Boricuas vs. Nuyoricans video clip analysis
Paper instructions
A recent posting on YouTube of a video clip titled Boricuas vs. Nuyoricans has stirred many in the Puerto Rican community. The short video clip—considered as very offensive by many—directly argues that race, class and geography are crucial factors in determining who is and who isn’t Puerto Rican. For the creators of the video Puerto Ricans in the United States, especially second/third/fourth generations ones in New York, are not “true” Puerto Ricans.
In the film Piñero (2001) there is a scene where Nuyorican poet Miguel Piñero (played actor by Benjamin Bratt) faces a group of intellectuals in Puerto Rico. The scene shows a similar clash, this time bounded by issues of class and geography, over who is Puerto Rican and who isn’t.
Watch Boricuas v. Nuyoricans and the clip form Piñero— and write a 800-word essay commenting on the issues raised by the two clips. In the essay you are to argue intelligently against the notion that Puerto Rican culture, or any culture, can be defined along such narrow lines (class, race, place of birth, place of residence). Use what you have learned from the readings (apply it!) and be sure to focus on the social class, race and place of birth/residence issues raised in both clips. [While some of the materials might be offensive don’t let that blind your argument!]
Link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDvMf_DLrbE&feature=youtu.be
