1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: Dear listener, So this month we're bringing you episodes of 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: La Brega. It's a special seven part mini series presented 3 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: by Latino USA and WNYC Studios about the Puerto Rican experience. 4 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: Today's episode Levittown, where the Good Life Begins. And if 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: you'd like to hear any of the episodes in Espanol, 6 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: visit the La Brega feed wherever you listen to your podcasts. Now, 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: I'm handing it off to WNYC's Alana Casanova Birges. 8 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: This story begins in many ways in late March nineteen 9 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: fifty one with a reporter's dispatch from San Juan, Puerto Rico. 10 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: This is audio from w NYC Radio in New York, 11 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 2: which sent a crew for a live. 12 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,520 Speaker 3: Broadcast on the occasion is the inaugulation that I stopped 13 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 3: playing service from LEC to Puerto Rico. 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 4: We are waiting to be arlive. 15 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 5: Oh love the play the Rica for the arcs. 16 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:57,800 Speaker 6: He would just just gone there. 17 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: Before this, only Pana offered regular flights to New York, 18 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: and the monopoly made tickets expensive. So it was big 19 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 2: news that Eastern Airlines had gotten permission to offer service 20 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 2: to Puerto Rico as well, and that they would be 21 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 2: offering cheaper flights. 22 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 7: The Mayor of the San Juan is about to present 23 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 7: the Mayor of New York City with the kings to 24 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 7: the city of San Juan. 25 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: Today, we might take it for granted that by the 26 00:01:22,800 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: mid nineteen sixties over a million Briquas had moved to 27 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 2: the States, over six hundred thousand just to New York 28 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 2: City on the tarmac. So this got this then Puerto 29 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: Rico's treasurer marveled at the number of Puerto Ricans taking flights. 30 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 8: Last year, three hundred thousand people traveled between the island 31 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 8: and the mainland. The development of aviation is responsible for 32 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 8: the tremendo grow in travel. 33 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: It wasn't just those flights that got people to leave, 34 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,120 Speaker 2: of course, but it's true that many of our families 35 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 2: were changed forever as more and more planes filled the 36 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: skies above the island. It would be just a few 37 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 2: years later, on June eighteenth, nineteen fifty six, that my mother, 38 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 2: with an older brother and sister, would take an Eastern 39 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,680 Speaker 2: airline's flight, and eventually the whole family would live in 40 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: the Bronx. Many Puerto Ricans would return in the early 41 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:25,239 Speaker 2: seventies to a very different island. The way many people 42 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: lived and where they lived had changed. My grandparents would 43 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 2: see an altered landscape out of the plane window when 44 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 2: they returned, places that didn't exist when they first left, 45 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 2: places that looked more like the United States. Places like 46 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: Leviedown in Babaja from WNYC Studios and Futuro Studios. I'm 47 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 2: Alana Casanova Burgess, and this is La Brega in this 48 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: episode how a suburb sits at the border between the 49 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: American dream and a poor one. 50 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 9: Ladies, gentlemen, UBLE would like to welcome you to San Juan. 51 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 9: Local time is approximately seven ten pm. 52 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 8: For your safety. 53 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 2: To see tho those so, I try to sit on 54 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 2: the left side of plains to San Juan in a 55 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 2: window seat. For as long as I can remember, on 56 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,440 Speaker 2: flights from New York, I've looked out for Leveetown on 57 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 2: the descent, knowing that my closest cousins live in this 58 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 2: suburb made up of straight little rows of gray and 59 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 2: white roofs, the baseball fields, and that enormous landmark, the 60 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 2: pale blue Water Tower. It looks like a blue jellyfish 61 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: with rigid legs looming at least nine stories over a 62 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: public library. It appears like a spaceship, a transplant from 63 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 2: a small town, or a cornfield in Middle America. A 64 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 2: few years ago I got curious about this place. I 65 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 2: used to wonder why my grandparents, who met and made 66 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 2: a family in the mountains of Seattles in the center 67 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 2: of the island, would decide I had to leave the 68 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 2: cement grid of the Bronx and move here to another 69 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 2: cement grid. When I was little and traveled with my parents, 70 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 2: Levetown meant the smell of my grandmother's cigars, lawnmower exhaust, 71 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 2: and a searing baking heat that knew no shade. One 72 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: way to get there is to follow the one six' 73 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,080 Speaker 2: five road the Unose cinco west out Of San juan 74 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,279 Speaker 2: along the, coast and then make a left Into levetown's cement. 75 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 2: Labyrinth there are other suburbs In San, juan of, course 76 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: places with names Like Floral park Or, Contriclube BUT i 77 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 2: learned That levetown is. Different its existence tells a story 78 00:04:38,480 --> 00:04:41,359 Speaker 2: about a time When Puerto rico was being feverishly, remade 79 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: when what it meant to Be puerto rican was. Changing 80 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: it was built In america's image by the same company 81 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 2: that built what may still be the most famous suburbs 82 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 2: in THE, us the post war planned communities known As Levitt. 