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The Daily OrangeFormer governor of Puerto Rico to visit SU | Colón to discuss island's current legal status
By Sarah DiGiulio
Posted: 4/2/08, 11:36 PM EST Section: News
Syracuse University students will get the chance to hear a new perspective on Puerto Rico - from the commonwealth's former governor.
Rafael Hernández Colón, the former governor of Puerto Rico, will visit The Warehouse in downtown Syracuse tonight to discuss Puerto Rico and its current status as a commonwealth to the United States.
Colón, the youngest governor's in Puerto Rico's history, will give his presentation at 7 p.m. in the building's auditorium.
"It's just an opportunity for students in general to get a little insight into a policy question that impacts about six million Puerto Ricans-half of which live on the island of Puerto Rico," said Bethaida Gonzalez, dean of University College, who helped plan Colón's speech.
SU's Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Latino-Latin American Studies program and the Spanish Action League of Onondaga County also took part in planning the event.
Colón continues to support keeping Puerto Rico's commonwealth status, as he did while in office. As a commonwealth, Puerto Rico is a self-governing territory that is still associated with the United States.
Puerto Ricans debated on whether it should become a U.S. state or become completely independent of the United States when Colón was in office in the 1970s through the 1990s, and they still debate it today, Gonzalez said.
Despite the fact that Puerto Rico has had commonwealth status since 1952, Puerto Rico's status still raises questions for Gonzalez.
Golzalez was born in Puerto Rico, but moved to the United States as a child. She visited Puerto Rico during the summers and was raised with both the Spanish and English languages.
"We are immigrants culturally to this country," she said. "Puerto Ricans come to the United States as migrant workers, and the assumption is made they are not U.S. citizens, but they are," she said.
Latino-Latin American Studies program Director Silvio Torres-Saillant said the commonwealth status is debated because it is not a normal political status. "It's a peculiar arrangement," he said.
Rafael Hernández Colón, the former governor of Puerto Rico, will visit The Warehouse in downtown Syracuse tonight to discuss Puerto Rico and its current status as a commonwealth to the United States.
Colón, the youngest governor's in Puerto Rico's history, will give his presentation at 7 p.m. in the building's auditorium.
"It's just an opportunity for students in general to get a little insight into a policy question that impacts about six million Puerto Ricans-half of which live on the island of Puerto Rico," said Bethaida Gonzalez, dean of University College, who helped plan Colón's speech.
SU's Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Latino-Latin American Studies program and the Spanish Action League of Onondaga County also took part in planning the event.
Colón continues to support keeping Puerto Rico's commonwealth status, as he did while in office. As a commonwealth, Puerto Rico is a self-governing territory that is still associated with the United States.
Puerto Ricans debated on whether it should become a U.S. state or become completely independent of the United States when Colón was in office in the 1970s through the 1990s, and they still debate it today, Gonzalez said.
Despite the fact that Puerto Rico has had commonwealth status since 1952, Puerto Rico's status still raises questions for Gonzalez.
Golzalez was born in Puerto Rico, but moved to the United States as a child. She visited Puerto Rico during the summers and was raised with both the Spanish and English languages.
"We are immigrants culturally to this country," she said. "Puerto Ricans come to the United States as migrant workers, and the assumption is made they are not U.S. citizens, but they are," she said.
Latino-Latin American Studies program Director Silvio Torres-Saillant said the commonwealth status is debated because it is not a normal political status. "It's a peculiar arrangement," he said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
J. P. Minsinger
posted 4/03/08 @ 1:53 PM EST
Hernandez Colon did more during his administration to make sure the children of the island did not learn to speak English than any other governor in the island's history. (Continued…)
Magda Vega
posted 8/03/09 @ 4:42 PM EST
1- The ex-governor's surname is not Colon, it's Hernandez, and it's not to be hyphened because hyphening last names usually means (except in the modern way for married career women) that it will be passed on to future generations. (Continued…)
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