My father gave my daughter a copy of the Time For Kids Almanac 2010
because she's just so incredibly awesome and smart (hey, I'm her mom, I'm supposed to say shit like that... although it is true). It contains info on current events, art, science, literature, government, sports, movies and so much more. She's been on kind of a trivia kick lately so I thought it was a great gift.Famous Californian: Sally Ride, First American woman in space
Famous Idahoan (we really think this should say famous "Ida-hoe" but that's just us): Gutzon Borglum, Mount Rushmore sculptor
Famous New Yorker: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, abolitionist and women's rights advocate (go New York!)
Famous Utahn (yes, "Utahn"): Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of the television
You get the idea. Then we got the end of the states and noticed that they also had information on U.S. territories and possessions, like Puerto Rico and Guam... and this is what we found:
Famous Puerto Rican: Joaquin Phoenix, actorUm... what? Joaquin Phoenix is the famous Puerto Rican? Really? That selection just really rubbed me the wrong way.
He is Puerto Rican - he was born in Río Piedras, San Juan - but that was primarily because his parents moved around like crazy. He only lived there until he was four and was raised mainly in the states. He is the only Puerto Rican in his family (River was born in Oregon, Summer in Florida, and Rain in Texas; his mother is of Hungarian/Russian descent and his father is of Irish/Spanish descent). Out of all the famous Puerto Ricans to choose from, they basically found the least "Puerto Rican" Puerto Rican to use as an example. Now I hope no one takes this the wrong way and gets offended... I'm not trying to say that he isn't a "real" Puerto Rican or anything like that. There's absolutely nothing wrong with him identifying as Puerto Rican or being called Puerto Rican. It just strikes me as odd (and almost racist) that they overlooked so many other other notable Puerto Ricans for the light-skinned, light-eyed (and originally light-haired) Phoenix. It's kind of like calling Charlize Theron "African-American"... yes, she is... but at the same time, she isn't.
So since Time left them out, here are a few other famous Puerto Ricans that are a little more important and influential (and a little more Puerto Rican) than Joaquin Phoenix:
- Hiram Bithorn (born in Santurce, San Juan) - pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and the first baseball player from Puerto Rico to play Major League Ball
- Roberto Clemente (born in Carolina) - right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the first Puerto Rican member of the Baseball Hall of Fame
- María Bibiana Benítez (born in Aguadilla) - Puerto Rico's first known female poet and one of its first playwrights
- Jesús Colón (born in Cayey) - writer, known as the Father of the Nuyorican Movement
- Dr. Maria Cadilla (born in Arecibo) - writer, educator, women rights activist and one the first women in Puerto Rico to earn a doctorate degree
- Ricky Martin (born in San Juan) - award-winning pop singer who has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide
- José Rivera (born in Santurce, San Juan) - playwright and the first Puerto Rican screenwriter to be nominated for an Oscar
- Roman Baldorioty de Castro (born in Guaynabo) - abolitionist and spokesperson for the islands right to self-determination, known as "The Father of Puerto Rico's Autonomy"
- Herman Badillo (born in Caguas) - the first Puerto Rican to be elected to Congress (New York)
- Nydia Velázquez (born in Yabucoa)- the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress (New York)
Posts
14 comments:
Why are professional athletes and a pop singer more important and influential than Joaquin Phoenix? Maybe they belong on the list because they're "more Puerto Rican" than he is - and I understand what you mean by that, those quotes aren't meant to be snarky. But he's an award-winning actor - an artist that is highly accomplished in his field.
Sure, our culture idolizes actors to a degree that is ridiculous. But by that logic, Ricky Martin and a couple of overpaid pro athletes don't belong on this list of accomplished activists and politicians either.
You know it's funny you mention Ricky Martin, because I debated whether or not to include him on the list... I did because he is possibly one of the most famous Puerto Ricans in pop culture today.
The real issue I had with the Almanac was not that Joaquin Phoenix is unimportant, but that there are so many other Puerto Rican people they could have chosen instead. If they really wanted to go with someone that was an entertainer/celebrity that the kids would know, Ricky Martin would've been a more logical choice.
I don't think he's necessarily more important than Joaquin Phoenix (you could make the argument that he is, but I'm not going to make that argument) but he's definitely more "Puerto Rican" which was the main point of the blog.
However I think Bithorn and Clemente do belong on that list, because they aren't just a couple of pro-athletes. They are, respectively, the first Puerto Rican to play Major League Ball and the first Puerto Rican in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Obviously the actual list of famous Puerto Ricans is miles longer than the names I listed, but I just wanted to give a little sampling of some interesting people.
I really like your analogy to Charlize Theron. That's perfect.
