Unificación: The Things That Bind Us is a collection of poetry and prose, using New York City's Spanish Harlem and Carolina, Puerto Rico as its backdrop. Each work in this collection revolves around a young man and his family, based on the real-life stories and experiences of the writer's grandfather, Luis. They are crafted with the intent of sharing aspects of Puerto Rican life both in and out of the continental United States with a diverse audience, including those who might not have encountered any elements of the Hispanic culture. Using techniques inspired by writers like Jesús Colon, Esmeralda Santiago, and Piri Thomas, each of the pieces focus on a different element of the Puerto Rican culture. The intent is to give audiences an idea of the cultural values, familial structures, and other norms typical of the Puerto Rican culture by providing glimpses into the everyday lives of the same family on the island and the mainland. The works capture their struggle to make the most of the life they've found themselves in, and emphasize one boy's growth as he attempts to find his role in the family. Overall, the goal of this work is to craft a story that can appeal to all audiences, bringing the Puerto Rican culture to life for all who encounter it.

In this thesis, I explore the following question: what is the relationship between representations of Puerto Rican identity and representations of Puerto Rican social roles in the United States and Puerto Rico? I use articles from the New York Times to analyze the discursive structure of this relationship. Drawing from a systematic random sample of 683 articles from the NYT archives from two time periods before and after the ratification of the Puerto Rican Constitution (1948 to 1952 and 1952 to 1958), I find nuanced accounts that promote a representation of Puerto Ricans as a perpetually “foreign” immigrant group, a form of “American Exceptionalism” that simultaneously criticizes U.S. colonialism and perpetuates U.S. supremacy to ultimately frame Puerto Ricans as U.S. citizens but not as authentically belonging “Americans,” and an ongoing racialization of Puerto Ricans as a group that does not fit within the traditional black/white color-line of the U.S.

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Gringa-Rican is a collection of short stories told through the lens of various female, Puerto Rican protagonists. They highlight the duality of one’s existence, when one is from neither here nor there. The stories explore ideas of dislocation, assimilation and identity, through a Puerto Rican family that moves from their home island to the United States. I was inspired to write these stories because of my own family’s pursuit of the American Dream. This thesis is, in part, a labor of love. Growing up, there were not many stories with families like mine. For this reason, when I decided I wanted to be a writer, I found myself trying to depict someone I wasn’t. I did not feel like I could truly write about my experience in the diaspora, because it did not matter. Eventually, this changed when I read books like We the Animals by Justin Torres, When I Was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago, and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. For the first time, I saw myself as someone with a story worthy of being written and read. This collection is the product of years of writing, drafting and editing. I have laughed and cried, worried and dreamed. Now, I send it off to the world hoping that my work inspires others. I hope that these stories serve as both mirrors and windows. I hope that these characters, these lives I’ve created, feel as real to the reader as they do to me.

Revolving Scenarios is an arts-performing center located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, intended to hold different cultural / theatrical and social events. The project is presented as a sequence of acts or events that directs the observer through its different spaces. Revolving scenarios becomes a performing piece which tries to recreate a monumental and dramatic architectural spectacle in itself. It is a play performing in the landscape where the visitors / spectators become the leading actor. Due to the nature of the building's geometry and location (inspired by the site's curvilinear lines and the nautilus shell), the project continuously provides multiple opportunities for scenic tropes from the indoor / outdoors. Therefore, views revolve around the landscape, different theatre halls which continuously change and revolve around the theatrical spectacles. As humans, we constantly move and live among scenarios that continuously change, evolve and revolve around ordinary life. The performing arts center becomes a microcosm of the macrocosmic everyday performances occurring in Puerto Rico. The performing piece allows us to expand our vision, vision of the worldâ ¦our worldviews. The thesis allowed discovering poetic architectural views revolving around the theatre, the arts and culture which are constantly changing and evolving along time. / Master of Architecture

