Isn’t there worth in humanity? For me, Puerto Rico is not just an island in the Caribbean Sea. It’s everything to me.
My culture overflows with laughter, recipes that have endured through generations, and other pieces of history that mean the world to me.
Every Puerto Rican you meet becomes deeply passionate about their island and their identity. Puerto Ricans are unique, having a tri-racial blend of indigenous Taino, European (mostly Spanish), and African roots. DNA is 55% European, 30% African, and 15% indigenous.
Despite years of colonization, weather disasters, and poverty rates, the island continues to hold a rich place in history, strength, and passion.
The island holds symbolism in every place. The Puerto Rican flag itself is a symbol of pride and resistance, showing how people have fought for years to maintain our strong and unique identity. The Coqui, a small tree frog native to our culture, is another symbol because its unique call can only be heard on our island.
However, locals on the island have recently expressed concerns about tourism from America. In 2025, anger erupted after online discussions showed visitors were looking for ways to “silence” the coqui’s nighttime song, including chemical sprays. Harming the frogs could threaten their reproduction and survival. Tourists treat Puerto Rico as a vacation destination and risk damaging things that make the island itself unique, according to EL PAÍS.
These concerns are tied to more open political and economic debates. During Donald Trump’s presidency, Puerto Rico found itself in the national spotlight after Hurricane Maria, when Trump reportedly discussed the idea of trading Puerto Rico for Greenland. Whether intended seriously or not, many Puerto Ricans viewed the island as being treated as a possession rather than a home. (MSN)
U.S. President Donald Trump overlooked Puerto Rico at the moment, and for many Puerto Ricans, the message was a signal. The threat is clear: our island, our culture, and our people could be treated as something to bargain with. The threat to our home is serious and must be stopped.
In August 2020 U.S. President Donald Trump told MSNBC that he wanted to purchase more greenland offering to sell or swap Puerto Rico.
“Puerto Rico was dirty and the people were poor,” Trump said.
Essentially, disrespecting the locals and people of Puerto Rico. When he described Puerto Rico as “dirty” and “poor,” many Puerto Ricans did not hear an observation. They heard a dismissal. These words reduced the island of more than three million American citizens to a stereotype, ignoring the island’s history of struggles.
It was shaped by decades of economic instability, colonial policies, and natural disasters. To call Puerto Rico “poor” without acknowledging these realities is to blame the victim rather than confront the system. For many Puerto Ricans, these comments symbolize a larger problem during Trump’s presidency: a feeling that the island was viewed not as a community of resilient people deserving investment and respect, but as a burden.
Puerto Rico faces high poverty rates under the US flag. In 2024, about 37.3% of the PR population lived below the poverty line. Nearly half of all children (49%) on the island live in poverty. The median household income in Puerto Rico is only about $26,700 a year, making it harder for many families to afford housing, food, healthcare, and education.
As many jobs become limited and inflation increases, thousands of Puerto Ricans leave their home in hope for better opportunity. Due to these issues, Puerto Rico’s population has decreased from 3.7 million people to 2.9 million, reflecting how the people of Puerto Rico are forced to survive rather than live.
As a young Puerto Rican woman, I cannot read about these comments without feeling frustrated. When I think about the presidency and treatment of Puerto Rico, I don’t think about leadership. I think about the missed opportunities to show respect toward a community that was already struggling. I think about families that have to recover from hurricanes, children growing up in poverty, and people fighting every day to save a culture they love.
We need affordable housing so families can remain in the neighborhoods they have called home. We need economic opportunities that allow people to build stable lives.
A song lyric from Bad Bunny’s “LO QUE LE PASO A HAWAii” that represents my story is, “quieren quitarme el río y también la playa. Quieren ir al barrio mío y que tus hijos se vayan, no, no suelte la bandera ni olvide el lelolai.”
I’m proud to be Puerto Rican because our story is one of resilience. We continue to create, celebrate, rebuild, and hope even when challenges appear. We are more than poverty. We are more than what is said. We are Puerto Ricans who are proud about their identity. I will continue to speak up. Not because I am angry, but because I believe my island, my community, and my people deserve better.