And here's my question: Does Joaquin himself identify as a Puerto Rican?
I also learned something new: I thought Roberto Clemente was Cuban.
And finally, can I just toss out five words for you?
Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
I didn't include Sotomayor because while she is of Puerto Rican descent she wasn't born in Puerto Rico - she was born in New York. (Phoenix on the other hand, was born in Puerto Rico but is not of Puerto Rican descent.)
Hey this is the same "anonymous" from the first comment.
Thanks Lilith for the clarification on what you meant, and I wholeheartedly agree. If they were going to go with an entertainer/artist, they could have at least called up a more "legitimately" Puerto Rican name.
Also, ditto on Charlize Theron being a great comparison.
Sorry about that.
I actually knew that she wasn't born in Puerto Rico, but I was thinking descent.
I think that your point is very valid. I am a Puerto Rican and I had no clue that Joaquin Phoenix was from Puerto Rico. It's not strange though, that american magazines have no clue what to publish about us. Im in awe that they even mention us! I'm not suggesting that ALL americans are ignorants towards Puerto Rico but, if you compare our case to the rest of the US states, you'll have to agree that there's not that much info available about us. Then again, I'm more inclined to think that they would have related us more with Ricky Martin and his "Living la Vida Loca". At least he DOES consider himself a proud Puerto Rican.
Sally Ride - American? She was born in the US but comes from a Norweigan background. She's not American enough for me so I don't consider her the first American woman in space.
Gutzon Borglum - Just look at that name! His parents are from Denmark. He's not really an "Idahoan" even more so since his family moved to Nebraska from Idaho when he was only seven years old.
You want to rank people by how American or how Puerto Rican or how African-American they are? Joaquin Phoenix is less Puerto Rican than Ricky Martin? Is Obama more or less African-American than Charlize Theron? Am I less Mexican-American because I am white?
Point taken, but you're missing the point. It's not that Joaquin Phoenix isn't Puerto Rican enough to be called so. It's just the tiniest bit racist that they chose him over so many other famous Puerto Ricans as the only example. Charlize Theron may be from Africa, but if a children's book used her as the only example of a famous African, it would be pretty offensive. John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone, but you wouldn't expect to see him in a children's almanac under Panama.
Yes, Joaquin Phoenix was born in Puerto Rico but is he the best person to hold up as a representative of Puerto Rico? Of course not. (Not that Ricky Martin necessarily is, but he has done commercials for PR.) Puerto Rico is a territory of the U.S. but it's more than just one of the states so it's silly to make selections based solely on birth place alone.
I think it is a complicated issue. On one hand, the almanac is picking one person from a whole state (or territory) so maybe people expect a certain image of someone from Puerto Rico but on the other hand, this also just reinforces a certain stereotype if the person becomes a representative for the whole state or territory. Not all Puerto Ricans looks or sound or can sing or dance or have the money of Ricky Martin.
Similarly, if Charlize Theron was listed as a famous African-American I actually think it would open a wonderful discussion if there was a white African-American. Africa is a huge continent with vast range of people and cultures. Someone reading about Charlize Theron could learn about how white people came to inhabit South Africa and what the consequences were for black Africans. I don't think anyone should represent a whole state, country and certainly not a whole continent. But if they're going to do it, I think breaking stereotypes is a good first step to understanding how diverse the world actually is.
I'm not saying Time chose Joaquin Phoenix to break stereotypes. I just don't think it make sense to quibble about him not being a good enough representative for PR. I like breaking stereotypes and this is just an opportunity for that.
I'm all for breaking stereotypes, but I just think that we're getting into touchy territory when "breaking stereotypes" basically translates to replacing people of color with white celebrities.
He was born in Puerto Rico because his parents were friggin missionaries!!!!! If he wants to call himself Puerto Rican that's fine, but I think there's reason enough not to hold him up as an example of a famous Puerto Rican. geeeeeez
Wow! I was doing research for a documentary I'm doing about Puerto Rican pride and identity, and I came across this blog that touches on topics I'm discussing.
I interviewed a couple of Puerto Rican historians who says that to be Puerto Rican is not whether or not you are born on the island, it's what's in your heart.
Of course, it doesn't hurt if it flows through your veins, too!
I would like to include this blog in my BFA presentation as an example of how the topic is debated.
May I have the originators permission to do so?
Here's a link to the teaser of the documentary: http://www.vimeo.com/wandasantosbray
The teaser is entitled "I Want Some Rice and Beans...NOT frijoles!"
Yes, you have permission to reference this blog entry in your work. (Please give credit to Evil Slutopia and/or ESC Forever Media). Thank you! Best of luck on your documentary.
Post a Comment