TEMPORAL

Wednesday, Nov. 10 th was the opening of the International Puerto Rican Film Festival, IPRFF for short, at El Museo del Barrio in one of New York's Puerto Rican communities. One of the two films to open the festival is called We Still Here/Aquí Estamos and one of the producers of the film, Kahlil Jacobs-Fantauzzi was there to introduce the film and take questions from the audience.  We Still Here/Aquí Estamos is a short documentary that focuses on the rebuilding and recovery process in Puerto Rico which in 2019 was devastated by Hurricane Maria. The effect of the devastation was to put into high gear a recovery process that continues to this day. It brought neighbors closer and forced a unity that was unseen on the island.  We Still Here introduces the incredible youth of the town of Comerío, located just south of San Juan and towards the center of the island. Everyone in town is forced to navigate the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, a disaster that brought an unprecedented level

  By José E. Velazquez Luyanda Jevche@aol.com In September 2020, I called on Puerto Ricans in the Northeast to focus their energies on defeating Donald Trump in Pennsylvania, where a Biden victory was not guaranteed.  Many joined those on the ground in PA, despite few resources being dedicated to the Latino community by the Biden campaign, seemingly taking the Latino vote for granted. However, the class and national interests of the Puerto Rican and Latino electorate led to an overwhelming anti-Trump vote in these communities, helping to cement a Biden victory.  At that time I also emphasized Bernie Sanders’ call for a historic massive voter turnout, particularly from those who traditionally voted in lower numbers.   The Biden victory owes a lot to Bernie Sanders, who understanding the need to defeat the greater right wing enemy discontinued his campaign for the Democratic nomination.  I believed then, despite criticism from some on the Left, that only a “Center-Left” campaign could de