83 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 2: Towns The Levitt brothers Built levittowns In New, York, pennsylvania 84 00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 2: And New. Jersey they put in, schools, roads fire, stations water, towers. 85 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 3: Libraries five years, ago this was a vast checkerboard At Potato. 86 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 4: Farms On New York's Long. 87 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 10: Island, today a community of sixty thousand persons living in 88 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,239 Speaker 10: fifteen thousand, homes. 89 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 4: All built by one. 90 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 10: Firm this Is, levittown one of the most remarkable housing 91 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 10: developments ever conceived In New. 92 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 2: York they first offered two bedroom homes with pitched roofs 93 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: and slightly different window, treatments all with the look of 94 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,479 Speaker 2: a Traditional New england, cottage with names like The, colonial The, 95 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 2: ranch and even The cape. Cod the company would change 96 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 2: models slightly every. 97 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 10: Year the architecture of the houses In levittown is varied 98 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 10: enough to eliminate dreary, monotony while at the same time 99 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 10: ENOUGH i like to permit the savings that result from. 100 00:05:54,920 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 2: Standardization Instead Potato fields In Puerto. Rico the company started 101 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 2: out in nineteen sixty two by buying nearly four hundred 102 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 2: and forty acres of flat swampland in the town Of, 103 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 2: tabaja about twenty minutes From San. Juan they built drainage 104 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 2: canals to empty into an artificial. Lake i've seen the 105 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: engineering diagrams and they're. Impressive they originally planned to build 106 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 2: three thousand, homes but by nineteen seventy seven there would 107 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: be over eleven, thousand and just a short walk from the, 108 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: beach they sold out. Quickly the first models offered Were, 109 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 2: Brocceeoro El, Camfeo La, Diadema La, laja And Las, meralda 110 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 2: the one with Two, stories which my grandparents purchased from 111 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 2: friends when they decided to leave The bronx in the 112 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 2: early seventies and come back, home or at least to 113 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 2: a new home here In. Levitown the tagline Was don 114 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 2: de la buena vida gomenza where the good life begins. 115 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:02,839 Speaker 11: See ITAs Cama Feo. 116 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: Camafeo Ilda rodriguez lives in A camafeo model with her Daughter. 117 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 2: Paula ilda was five when they moved in in nineteen sixty. 118 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 12: Four tiquadron no So, trosma. 119 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: Perhaps just the second or third family, There. 120 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 12: Bioneo they're not just. 121 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 2: Pioneers their story is entwined with. Levetowns ilda's parents started 122 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 2: their family in The states before deciding to come back 123 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 2: home to the. Island her uncle was working for The 124 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,320 Speaker 2: levit company and he Offered ilda's father a job building 125 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 2: the levee town houses In Puerto rico and the opportunity 126 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: for him to own his own. 127 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 12: Home Moreo Miqueesina sara cosin. 128 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: Comeedon the houses are like so many others In Puerto rican, 129 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 2: suburbs flat roofed cement rectangles With miami. Windows these had 130 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 2: built in planters and, carports, marquesinas framed and decorated cinder, 131 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 2: blocks and the catalog really pushed the cinder blocks danel, 132 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 2: Patrio Ila sardanas me Recommend. 133 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 12: Mifica. 134 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 2: Residencia all the homes came with new general electric appliances 135 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 2: and were wired for telephones in the nineteen. Sixties this 136 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 2: was all a sleek modern dream. Manga remember this had 137 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 2: been a mangrove swamp with lots of palm trees G 138 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 2: When ilda's mother opened the front door The, marquesina the 139 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 2: carport would be full of, Crabs ilda's, Daughter, paula lives 140 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 2: with her In. Leveytown she's starting her career as a math, 141 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: teacher and she remembers that her grandmother had even found 142 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 2: crabs in the washing, machine. 143 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 12: A bedentro. 144 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 2: Del they'd get into the motor and rattle around if 145 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 2: you turned it. On there were so many that people 146 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 2: would collect them in metal, buckets clean them and cook. Them, 147 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 2: No she'll never forget how many crab legs they. Ate 148 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 2: The marquesinas were also Where sunday service was held in 149 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,400 Speaker 2: the early days Before ida's, Father, dontonio helped to found 150 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 2: the Local catholic. Parish ilda was in the first graduating 151 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 2: class of the elementary school named For JOHN. F. Kennedy 152 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 2: there was a man made, lake which still, exists but 153 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,600 Speaker 2: back then there were paddle boats. Too in THE, us 154 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,439 Speaker 2: levittowns were famous for excluding black And jewish home buyers 155 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 2: and the rules about everything from lawn maintenance to line drying, 156 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,080 Speaker 2: clothes but there was none of that in to Abaj 157 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:09,960 Speaker 2: and in the late. Seventies ilda remembers a levitown that 158 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:11,559 Speaker 2: was totally Lit. 159 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:22,599 Speaker 12: Mira In tito And. 160 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:26,439 Speaker 2: Casino scouts with cars would drive around the different sexionists 161 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 2: and report back about what parties were happening on A friday, 162 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 2: night a, wedding an, anniversary a. Birthday for as you, 163 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 2: know they'd arrive unannounced to get invited to, join and 164 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 2: then may be the last to, leave dancing boleros all night. 