I am Puerto Rican

Puertoriqueña

From the island of borinquen

As Puerto Rican as rice and beans

Yo soy boricua

Except

I was born here

on May 19, 1977

at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital

A Brooklyn native

like BIGGIE,

Junior’s Cheese cake,

and the Brooklyn Bridge

When they say where Brooklyn at?

I respond right here!!!

I’m not ashamed of who I am.

I am a Puerto Rican Nuyorican

Cuz in my heart

It’s who I am

It doesn’t matter that I wasn’t born there

I was born here

So what if I grew up listening to hip-hop

Non stop

Bopping my head

to the rhythmic beat

That mami used to like calling jungle music

“Mira muchacha apaga eso”

She used to scream

But she never complained

Whenever her salsa was playing

The sounds of Hector Lavoe

Singing about un periodico de ayer

Noticias que todo lo saben

ya yo no quiero leer

El Gran Combo used to sing about “Un verano en Nueva York”

Now to that I could relate

I knew all about those

Fiery hot summers

And cold blistering winters

Sent chills through my bones

But was always warmed by my

Latina boricua soul

See, I am a Nuyorican

A hybrid of the reality of our past

And the hope of our future

A fusion of spices

Flavored in the hopes of my ancestors

and the reality of my parents’ dreams

It all resides in me

I was NYC born and NYC bred

And if you cut me I’m not sure I’ll bleed red

I’ll bleed red, white, and blue

The colors of my American flag

And my homeland flag too

The perfect combination of my 3 favorite hues

All that symbolizes what represents me,

America,

land of the free

Puerto Rico,

land of people who look like me

I am still your daughter

don’t turn your back on me

Spanish was not my first language

and they didn’t speak it at home

I didn’t need to be put in those

English as a second language classes

I don’t have an accent

But that doesn’t strip me of my heritage

I wear it proudly;

everyday like a diamond ring

I treasure it

Protect it

it is the essence of my being

It’s in my heart,

my blood,

and it runs deep

So when you look at me

Think twice before you speak

Don’t say I’m not authentic

I have been certified

with a permanent

stamp of approval!