, CENTRO’s Directora, said.
“We hope this curriculum amplifies and reframes the history and culture of Diasporicans while providing agentic educational opportunities for all learners to examine experiences around identity, language, symbols, citizenship, community, migration, and borders for a better understanding of the issues that matter to us all,” Daicy Diaz-Granados, CENTRO’s Director of Education, said.
The adaptable curriculum can be easily integrated into existing courses—either partially or as a dedicated unit—and is recommended for educators at the high school and undergraduate levels.
Each unit includes:
- Ready-to-use instructor lesson plans
- Ready-to-print + customizable worksheets
- Original illustrated videos narrated by Sonia Manzano
- Multi-media + archival resources
- Source Lists