165 00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 11: Long bye LA's sagra by that. 166 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 12: La la la vason bim. 167 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 2: BMBN i like imagining my grandparents in this, landscape With 168 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:14,480 Speaker 2: Ceo feliciano playing in the distance and neighbors dancing in. 169 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 2: Medicasinas and maybe after so many years of hearing about 170 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 2: THE Us lovett, towns this is what success looked like to, 171 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 2: them life in a modern suburb instead of a return 172 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:29,360 Speaker 2: to the lush but rustic countryside In. Sialis and as 173 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:33,199 Speaker 2: it turns, out that appeal Of levittown it helps tell 174 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: a bigger story about how in the mid twentieth, Century 175 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 2: Puerto rico's future ran headlong into The american. 176 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,840 Speaker 12: Dream There, auelo and. 177 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 2: That's Paula ilda's daughter, again dontgo her grandfather knew a 178 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 2: lot About leveytown's place In Puerto rico's. 179 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 12: History For gulo. 180 00:11:55,160 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 5: Bim Bob Ahli, sarcado. 181 00:12:04,160 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 2: He was from that Generation she says that went from 182 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 2: being really poor he grew up without, shoes to going 183 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 2: on to get his high school degree later in, life 184 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 2: and of course to own his own. 185 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 5: House Marinugain Lao sabado asi So Luis. 186 00:12:24,960 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 2: Mono, marin the first elected governor Of Puerto, rico is 187 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,359 Speaker 2: well known for pushing the idea that the island's prosperity 188 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 2: would come not from statehood and not by. 189 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:36,880 Speaker 13: Independence mugnos advocated for a third. 190 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:41,200 Speaker 2: Way Silvia Albert cubelo is A Puerto rican. Historian she's 191 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 2: also the author. 192 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 13: Of The land of The, Future country of The. Future 193 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 13: borbeni is a beautiful. 194 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 2: Word borni means the time that is going to, happen 195 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 2: like a point on the, horizon some kind of future of, 196 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:01,959 Speaker 2: possibility And Puerto rico has historic been eager striving for, 197 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 2: modernity she. Says Governor munos would promote a massive Program 198 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 2: Operacio Manojala, obra also known As Operation, bootstrap to transform 199 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 2: the island and reach that. Bovenir Operation bootstrap echoed The 200 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 2: New deal in The United. States it was a massive 201 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:23,080 Speaker 2: remaking of The Puerto rican economy and actually of the whole. 202 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:27,079 Speaker 2: Island government programs gave tax breaks TO us companies and 203 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 2: engineered a shift from agriculture to. 204 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 13: Manufacturing and For munnos it was this path to modernity 205 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 13: because agriculture was for him like the symbol of. Backwardness of, 206 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 13: course it was the agriculture of, sugar one one crop, 207 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 13: agriculture so it was it was no, paradise, really no, 208 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:53,439 Speaker 13: no And indo solization was the thing of the. Future 209 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 13: once again depends that need. 210 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 2: To understand Why levitown was such a. Dream it's worth 211 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 2: understanding what it wasn't. 212 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,960 Speaker 14: Have you seen photographs of how people used to live 213 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 14: in the forest here In Puerto, rico hoj. 214 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 2: Really Sard pollock is a professor at The school Of 215 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:14,199 Speaker 2: architecture at The university Of Puerto. 216 00:14:14,280 --> 00:14:18,120 Speaker 14: Rico for, example in this place called Elfant guito is 217 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 14: a slump built over a. 218 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 2: Swamp these were wooden houses and stilts perched over. Water 219 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 2: in nineteen, forty the average life expectancy In Puerto rico 220 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 2: was forty six, years nearly twenty years shorter than it 221 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 2: was in The. 222 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 14: STATES a lot of people used to live with no running, 223 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 14: water no, electricity no. 224 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:42,200 Speaker 2: Baths some seventy percent of people lived in the countryside 225 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 2: and housing was a key part Of Operation. Bootstrap it was. 226 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 14: The way in which the government demonstrates that it was 227 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 14: possible to moorder an icee country and gain off the. 228 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 4: Slams broad avenues In San juan lead to residential districts 229 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 4: wherehouses resemble those In, Florida, california Or. 230 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 2: Texas cringeworthy films like this one Called Fiesta island Marketed 231 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 2: Puerto rico as a prospering outpost that was looking more 232 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 2: and more like The United. 233 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 4: States everybody grows and loves flowers In Puerto, rico these 234 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 4: are red ginger blossoms. 235 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 7: Homes for. 236 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 4: Everybody housing gets top priority In Puerto rico's booming. 237 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 2: Economy Donia, fela the mayor Of San juan during this, 238 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:32,640 Speaker 2: period looked back on it in a documentary in the nineteen. 239 00:15:32,680 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 8: Eighties the miracle was that we create that middle class 240 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 8: which was created from one day to the, other. 