People Live Where You Vacation

Welcome back from break! Whether you stayed in Ithaca or went abroad, I hope you were able to use this time to rest and recharge away from the stress of coursework. While we’re all settling back into class-mode, I thought I would take some time to discuss ethical tourism in the context of Puerto Rico — fun, I know.

Given how popular of a destination the island was for Cornellians this year (and most of my years at Cornell), and what I’ve noticed to be a widespread unawareness of Puerto Rico’s political, economic and cultural status, I wanted to take some time to reflect on and address the tourism industry in Puerto Rico, and how visitors can behave respectfully and ethically during their time on the island.

First, we need to acknowledge one fundamental fact: Puerto Rico is a colony of the United States. Puerto Ricans (and any American citizens) living on the island are not legally entitled to the same Constitutional rights and protections as American citizens living in the continental United States. Principles that we take for granted living in the 50 States, such as “one person, one vote,” don’t apply to Puerto Ricans, who have neither a voting representative in Congress nor a vote to cast in presidential elections.

“Commonwealth.” Make an effort to get to know Puerto Rico beyond the resorts, and appreciate the humanity of those making your relaxing vacation in paradise possible.

3) That being said, listen to the locals. Avoid areas that you are told to avoid, for the sake of both your safety and theirs. Every once in a while, stories come out of tourists who intentionally disregarded instructions to avoid certain areas and/or behaviors who met unfortunate consequences. These easily avoidable incidents then become further fuel to the fire of alienating and villainizing already marginalized neighborhoods.

This is only the tip of the iceberg, however, and I encourage everyone — regardless of whether you intend to travel — to read further about the political status of Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans.That being said, I wanted to provide the Cornell community with some reminders and suggestions for any potential travel to Puerto Rico.

1) Do your research! While Puerto Rico is a paradise to many, many of the island’s residents do not get to experience this luxurious version of P.R. As of 2020, nearly half of the island lives below the poverty line, compared to a national average of 12.8 percent. Recognize your status and privilege as a visitor, and act respectfully toward locals and the native flora and fauna.

2) Make an effort to learn about our culture — remind yourself that Puerto Rico is a nation with a rich and diverse history, and a culture distinct from that of the United States, despite our status as a

4) Look after the environment and clean up after yourself. At the bare minimum don’t litter, but if you’re feeling extra kind, consider cleaning up some trash before you head out, especially if it can pose a threat to wildlife. Don’t leave an area in a state you wouldn’t leave your own home in. My golden rule is to always leave somewhere better than you found it.

5) Make sure the money you spend goes into the hands of Puerto Ricans. When and where you can, frequent Puerto Rican-owned businesses and restaurants, which will not only grant you a more authentic experience but also ensure that the communities you are visiting are the direct recipients of any money spent during your trip. For lodging, consider staying at paradores or small inns, where you’ll receive a more genuine and oftentimes cheaper experience.

In the end, I want to emphasize that respect is the most important thing. I am so proud to be Puerto Rican, as are most of us, and it brings me joy to see people appreciating my island, its landscapes,seascapes and people. However, it also hurts to see the place where I grew up prioritize the interests of tourists over its local population while people are priced out of their neighborhoods, denied access to the very same lands and waters they grew up with and oftentimes left with no choice but to move to the continental United States.

So, if you go to Puerto Rico, make sure to do it right. Just listen to Bad Bunny, who partnered with journalist Bianca Graulau (whom PRSA brought to campus last semester!) to create a documentary-style music video for El Apagón titled “Aquí Vive Gente” (People

Here).

As the last students who… [insert pre-COVID-19 shutdown anecdote].

You’ve probably heard this story more than a few times by now. As you know, we are officially three years removed from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, and yet, we’ve only begun to put the pieces back together. Tis is true also for Black Students United. Our organization, which we believe to be vital for the wellbeing of Black students on Cornell’s campus, has come a long way in the past year, and yet, must redirect and forge a new path.

In my experience, the spring semester has always hit Cornell’s Black community fast. February is Black History Month, and, for better or worse, student organizations serving the Black community are arguably most active during this first full month of the semester: Organizations within the BSU umbrella hosted over 20 events in February 2023.

Recentering

BSU’s theme for this past Black History Month was “Black 2 Te Future,” as a nod to the aesthetic and philosophy of Afrofuturism. We’ve done a lot of thinking about the future of our organization, and the ramifications that it might have for Black people at Cornell and beyond.

In addition to the game nights, movie nights and retreats, BSU has tried to foster deeper conversations within our community. Three events this spring stand out: Black History Month’s Opening Ceremony, which was hosted by the Africana Studies and Research Center, asked “what we owe each other as a Black community at Cornell, and as an African Diaspora at large.” on the part of Black Students United. Te importance of educating the Black conscience on Cornell’s campus through thoughtful programming cannot be overstated, especially not now.

Sankofa (SAHN-ko-fa), our annual historical and educational event, showed a screening of Agents of Change, a film directed by Cornell alumnus Frank Dawson ‘72, which documents protests on university campuses, including Cornell’s, that led to the launch of Black studies programs across the country.

With the persistent threat of systemic racism and oppression, the attempted erasure of Black studies from curricula and the ever-rising influence of technology and moneyed interests on our information ecosystem, Black students must educate themselves and continue the work set out by previous generations of student activists.

Finally, we reinstated our “State of the Union” event, where we discussed inclusivity and representation of ethnic groups within the Black diaspora. It’s definitely been a reflective period for BSU.

We believe that the next step is action. Tere seems to be a marked reduction in political discourse and organization within the Black community, and especially

Recognizing this gap in our programming is one thing, but correcting it will take hard work. We’re hoping to realign our agenda to the work of Black liberation and future-proof the organization for these purposes. Divesting from individualism and leaning into solidarity will be foremost on this agenda.

We hope to achieve this solidarity by identifying common interests and working together despite differences within BSU, the Black community and the larger student body.

It is important that we recognize the injustices existing across communities as equally dangerous to those directly affecting Black Students at Cornell. Black Students United is at a critical juncture, and we’ll need to exhaust all possibilities to make sure we leave the organization better than we found it.