I wear my heritage proudly,
Boricuas,
Tainos,
Puertoriqueños,
Nuyoricans
we’re all one in the same.
Call us by any other name and
we will still be as sweet.
We are full of love, life and warmth.
One that burns hotter than
that Puerto Rican sun.
One that intoxicates more than
that Puerto Rican rum.
We lose ourselves in infinite possibilities
because for us,
our tierra is the land of the free
where our ancestors dared to dream
of a life better than that
of cobble stone roads and quenepa trees.
They say we are lost,
disenfranchised and marginalized
They say we are lazy,
feed off the system,
and at risk of becoming an endangered species.
Smart, educated Latinos we’re non-existent
or so they would like us to believe
Each one, teach one
So that our history
does not become HIS story
lost in the back of some
inaccurate articulately written
American textbook that no one cares to question
because they feel we’re not as important as
Abraham Lincoln or
Thomas Edison or
any other diluted,
respected, misrepresented and
cherished American Figure.
Christopher Columbus could NEVER be
MY HERO
Teaching us that he is the
discoverer of the new world
but never teaching us how he
massacred the Tainos
to rob our Puerto Rico
of its riches.
Often fooled by lies told by guys
dressed in expensive designer suits and ties
disguised by what they call the Nightly News
wrapped up pretty with a big red bow
displaying on that 50 inch 1080P plasma HD box
hanging on the living room wall.
Watching diligently as they deliver to us
their versions of who we are.
Reporting inaccurate statistics
derived and generated from their
misguided, incorrect calculations
because they have no idea of who WE really are.
They will NEVER walk our walk,
they will NEVER talk our talk and
eventually WE will have to
dumb ourselves down for them.
Coming so far yet still have further to go
from the beatings, the pains, and the scars left
by those that continue to tell us that we
will never be good enough.
Scars left behind from the wounds of our ancestors,
those who were slaves, raped and more.
Never let us forget it was them
that opened that door.
So you see, my people, don’t just define who I am.
I am a product of this world and
of all those who gave a damn.
So when I have a success it’s not only mine to share.
It’s for you, and you, and you and
for all those who came before me.
Because…
I am~
their daughter, sister, mother, friend
I am~
pride rolled up in 135 lbs. of
Boricua flesh soul and heart.
I am~
a thread in the fabric
that holds us all together.
A common thread we all share
and we call it being Puertoriqueños