241 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: And that newly minted middle class moving from the campo 242 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 2: to the city needed. Homes in nineteen, sixty roughly forty 243 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 2: percent of housing In Puerto rican cities was considered. Substandard In, 244 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 2: washington D. C the federal government was creating incentives for 245 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 2: single family homes and, highways And Puerto rico got them. 246 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 14: Too following the promise about the good life in THE 247 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 14: us that everybody should have their own, house their own, 248 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 14: party or their own. Car we just followed that. 249 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 2: Promise so IF i say levittown to, you what is 250 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 2: the first thing that you? 251 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 14: Think the topia of the middia, class the topia of the. 252 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:31,200 Speaker 2: Freedom up until The Cold, War washington cared very little 253 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 2: For Puerto, rico if at. All but As cuba became 254 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:38,040 Speaker 2: the poster island for communism in The, Caribbean Puerto rico 255 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 2: became a capitalist. 256 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 14: Counterpoint WHEN i think Of, LEVITTA i think on the 257 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 14: co wor, topias on the Co war. 258 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: Promises and one way THE us fought back against dictatorships 259 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 2: and communism was by Giving Puerto ricans the chance to 260 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 2: own their own. 261 00:16:53,400 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 14: Homes so they will become. Owners an owners, warned re 262 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 14: will at gains their own. Property they won't do. 263 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 2: That this isn't only true of The Puerto rican. Levetown 264 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 2: William levitt Of levitt And sons once, said, quote no 265 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 2: man who owns his own house and lot can be a. 266 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:20,360 Speaker 2: Communist he has too much to. Do Governor munjos Embraced 267 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 2: levetown and attended the ribbon cutting for it In september 268 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,840 Speaker 2: of nineteen sixty. Three it was widely covered IN us. 269 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 2: Papers these, homes with their gardens and their garages for 270 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 2: a car everyone was expected to have would be the 271 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 2: model for housing In Puerto rico for the next fifty. 272 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: Years but there wasn't room for, everybody and this version 273 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: Of munios's vision of. Porvignir San juan's Mayor Donia fela 274 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,200 Speaker 2: said the creation of a middle class overnight was a, 275 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 2: miracle but actually it was a very intentional miracle and 276 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 2: one with extremely mixed. Results the part of this economic 277 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 2: transformation that isn't talked about much is how many people 278 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 2: supposedly had to leave in order to make it. Work 279 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 2: for local, technocrats the problem was that there was no 280 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 2: way to create enough jobs to employ. Everyone there were 281 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 2: too many people on the island to create a middle, 282 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 2: class and that idea led to some horrible. Policies today 283 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,760 Speaker 2: we know more about the shameful project that sterilized roughly 284 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,120 Speaker 2: a third Of Puerto rican women and the birth control pill, 285 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 2: experiments but it wasn't only. That in nineteen forty, six 286 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 2: a government report estimated that around a million people would 287 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 2: have to leave in order to make the island, prosperous 288 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 2: and by the late forties the government would get, involved really. 289 00:18:53,880 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 2: Involved we'll be right. Back this Is, labrega and we're 290 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 2: back To La. Brega we've been talking about An american 291 00:19:19,560 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 2: style suburb whose story is in many ways the story 292 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 2: of the. Island in the twentieth, century at a time 293 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 2: When Puerto rico was being remade In america's, image the 294 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:32,439 Speaker 2: government was trying to Transform Puerto rico's, economy moving from 295 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,119 Speaker 2: agriculture to industry and making a middle. 296 00:19:35,160 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 15: Class the government realized that without the massive exodus of, 297 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 15: people economic growth In perrico would be maybe hinder or slowed. 298 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:52,040 Speaker 2: Down Guard melndez is the author Of Sponsored, migration a 299 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:55,360 Speaker 2: book About Puerto rican's moving to THE. Us he describes 300 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 2: an engineered, exodus a quote campaign to turn Every Puerto 301 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,160 Speaker 2: rican into a potential. Migrant The Puerto rican government would 302 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 2: create levers and wedges and pulleys to make modernity work 303 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 2: for those who, stayed but only by encouraging others to. 304 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 2: Leave at the same, time THE us government wanted cheap 305 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,720 Speaker 2: labor in cities Like New york And, chicago and so 306 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:18,960 Speaker 2: encouraging migration was also in their. 307 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 16: Interest Puerto ricans come here To New york and to 308 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 16: elsewhere to find, jobs to get better educational opportunities and 309 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 16: other opportunities for their. 310 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 2: Children The Puerto rican government had positions Like director of 311 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: The Migration division of The department Of labor based In New. 312 00:20:34,680 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 2: York here he is ON wnyc in nineteen fifty. 313 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 16: Five they are out on the first rung of a 314 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 16: ladder which many of our own fathers and grandfathers began 315 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 16: to climb just the generation. 