Fact: Puerto Ricans have been Americans since 1917, and Puerto Ricans have been a part of Utah’s history for more than 70 years. It’s also estimated that there are over 11,000 Puerto Ricans living in Utah.
I am a proud member of a big Puerto Rican family, and I am angry, hurt and unsurprised by the comments I heard at the Donald Trump rally in New York on Oct. 28.
Tony Hinchcliffe compared Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage” and, at first, I was numb when I heard it. I’ve come to expect out-loud racism from Trump’s campaign and his staff, but these sharp daggers hit too close to home — directly at my home in Salt Lake County.
You see, I joined this non-garbage family in 2018 after meeting my brilliant husband, Gabriel. I was thrilled to marry into his loud and huge family. As an only child, I never would have the chance to have nieces or nephews, and now I’m grateful to be an uncle to a rowdy dozen.
When I met him, Gabriel was an award-winning, tenure-track chemistry professor and Parkinson’s disease researcher at the University of Utah. I didn’t know much about Puerto Rico, except that the food was very good and that they made excellent piña coladas. Together, we formed our family, and I gained a sister-in-law who works for the Pentagon, a father-in-law who was a successful restaurant owner, a nephew studying to be a pilot, a niece who’s a literal rocket scientist and many other doctors, engineers and professors. Not too shabby for in-laws — and certainly not garbage people.
I’ve learned a lot since marrying into this family. Generally proud of my Utah public school education, I realized my seventh and eighth grade Spanish could not get me to the biblioteca, and I was woefully unprepared. I didn’t realize that the innovative U.S. territory has participated in every major U.S. military engagement from World War I to Afghanistan, with the Veterans Affairs Department listing more than 116,000 Puerto Rican veterans. I didn’t know that Puerto Rico is home to a thriving island-wide STEM program and the biggest exports include pharmaceuticals and medical equipment — not trash. I didn’t know that baseball was its number one sports export or that residents on the island or that Puerto Rico had racked up 12 Olympic medals. Over the years of visiting the tropical paradise, I’ve learned about the rich Taino culture, delicious coffee and about Bad Bunny — who announced publicly he backs Vice President Kamala Harris.
Despite everything Puerto Rico and its American citizens have given to us — those back home are legally required to pay most federal taxes and other tariffs, but are not eligible to vote in the general election. Only when a Puerto Rican lives in the continental United States are they able to vote in U.S. elections. Talk about taxation without representation. These hateful comments come after the island and its people have built back from unspeakable trauma because of climate change.
I remember vividly in September 2017 speaking with my then 73-year-old mother-in-law over a choppy cell phone line and it being cut off as Hurricane Maria began to terrorize the residents. I sat crying with my husband in our living room as the storm tore across the island, knowing that she was in the direct path of the deadly storm along with my nieces, nephews and other family members. It took four agonizing days before we learned that she was alive, and collectively we mourned the thousands who died during and after the storm. The disastrous Trump administration response and year of rebuilding that followed added insult to injury as bodies were stacked in refrigerators, as makeshift and ineffective medical barges were brought in and as Trump chucked paper towels to the victims. We sat helpless as our people suffered.
As a Utahn, I am disgusted with the latest round of comments coming from the Trump event. I’ve personally reached out to Gov. Spencer Cox to request he rescind his endorsement immediately in the name of all the Puerto Ricans living in Utah. This is not the Utah way, and it’s certainly not something on which we can disagree better.
Just like the 72,000 Puerto Rican “Borinqueneers” who fought in World War II against Nazi Germany, I hope that Puerto Ricans in Utah will stand with me and vote against the fascism and racism we see coming out of the MAGA movement.
As a wise and joyful woman recently said, “Say it to my face.” I will make sure my voice is heard at the polls and will use my platform to make sure that every Puerto Rican in Utah knows that the Democratic Party is a place where you are welcome and respected.
(Jade Velazquez) Jade Velazquez serves as the chairman of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party.
Jade Velazquez serves as the chairman of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party.
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