The Center for Puerto Rican Studies
@centropr.bsky.social
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🗃️ Library & Archive dedicated to Puerto Ricans in the US 📖 CENTRO Journal 📝 Research & Educational Resources 🖼️ Exhibitions 🎟️ Free Community Events Learn more at centropr.hunter.cuny.edu
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After 3 years in the making, we are proud to announce the Diasporican Educational Program offering a new curriculum & a self-guided course to learn the social history of the Puerto Rican Diaspora across borders, language, identity, histories, & more!

Launching November 12!
https://ow.ly/CGex50XbiBt
Deadline extension!
Call for Papers — "El Journalcito”

On the 50th anniversary of Luis Rafael Sánchez’s “La guaracha del Macho Camacho”, we invite papers that revisit the novel’s cultural, political & aesthetic legacies.

Abstracts due: Oct 20, 2025
https://ow.ly/t6Wq50WQt32
Big news from CENTRO! After decades across two campuses, CENTRO’s Archives, Library, Gallery, research programs, and staff will unite under one roof at the Silberman School of Social Work in El Barrio. 

Learn more: https://centropr.hunter.cuny.edu/projects/centros-renovations/
Join us on Thursday, Oct. 23rd at 5 pm & be among the first to explore Radical Atmospheres, a free iPhone/Android audio walking-tour app that brings the stories of Puerto Rican activism to life on the very El Barrio/East Harlem streets where they happened.

RSVP! https://ow.ly/9ZEZ50X8uAJ
The Summer 2025 CENTRO Journal is here! Explore research on Puerto Rican culture, history & arts, including studies on disability, Afro-Caribbean poetics, Santurce, politics, and more. Book reviews included. 

Get your copy today! → https://ow.ly/ALaB50X7RmP
#OnThisDay, Oct 4, 1986, the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights organized a March for Justice in Washington D.C.. Framed as a call for unity, it centered Puerto Rico’s independence, resisted cultural erasure, and challenged U.S. colonial rule amid Reagan-era tensions.
We honor the life & legacy of Blanca Vázquez (1947–2025)—a fierce advocate for justice, from Vieques to Puerto Rican independence, housing rights, education, labor, & Palestine. Join us to honor her on Oct 25, 1PM at CENTRO in El Barrio.

RSVP → https://ow.ly/RWqC50X5ECn
#OnThisDay, Oct 1, 1979, Frank Espada received an NEH grant to create the first federally funded documentary project on the Puerto Rican community in the U.S. His work, 4,000+ photos & 130 interviews, captures migration, labor, and activism, shaping how Puerto Rican history is remembered.
Don’t miss the New York Public Library’s guided tour of our San Juan Hill exhibition! 

RSVP here: https://ow.ly/mfgk50X4luW
October at CENTRO is full of discovery, stories & community! 🍂

📚 San Juan Hill Teach-In
☕ Cafecito: Spiritist Women in PR
📸 Nuyorican Photography & Frank Espada
🎤 CENTRO x Nuyorican Poets Cafe

RSVP → https://ow.ly/rai950X2TqI
#OnThisDay, September 29, 1674, Miguel Enríquez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A free Black man and shoemaker, he became a powerful Caribbean privateer, defending Puerto Rico for Spain. His rise challenged colonial hierarchies, making his story one of resistance.
Reminder! 
Call for Papers — "El Journalcito”

On the 50th anniversary of Luis Rafael Sánchez’s “La guaracha del Macho Camacho”, we invite papers that revisit the novel’s cultural, political & aesthetic legacies.

Abstracts due: Oct 6, 2025
https://ow.ly/t6Wq50WQt32
Last week at CENTRO: Our Open House welcomed students & the community to explore 300+ archives, library, data hub & resources. Friday’s cafecito highlighted Afro-Latin Soul & Salsa shaping Puerto Rican identity. Saturday: Bad Bunny Watch Party at El Museo del Barrio. Thanks to all who joined!
#OnThisDay, Sept 23:
1868: El Grito de Lares – PR fights Spanish rule.
1980: No Nukes Fest, NYC – music & activism against nuclear energy.
2005: Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, PR independence leader, killed by FBI, sparking debates on sovereignty.
Join CENTRO’s Summer Researchers, Conor Tomás Reed, Alexandria Ramos & Estelle Maisonett, for a conversation on last year’s theme: “Archives: Memory & the Present Past of Puerto Rico,” exploring how archives shape history, accessibility, & power in scholarship.

RSVP! https://ow.ly/QcQy50WTkTm
Join CENTRO & the Nuyorican Poets Cafe for an evening of poetry in El Barrio. Celebrate 52 years of the Cafe with an open mic exploring memory, struggle & love across the Puerto Rican experience.

RSVP → https://ow.ly/iH3P50WZAeH
New on RicanWritings

“The More Things Change… Growth, Public Goods, and Hispanic Displacement in New York” by Carlos Vargas-Ramos, PhD. As the 2nd Ave subway extends into East Harlem, Hispanic families face displacement, echoing a long history from San Juan Hill to today.

https://ow.ly/tpZf50WZA3k
#OnThisDay Sep 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria a Category 5 storm struck Puerto Rico, causing catastrophic damage & leaving thousands without power, water, or lives. The disaster exposed infrastructure weaknesses & political failures, highlighting the urgent need for accountability & effective governance.
#OnThisDay September 19, 1922, Evelina López Antonetty was born. A civil rights and education activist, she founded United Bronx Parents in 1965, championing bilingual education, school meals, and parent empowerment in NYC, shaping educational policy nationwide.
Honoring the legacy of photographer Frank Espada with his son, poet Martín Espada, and Nuyorican photographers Máximo Colón, David González, & Erika P. Rodríguez. Explore the intersection of visual storytelling & poetry.

RSVP → https://ow.ly/Pmtr50WXyYA
New Release: “Diasporic Collage + Coastal Relations Exhibition Catalogue”

Published by CENTRO Press, this hardcover brings together two landmark exhibitions exploring Puerto Rican diaspora, migration & survival through art + essays.

Get your copy today → https://ow.ly/jwJL50WY7tF
Explore how Puerto Rican women practitioners of Spiritism shaped society during the colonial shift from Spain to the U.S. Join Jillian Baéz and Dr. Clara Román Odio to discuss feminism, spirituality, and Román Odio’s books. 

RSVP → https://ow.ly/ZFrn50WXyM7
Join the Data Hub virtually on October 7th to learn about their latest report on the families displaced from Lincoln Square & San Juan Hill.

RSVP → https://ow.ly/LA8Y50WXvVF
We’re excited to announce the extension of two of our exhibitions at CENTRO!

“Diasporic Collage: Puerto Rico and the Survival of a People” will now be on view through November 22, 2025, and "Afterlives of San Juan Hill" through October 15, 2025. 

Click here to learn more https://ow.ly/yZ6n50WY8mO