316 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 15: Ago so they created all these programs to help migrants 317 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:58,160 Speaker 15: get social services from local governments Like New York english 318 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 15: classes helping kids were their documents so they can move 319 00:21:03,359 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 15: easily to schools in THE, us all that sort of. 320 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:09,959 Speaker 2: Thing there was an expectation That briiquos would assimilate, easily 321 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:11,160 Speaker 2: but that didn't pan. 322 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 15: Out africans were being rejected in The United states even 323 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 15: though there were citizens, right and of course the cultural 324 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 15: and linguistic. 325 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 2: Differences so there were members Of munos's government who looked 326 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,520 Speaker 2: for another solution to what they saw as the problem of. 327 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 2: Overpopulation THAT i, argue, well for, migrants it will be 328 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 2: easier to, INCORPORATE i mean assimilate In Latin america because 329 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 2: of the common culture and. 330 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 15: Language but even in the early, fifties the government center 331 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:42,640 Speaker 15: representative To brazil to consider creating a colony Of african migrants. 332 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 2: There THE us government next to, this not only did 333 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 2: they not Want Puerto rico negotiating with foreign, governments but 334 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 2: it would also get too messy to have a bunch 335 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 2: OF us citizens living In venezuela or The Dominican. Republic and, 336 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 2: yes they made sure there were plenty of flights to THE. 337 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 2: Us and that's what gets us to the First Eastern 338 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 2: airlines flight To San juan in nineteen fifty, one the 339 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:11,400 Speaker 2: one that Broke panam's. 340 00:22:11,480 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 7: Monopoly we consider it well made probe and an obligation 341 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 7: to Offer Puerto ricans a kind of transport service upon 342 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 7: which the continuing burgess and pers thirty up this island. 343 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 2: Depends Governor munos had lobbied for expanding airline access to 344 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 2: make it easier For Puerto ricans to leave the. Island 345 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 2: but when he made the, argument what he said was 346 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 2: That Puerto ricans deserved to go looking for jobs as 347 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 2: much as anyone else in The. States it stings WHEN 348 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 2: i think about all these machinations to get a million 349 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: people to, leave to get families like mine to, leave 350 00:22:57,119 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 2: that we were a sacrifice worth making for that shining. 351 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: Bovinid but people wouldn't just leave for. Good because of 352 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 2: the island's relationship with THE, us it was easier For 353 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:11,119 Speaker 2: Puerto ricans to come and. Go many like my grandparents 354 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 2: would decide to, return and for them and many others 355 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 2: coming from cramped and cold walk up, apartments the dream 356 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 2: of success looked a lot Like leveytown. 357 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 15: Now. Levytown ray is an important phenomenon because it's basically 358 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 15: an area built by return. 359 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,920 Speaker 10: Migrant the flow is no longer one, way as thousands 360 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 10: Of Puerto ricans have decided to return home. 361 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:44,400 Speaker 14: Anal boarding Call. 362 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:48,640 Speaker 2: Ago august nineteen seventy, ONE Cbs. 363 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,800 Speaker 6: News some have saved enough money to buy, small trim 364 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:55,960 Speaker 6: homes and new suburbs in developments Like, levittown for, instance 365 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:59,680 Speaker 6: where life has as Distinctly american a flavor as a suburb's. 366 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 2: Name levettown has a reputation for being a place settled 367 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 2: by the returning. 368 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 13: DIASPORA i think that is like an intermediate. 369 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 2: Space the Historian Silvia alvarezcubelo Says levittown was a bridge 370 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 2: between THE us And Puerto. Rico for Returning Puerto. Ricans 371 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 2: there was a, nostalgia as several people have told, me 372 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 2: for a life in the countryside that existed Before Puerto 373 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 2: rico's big, transformation before people left carport in the, front 374 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 2: platinus in the. 375 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 13: Back you have to plant a guava, tree a lemon, 376 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 13: tree and you, know like the staples of a Guardian Puerto, rico. 377 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 2: And levittown's patios had room for. That In. 378 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,359 Speaker 13: LEVITTOWN i think that many of The New ricans wanted 379 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 13: to have A Puerto rico that was already vanishing in some. 380 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 2: Way my, Grandfather Nicolas, casanova kept ducks and chicken and 381 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:56,040 Speaker 2: even geese in his suburban. Backyard it's a DETAIL i 382 00:24:56,080 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 2: hadn't thought about Until sylvia described that. Longing but it 383 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 2: wasn't an easy fit for everyone returning From New. York 384 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,359 Speaker 2: one resident told me not on, tape that she felt 385 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 2: bullied by a teacher who scolded her for Speaking. English 386 00:25:10,080 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 2: it was a common story in the, seventies featured in 387 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 2: news reports quoting teenagers And Puerto rican high. Schools people 388 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 2: laughing at me because you, KNOW i don't Know. 389 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:22,120 Speaker 15: Spanish they, would you know that was so you would 390 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:24,200 Speaker 15: say something, wrong you, know they'd be trying to. 391 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 2: Correct you know that most of the time they would. 