Diasporican Educational Program

Formerly known as the Puerto Rican Cultural Ambassadors Program, the Diasporican Educational Program teaches the social history of the Puerto Rican Diaspora across borders, languages, identities, histories, and more. The program offers an adaptable curriculum, titled Reframing Puerto Rican Diasporas, that can be easily integrated into your existing courses–either partially or as a dedicated unit. With archival materials curated for high school students and college-level classrooms, each unit includes:

• Ready-to-use instructor lesson plans
• Ready-to-use + customizable worksheets
• Original illustrated videos narrated by Sonia Manzano
• Multimedia + archival resources
• Source lists

The program also offers a self-guided course, which is:

• Completely FREE – No payment needed, just your email. This is made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
• 100% Self-Paced – Learn anytime, anywhere.
• Multilingual Resources – Only fluent in English? We provide translations for all Spanish reference materials.
• Beginner-Friendly, Deeply Rooted – No prior experience needed. Start your journey today or expand on your current knowledge.
• Culturally Grounded & Informed – Developed by educational experts and researchers at CENTRO, building upon 50+ years of scholarship & research while utilizing archival materials, data hub reports, and more!
• Visual Storytelling – Dive into lessons with original illustrated videos narrated by Sonia Manzano, archival footage, and archival photos documenting the Puerto Rican experience!

The Diasporican Educational Program is perfect for educators, caretakers, students of all ages, lifelong learners, and anyone curious about Puerto Rico alike—regardless of their familiarity (or not) with Puerto Rico and its history. While framed specifically around Puerto Rico and its many diasporas, the curriculum is also broadly applicable, helping students learn to use primary sources, explore archival collections, and apply critical thinking. It challenges misconceptions about identity and culture and explores concepts of identity and belonging.