Puerto Rico's 79Th Municipality?: Identity, Hybridity and Transnationalism Within the Puerto Rican Diaspora in Orlando, Florida Luis Sa#Nchez
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Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2008 Puerto Rico's 79th Municipality?: Identity, Hybridity and Transnationalism within the Puerto Rican Diaspora in Orlando, Florida Luis Sa#nchez Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERISTY COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES PUERTO RICO’S 79TH MUNICIPALITY?: IDENTITY, HYBRIDITY AND TRANSNATIONALISM WITHIN THE PUERTO RICAN DIASPORA IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA By LUIS SÁNCHEZ A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Geography in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Summer Semester, 2008 The members of the Committee approve the dissertation of Luis Sánchez defended on June 4, 2008. ________________________________ Jonathan I. Leib Professor Directing Dissertation ________________________________ Santa Arias Outside Committee Member ________________________________ Barney Warf Committee Member ________________________________ Janet E. Kodras Committee Member Approved: _____________________________________________ Victor Mesev, Chair, Department of Geography ____________________________________________ David Rasmussen, Dean, College of Social Sciences The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENT In Spanish there is an old phrase of wisdom that says, “Honor a quién honor merece”. To honor those words of wisdom, I would like to thank my advisor Dr. Jonathan Leib for his guidance, inspiration, and encouragement. This dissertation would have not been possible without his assistance and support. But most of all, I am greatly thankful for his dedication, patience, and understanding. Also, special thanks to Dr. Barney Warf, Dr. Santa Arias, and Dr. Janet Kodras for their reviews and help. My gratitude goes to them. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ................................................................................................................... vi List of Figure ................................................................................................................... vii Abstract .......................................................................................................................... viii HERE, THERE, OR IN-BETWEEN? ............................................................................... 1 Chapter Outline ...................................................................................................... 6 BECOMING US ON THE MOVE .................................................................................... 8 Identity in the Making ............................................................................................ 9 Migration and Diasporic Identities ...................................................................... 15 Transnationalism and Hybridity .......................................................................... 20 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 25 METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 27 Methods of Data Gathering .................................................................................. 28 Analysis and Reflections ...................................................................................... 35 PUERTO RICO – UNITED STATES RELATIONS ...................................................... 39 Historical Overview ............................................................................................. 40 The Status Dilemma ............................................................................................. 45 Debate in the United States .................................................................................. 50 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 53 PUERTO RICAN MIGRATION TO THE U.S. ............................................................. 54 First Immigration Wave ....................................................................................... 55 Second Immigration Wave .................................................................................. 58 Third Immigration Wave ..................................................................................... 60 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 69 IDENTIFYING PUERTO RICANNESS ........................................................................ 70 Puerto Ricanness .................................................................................................. 71 Language .............................................................................................................. 78 Island-born versus Mainland-born ....................................................................... 83 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 89 iv THE ORLANDORICANS ............................................................................................... 92 The Orlandoricans ................................................................................................ 92 Building the Community ...................................................................................... 96 A Hybrid Community ........................................................................................ 102 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 107 IDENTITY CONSTRUCTION SITES ..........................................................................109 Puerto Rican Spaces ........................................................................................... 110 Social Institutions .............................................................................................. 114 The Puerto Rican Day Parade of Orlando .......................................................... 120 Conclusions ........................................................................................................ 125 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................ 127 APPENDIX A: INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ................................................................ 140 APPENDIX B: QUESTIONNAIRE .............................................................................. 142 APPENDIX C: LIST OF CODES ................................................................................. 146 APPENDIX D: ATLAS.TI SOFTWARE ...................................................................... 147 APPENDIX E: SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS ................................................ 148 APPENDIX F: CAMPAING IN DEFENSE OF THE SPANISH LANGUAGE, UNIVERSIDAD DEL SAGRADO CORAZON ........................................................... 151 APPENDIX G: EN MI VIEJO SAN JUAN BY NOEL ESTRADA ............................ 154 APPENDIX H: PASEO BORICUA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ....................................... 155 APPENDIX I: APPROVAL MEMORANDUM FROM THE HUMAN SUBJECTS COMMETTEE ............................................................................................................... 157 APPENDIX J: INFORMED CONSENT FORM .......................................................... 159 REFERENCES .............................................................................................................. 161 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ......................................................................................... 175 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Puerto Rican Population in Selected States ........................................................ 28 Table 2. List of Interviewees ........................................................................................... 30 Table 3. Status Referendums Results ............................................................................... 46 Table 4. Electoral Participation ........................................................................................ 47 Table 5. Puerto Rican Population in the Island and the United States ............................ 54 Table 6. Net Emigration from Puerto Rico ...................................................................... 56 Table 7. Return Migrants to Puerto Rico ......................................................................... 59 Table 8. Puerto Rican Population in Selected States, year 2006 ..................................... 63 Table 9. 2006 Hispanic Population in Counties Within the Orlando Metro Area ........... 64 Table 10. Cost of Living Index ........................................................................................ 67 Table 11. Florida’s Puerto Rican Population in Selected Counties ................................. 68 Table 12. Percentage of Puerto Rican Population in Selected Counties .......................... 68 Table 13. Race in Metropolitan Orlando, Florida ............................................................ 93 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Orlando Metropolitan Area of Florida ............................................................... 5 Figure 2. Status Referendums .......................................................................................... 49 Figure 3. General Elections Results