392 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:27,880 Speaker 17: Laugh they make fun of you the way you Talk, 393 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,400 Speaker 17: spanish so they, say if you say about wrong word 394 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:33,960 Speaker 17: In spanish something like, that they start, saying, oh you 395 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 17: can't space Speak spanish, right and things like, that and 396 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:39,359 Speaker 17: they start calling you. 397 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 2: Gringo schools In Puerto rico even started Offering spanish courses 398 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:46,480 Speaker 2: to the returning migrants to help them fit back. 399 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 6: In unhappy with life in The states and slow to 400 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,160 Speaker 6: assimilate in a Hostile Puerto, rico The Neo ricans say 401 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:55,639 Speaker 6: they're in, limbo not knowing where they. 402 00:25:55,760 --> 00:26:00,840 Speaker 2: Belong new A ricans returning from The states not only 403 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 2: struggled to fit, in they also struggled to find a. 404 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 2: Job and they weren't the only. Ones, ilda the resident 405 00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 2: we heard from, earlier says her family had a hard 406 00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,920 Speaker 2: time making ends meet after returning from The. States In, 407 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 2: levetown the mortgage payment on their, house The gamafeo, model 408 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 2: was sixty two dollars a. Month that was a lot 409 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:21,119 Speaker 2: for their. 410 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 12: Family ganhak. 411 00:26:26,359 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 2: Dosem her, Father, dontono had worked building the levetown, houses 412 00:26:31,880 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 2: but when they had all been finished in the late, 413 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 2: seventies his next job didn't pay enough to make the monthly. 414 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 11: Payment Jeong momento Inc A Pappy DATA. 415 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 2: Dammi there came a moment where he was on the 416 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 2: verge of desperation and her parents were deciding whether they'd 417 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 2: give up the house and leave again for The United. 418 00:26:54,440 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 2: States when something happened that changed their. Fortunes ilda can 419 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 2: see the scene in her. Memory one, day her father got, Home. 420 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 12: Come Lu. 421 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 2: San he sits down at the dining room table and 422 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,320 Speaker 2: he opens the. Newspaper her, Mother Donia luci is in the. 423 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 12: Kitchen mique, benaka. 424 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 2: Come, here he. Says she looks over his, Shoulder. 425 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 13: Soma M. 426 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 2: Ilda could hear her saying no, way, really no, way 427 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:37,199 Speaker 2: and she could see them both with huge smiles on their, 428 00:27:37,240 --> 00:27:46,959 Speaker 2: faces full of. Happiness donno had won the lottery first Prize. 429 00:27:56,359 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 2: Premio with that, money he paid off the house a 430 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:02,399 Speaker 2: few stre it's. Away his sister was also struggling to 431 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 2: Pay he helped her out. 432 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 12: TOO i, say. 433 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 2: If not for the, lottery they would have gone back 434 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 2: to The. States maybe someday her parents would have returned 435 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,119 Speaker 2: to the, island but they wouldn't have kept the. 436 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 14: House. 437 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,160 Speaker 2: Instead she's been In levittown now for fifty five, years 438 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 2: and despite all the good, times all the, memories and 439 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:39,920 Speaker 2: all the, Promises ilda says that the way life is 440 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 2: In Puerto, rico she wants to. Leave it's the, crime 441 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 2: the shrinking, pensions the lack of opportunities aunt. This but 442 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 2: also people used to, say neighbors are your real. Family 443 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 2: everyone would help each, other care for each. Other jes to, 444 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,719 Speaker 2: Day ilda, says if you, die they find you by 445 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 2: the Smell. Oi this is so, dark but the truth 446 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,640 Speaker 2: is that there are so many empty homes In levittown. 447 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 2: Now nearly fifteen years of a fiscal recession has taken its, 448 00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 2: toll and then Came. Maria according to figures from twenty, 449 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 2: eighteen over twenty percent of the houses In levetown are. 450 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 2: Vacant the elementary, school the one named For JOHN. F, 451 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 2: kennedy was closed as part of an island wide shutdown 452 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 2: of hundreds of. Schools, Paula ilda's, daughter, says her mother 453 00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 2: Saw levittown's best. Days she lives at, home loves this, 454 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:49,400 Speaker 2: place but knows her and her friends have seen its. 455 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,920 Speaker 2: Decline it wasn't just dancing in the. Streets there were 456 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 2: also walkways between the, sections and now they're all closed Las. 457 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:08,840 Speaker 2: E it's dangerous to walk, alone and the beach that 458 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 2: borders the north side Of, Leveetown Punta, salinas is. Contaminated 459 00:30:14,880 --> 00:30:20,400 Speaker 2: the friend And ilda can't imagine late night chats outside with. 460 00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 2: Neighbors No in the original, Designs leveetown's balconies were all, 461 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 2: open but today they're caged with security. Bars leveetown's, lake 462 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 2: once an, amenity. Overflowed During, maria the dam was opened 463 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 2: without warning and houses and streets near it. Flooded ilda 464 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:44,480 Speaker 2: And paula's home didn't, flood but other people had to 465 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:47,360 Speaker 2: be rescued from their roofs or flee in the. Dark 466 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 2: four people. 467 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 18: Died every TIME i go to, WORK i take the 468 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 18: one sixty five Road. Sinko that's the road that takes 469 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:03,720 Speaker 18: All Doralo levy Down San, juan and you could see 470 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 18: how Deteriorated leveytown is actually Post maria and Before. 