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RicanWritings

Aquí y allá: Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rico, and the 2024 Elections

Puerto Ricans were in the national spotlight during the last weeks of the US presidential campaign at the same time as Puerto Rico was experiencing its own historic 2024 elections. … Continued

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Decorated and painted spiked mace weapons sit on pink display boxes in a gallery.

RicanWritings

Arming the Contemporary Through Memory and Fantasy: A Look at Tools Created by Amaryllis R. Flowers

If one was to enter the Caribbean history wing at a museum, assuming said museum would even have taken the time and space to dedicate to the subject, you would … Continued

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Three women, two with fluffy dresses and one with a patterned blouse sits on a couch at home.

RicanWritings

Christopher López’s Hoboken Fires: From Ashes, a Counter-Archive Emerges

On October 25, 1981, Ana Mercado lost her life along with her father, husband, and four children. An activist advocating for tenant rights in her community, she succumbed to the … Continued

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Collage on paper of images of Puerto Rican flags, religious figures, someone wearing sandals, colorful paper, and seashells. There is a note in the middle that reads "Your sad eyes always radiates/ed a smile/s. Your hands always healing and your soul ever forgives/ing. Your feet righteously grounded. I was so blessed but now I'm missing you now Mommy I am so thirsty now. All that you are is/was gone/joy."

RicanWritings

Collage as Common Ground: Juan Sánchez’ "Poema para Mami" (2013)

So many things are familiar to me in this image: the chanclas, a staple of my childhood, for instance. A shoe that isn’t a shoe at all. In my house … Continued

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Culture Under Siege: Policing Culture

What happens when the state attempts to regulate culture under the guise of protection? In our latest blog, Prof. Sarah Bruno examines the recent legislative attempt to regulate dance in Puerto Rico through PC2107 legislation that, while framed as safeguarding dancers, would have enforced exclusionary standards rooted in colonial and…

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A layered quilted collage of flowers, people, and rainbows.

RicanWritings

Digging Deep: The Archeology of Identity in Amber Robles-Gordon’s Art

Working in the arts was something I never envisioned for myself, considering my background as a Human Rights lawyer in my home country, Venezuela. My early career was defined by … Continued

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Hoy Te Recuerdo: Mapping Femicides in Puerto Rico

Adrianna Ríos has developed an interactive Google Map documenting femicides in Puerto Rico between January 2021 and April 26, 2023. To explore this resource, readers can access the map here: … Continued

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A bartender looks sadly into the distance.

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In Direction of the Sun: An analysis of the monochromatic high key cinematography of "No" (2021) and "Mariló" (2022) by Quintín Rivera Toro

Since color became the default in cinema, using black-and-white is now a deliberate choice (Misek, 2010). In black-and-white cinematography, lighting plays a crucial role in defining contrasts and visual dynamics. … Continued

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Inaugurating RicanWritings: A Ceremony for Relations

In a time where the humanities, ethnic studies, books, and even knowledge itself are being banned, regulated, and attacked, it is essential for us to consider how necessary it is … Continued

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Installation of works that look like the square and blocky aerial view of farmland from a plane.

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Navigating Noise, Diasporic Mappings, and Ruptured Spaces: The Practice of Nayda Collazo-Llorens

Nayda Collazo-Llorens (b.1968, San Juan, PR) is an artist based in Michigan who works on paper, canvas, video, installation, site-specific and public art projects. The core themes of her practice … Continued

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Palestine in the Nuyorican Literary Imagination: Pedro Pietri’s “Wine and Dine in Palestine”

Tomorrow will always be / Within reach of us all // Because the many are / Plenty “Wine and Dine in Palestine” — Pedro Pietri (1) A one-hundred-thirty-one-line free verse … Continued

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Reseña Debí Tirar Más Fotos (2025) por Bad Bunny

Uno de los coros más populares en la época Navideña en mi Puerto Rico es la canción “El coquí” compuesta por Danny Rivera que dice: “Tienes que preservar tú la … Continued

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An image of the interior of a plane. A sand pile in the shape of a child sits in one of the plane chairs.

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The Formation of Islets as a Metaphor Against Distance and Oblivion: The "islotes" Series by Kevin Quiles Bonilla

Islands arise through dynamic geological processes, including volcanic activity, tectonic plate shifts, and erosion. These forces not only create new land but also continually reshape the Earth’s surface. Over time, … Continued

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