[ES] RESUMEN Una cultura en llamas: arte puertorriqueño de resistencia en el siglo xxi es una investigación cuyo objeto tiene su origen siglos atrás, dado que analiza las circunstancias geopolíticas de la isla de Puerto Rico en el marco de dos imperios diferentes: el de España a partir del siglo xv y el de los Estados Unidos desde el xix. Este recorrido histórico retrata el sustrato ideológico puertorriqueño, y sienta las bases de la experiencia de subyugación política, militar y social de ese país. La investigación también escudriña y considera una serie de teorías, pensamientos filosóficos y mecanismos de control social que ilustran, desde una perspectiva actual, los problemas existentes con el coloniaje y el patriarcado. Esta tesis aporta nuevos conocimientos, principalmente mediante la reseña y el análisis en profundidad de la producción de un puñado selecto de artistas contemporáneos de Puerto Rico, quienes, a través de la creación de su obra en los años 2000-2018, canalizan contestaciones y soluciones de vanguardia contra el malestar existencial de la psiquis colectiva del país. El arte, ya como afirmación de identidad ya como gesto de resistencia abierta, hace frente de modo inequívoco a dichos sistemas de poder, lo cual se ve reflejado a lo largo de la historia puertorriqueña en el arte y la cultura, desde tiempos precolombinos hasta la contemporaneidad del siglo XXI. / [CA] RESUM Una cultura en llamas: arte puertorriqueño de resistencia en el siglo xxi és una investigació l'objecte de la qual té l'origen segles arrere, atès que analitza les circumstàncies geopolítiques de l'illa de Puerto Rico en el marc de dos imperis diferents: el d'Espanya a partir del segle xv i el dels Estats Units des del xix. Aquest recorregut històric retrata el substrat ideològic porto-riqueny, i posa les bases de l'experiència de subjugació política, militar i social d'aquell país. La investigació també escodrinya i considera una sèrie de teories, pensaments filosòfics i mecanismes de control social que il·lustren, des d'una perspectiva actual, els problemes que plantegen el colonialisme i el patriarcat. Aquesta tesi aporta nous coneixements, sobretot mitjançant la ressenya i l'anàlisi en profunditat de la producció d'un grapat selecte d'artistes contemporanis de Puerto Rico que, a través de la creació de la seua obra els anys 2000-2018, canalitzen contestacions i solucions d'avantguarda contra el malestar existencial de la psique col·lectiva del país. L'art, siga com a afirmació d'identitat o com a gest de resistència oberta, fa front de manera inequívoca a aquests sistemes de poder, la qual cosa es veu reflectida al llarg de la història porto-riquenya en l'art i la cultura, des dels temps precolombins fins a la contemporaneïtat del segle XXI. / [EN] SUMMARY A Culture in Flames: Puerto Rican Art of Resistance in the XXI Century, is an investigation with its origins during past centuries, analysing the circumstances of the geo- politics in the Island of Puerto Rico, stemming from two empires, Spain in the XV Century and the United States in the XIX Century. This historic journey, portrays a Puerto Rican ideological substrate, one that establishes the basis of a multi sectorial experience of political, military and social subjugation. This investigation also scrutinises and reflects upon a series of theories, philosophical thoughts and social control mechanisms, all of which illustrate, from a current day perspective, the existing problems with colonialism and patriarchy. This thesis contributes new knowledge, mainly with the reviewing and in depth analysis of the production of a select group of contemporary artists in Puerto Rico, whom through their creative artworks, between the years of 2000-2018, channel answers and solutions of vanguard, against the existential discomfort of the collective psyche of their Country. Art, as an affirmation of identity, as well as a gesture of open resistance, makes an unequivocal front against said systems of power, all of which are reflected throughout their history, art and culture, from pre Colombian up to the contemporary times of the XXI Century. / Rivera Toro Iv, Q. (2019). Una cultura en llamas: arte puertorriqueño de resistencia en el siglo XXI [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/135255