471 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 2: Maria that's six. As ecotis a friend Of paula's and 472 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:18,520 Speaker 2: Longtime levittown. Resident After maria out of, boredom they Made 473 00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 2: nuestro podcast with some other Friends. 474 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 18: Podcast, rendimos and. 475 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 2: One of the episodes is about their. Home they discussed 476 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,440 Speaker 2: the awful experience of the hurricane and they talk about 477 00:31:34,440 --> 00:31:38,320 Speaker 2: a book of short stories based In, levittown and over 478 00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 2: an hour into the, episode six poses a huge question 479 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 2: to the, group. 480 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:47,840 Speaker 18: Log down. 481 00:31:48,600 --> 00:31:53,760 Speaker 2: Fire Did levittown? Fail and his, answer he Told paula 482 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 2: AND i, recently is, yes. 483 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,640 Speaker 18: You could actually see how levee down could mirror perfectly 484 00:32:01,600 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 18: the failed experiment of The commonwealth Of Puerto. Rico and 485 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 18: that's just my, opinion and how at the same time 486 00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:10,880 Speaker 18: it could be mirrored as the failed experiment of The american. 487 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,440 Speaker 2: Dream he sees it in The rundown baseball, fields in 488 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 2: the abandoned, houses in that drive to work every day. 489 00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 18: On the one six,' five and that, many people, you 490 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 18: know They Left, puerto rico their, own home their own, 491 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 18: picket fence their white, picket fence with their dog and 492 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 18: their family and. 493 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 2: Their house the financial crisis and austerity policy has blanketed the. 494 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:34,800 Speaker 2: Whole island more. 495 00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:38,320 Speaker 18: Than angry it makes, me sad you know that we're in, 496 00:32:38,400 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 18: this time but this is Not only levy Down This. 497 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 18: Puerto rico in, a nutshell. 498 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 2: There was Something about levetown that required a winning lottery ticket. 499 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 2: To achieve the promise wasn't, a home it was, a 500 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,320 Speaker 2: house and that suburban model of development was defined by 501 00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 2: sprawl that clutters, the landscape mortgages that have. Become foreclosures 502 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 2: it wasn't enough to build houses if you couldn't create 503 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:08,400 Speaker 2: an economy in which people could afford to stay. In 504 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 2: them the Porvenir That governor Luis mugnov marine had promised 505 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,400 Speaker 2: had already started to crumble with a recession in the. 506 00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:20,160 Speaker 2: Nineteen seventies Silvia alvare kuruelo told me about a diary 507 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 2: that he kept for a couple of years during, that 508 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:23,400 Speaker 2: time and. 509 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:28,120 Speaker 13: It was like he was surprised by. The change he 510 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 13: spoke about, the traffic about the people that were like in. 511 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:37,800 Speaker 13: A hurry he spoke about the trouble, with youth, juvenile 512 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 13: delinquency and. 513 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:42,120 Speaker 2: So on he sounds like kind of a just a grumpy. 514 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:45,160 Speaker 2: Old man people are rushing around too much, these days, the, 515 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 2: Kids right he sounds a. 516 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:53,320 Speaker 13: Little yes because the times accelerated, too much because. 517 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 2: Too, much progress too much, more progress, too much. 518 00:33:57,320 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 13: And the unraveling of the into. Many bourvenirs it was not. 519 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:06,880 Speaker 2: Only one it's as though the vision of having a 520 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,720 Speaker 2: house got tied up too closely With the american dream 521 00:34:10,320 --> 00:34:15,640 Speaker 2: and with an. Unsustainable Consumerism so levetown can feel like 522 00:34:15,719 --> 00:34:19,080 Speaker 2: a metaphor for the Failures Of puerto rico's. Economic experiment 523 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:21,920 Speaker 2: but LAST time i, WAS there i saw it through. 524 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 2: NEW eyes i took in the interesting things that were 525 00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 2: showing through. The Cracks cesan cales is the author of 526 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:39,359 Speaker 2: a collection of short Stories Called Ironically levtown mona more 527 00:34:39,719 --> 00:34:44,440 Speaker 2: The one Paula and sixto discussed in Their Podcast John, 528 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:52,400 Speaker 2: Torre bompa CISSAN and i met under the rust streaked 529 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:54,879 Speaker 2: belly Of The Blue water tower a couple of weeks before, 530 00:34:54,920 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 2: the pandemic outside what used to be a. Public library 531 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:02,000 Speaker 2: like so much Else In, porto rico EVEN, before covid it. 532 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:03,120 Speaker 1: Was closed. 533 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:13,880 Speaker 9: Is is unamarca bendro el mapa ario at The Lahaionic 534 00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 9: banga darisa talking for. 535 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 2: It's part of the, aerial map, HE says i check, 536 00:35:21,160 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 2: this out and. He's right pilots have to tell air 537 00:35:23,880 --> 00:35:26,319 Speaker 2: traffic control that they're passing it on their way into. 538 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 2: The airport in, Other words i'm not the. Only one 539 00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 2: levittown keeps. Surprising him every time he. Comes here despite 540 00:35:37,160 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 2: the detritus and, the decay he sees colors that call. 541 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:41,000 Speaker 2: His attention. 542 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 12: Color. 543 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,840 Speaker 2: Mayamal lenium writing about this place was his way of 544 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:52,880 Speaker 2: making a kind of peace with, his Country With, puerto 545 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:57,359 Speaker 2: rico through the, fiscal crisis, the deterioration the difficulty of making, 546 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:01,320 Speaker 2: ends meet to leave the resentment about wasn't and appreciate 547 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 2: what is The, LOKE talbes i, asked him after all this, 548 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 2: historical Research if i'm trying to see the Beauty, in 549 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 2: levittown could he give me some Pointers. The, levittown well 550 00:36:33,239 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 2: it depends on what you. Consider beauty look at what 551 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 2: time has done to. This place look at, the rest 552 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:42,320 Speaker 2: at the, Shuttered Businesses Talbo Miral. 553 00:36:43,640 --> 00:36:47,359 Speaker 9: Mira lpmo. 554 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:56,320 Speaker 2: Looking at closed dorefronts gave him the possibility, to invent 555 00:36:56,800 --> 00:37:00,600 Speaker 2: to imagine businesses that maybe didn't. Actually exist and walk 556 00:37:00,600 --> 00:37:04,320 Speaker 2: along the boulevard which Is Called, avenue boulevard a redundant 557 00:37:04,400 --> 00:37:16,520 Speaker 2: name that tickles The san it tickles me, now too 558 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,000 Speaker 2: and much more does. AS well a few steps away 559 00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:22,279 Speaker 2: from where We sat the public high school is named 560 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 2: For Doctor Pedro, Albisu Campos puerto rico's, independence icon right There, 561 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:32,319 Speaker 2: in Levittown the. American suburb and then there's the, water 562 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:41,200 Speaker 2: tower which doesn't actually hold. Any water it's a monument, 563 00:37:41,280 --> 00:37:44,360 Speaker 2: to uselessness a symbol of a failure to have. Functional 564 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:48,640 Speaker 2: infrastructure and yet it's still an icon visible from, the 565 00:37:48,760 --> 00:38:05,240 Speaker 2: highway from, the streets and from. The sky, it's empty 566 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 2: and Yet, and la it's become like Our Own, eiffel tower, 567 00:38:19,080 --> 00:38:22,879 Speaker 2: he says Appealing, to sissan precisely because it. DOESN'T work 568 00:38:26,719 --> 00:38:29,839 Speaker 2: i Remember something paula shared on her podcast about how 569 00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 2: she sometimes imagines that there's a mermaid in the. Water 570 00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 2: tower it's a Vision, from aquamarine a teen movie from 571 00:38:36,600 --> 00:38:38,600 Speaker 2: two thousand and six that you should feel no rush 572 00:38:38,719 --> 00:38:38,880 Speaker 2: to Go. 573 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 12: See ala. 574 00:38:46,880 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 2: In, the movie there's a mermaid and a. Water tower oh, 575 00:38:50,080 --> 00:39:04,920 Speaker 2: MY god i imagine mermaids up there. NOW too i 576 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:07,880 Speaker 2: had hoped to end this journey in My, grandparents' leveetown 577 00:39:08,760 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 2: but then the, pandemic hit so instead, THIS summer i 578 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:15,120 Speaker 2: Drove from Brooklyn To long island and peered up at 579 00:39:15,160 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 2: this other, water tower in This. Other leveetown While The 580 00:39:19,239 --> 00:39:22,799 Speaker 2: puerto rican won towers over a busy, commercial strip this one, 581 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:26,279 Speaker 2: is quiet tucked into some residential streets that curve into 582 00:39:26,360 --> 00:39:29,759 Speaker 2: each other and are named for Plants Like azalea Road An. 583 00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:33,200 Speaker 2: IRIS lane i could hear, the drip drip drip of 584 00:39:33,320 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 2: water falling from. The tank there's a baseball diamond, there 585 00:39:36,560 --> 00:39:39,680 Speaker 2: too and a, basketball court and a group of teenagers. 586 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:44,040 Speaker 2: Were playing someone was walking. Their dog the lawns, were 587 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:47,880 Speaker 2: tidy but there were no, guava trees no. Lemon trees 588 00:39:52,360 --> 00:39:55,399 Speaker 2: this light blue water tower Also says levetown in, big 589 00:39:55,560 --> 00:39:59,440 Speaker 2: letters although frankly it's not, as impressive maybe not as 590 00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:04,040 Speaker 2: tall As The puerto. RICAN one i imagine getting some 591 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,400 Speaker 2: bolt cutters for the chain link fence and getting to 592 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:09,279 Speaker 2: the circular door at the base of. THE tower i 593 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:12,319 Speaker 2: could open the hatch like the ones on, a submarine 594 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:15,359 Speaker 2: and instead of climbing whatever ladder lies on the, OTHER 595 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 2: side i could open another hatch and arrive at the Other. 596 00:40:18,760 --> 00:40:23,359 Speaker 2: Levet town as though the water towers, Were portals i'd 597 00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:27,279 Speaker 2: arrive by passing airplanes and airports and the danger OF 598 00:40:27,360 --> 00:40:32,920 Speaker 2: a covid nineteen Transmission on. Avenue boulevard i'd Go to 599 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:35,719 Speaker 2: Panaderia a Lemi and i'd order a box. Of Casito 600 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:39,040 Speaker 2: then i'd walk to my, cousin's house the same one 601 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:41,560 Speaker 2: my grandparents moved to when they were looking for something 602 00:40:41,600 --> 00:40:46,080 Speaker 2: between one dream. And another in the ROOM where i 603 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:48,680 Speaker 2: SLEEP when, i visit there's a view of the. Water 604 00:40:48,800 --> 00:41:17,400 Speaker 2: Tower lave rega is a co PRODUCTION Of wnyc Studios And. 605 00:41:17,640 --> 00:41:21,759 Speaker 2: Futuro studios this episode is Available in spanish, as well 606 00:41:22,160 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 2: and you can listen to either wherever you get your 607 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:29,440 Speaker 2: Podcasts through laverega's. Podcast feed this episode was Produced by 608 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 2: me with Help From. Mark pagan it was Edited By, 609 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:36,960 Speaker 2: Luistre Yes marlon Bishop And. Mark pagan fact Checking By. 610 00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:41,720 Speaker 2: Istra pacheco engineering Is by Stephanie Lebau Lea, Sha Damren, 611 00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:47,080 Speaker 2: Rosanna caban Gabriel la Vais and Alicia. Ba etik original 612 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:50,160 Speaker 2: music For lave rega was Composed by balloon and our 613 00:41:50,239 --> 00:41:54,240 Speaker 2: theme song Is. By ife additional Music From. Frankie reyes 614 00:41:55,040 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 2: art for this piece was Done By. Fernando noret leadership 615 00:41:58,680 --> 00:42:01,760 Speaker 2: Support for laverega is pro By The Jonathan Logan family 616 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:05,080 Speaker 2: foundation and The john S AND James L, knight foundation 617 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:10,320 Speaker 2: with additional support Provided By. Amy liss deep gratitude to 618 00:42:10,480 --> 00:42:13,960 Speaker 2: w N Mac's andy lancet for his generosity with. Archival 619 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:17,719 Speaker 2: tape thanks Also To rebecca Ubarra And jeri marbonilla for, 620 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:21,719 Speaker 2: their ears And Te, Carmelo Esserich Francisco rodrigue suarez And 621 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:25,920 Speaker 2: Mir Mari grau gonzalez for, their expertise and special Thanks 622 00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:31,200 Speaker 2: to Sophia And lucinda Bordali And Olga. Casanova burgess thanks 623 00:42:31,239 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 2: Also To Esequel. Rodriga sandino in the, next episode a 624 00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:38,160 Speaker 2: very different story about the shadows Of The cold War 625 00:42:38,239 --> 00:42:41,720 Speaker 2: In puerto rico and a dark legacy were still dealing 626 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:43,799 Speaker 2: With At. La brouxima