1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: La Brega is back this season. We're spending time with 2 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: the people and symbols that represent Puerto Rico. We're proud 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Borricos and what does that mean? 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,200 Speaker 2: And we're still terrified. 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 1: We're telling stories about champions from a place worth fighting for, 6 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: stories that will inspire you no matter where you're from. 7 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: Come okay, wow, this is La Brega Campeones. Listen early 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:33,560 Speaker 1: and ad free with Fuputo Plus. 9 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 3: It's Maria no Josa and I have a quick favor 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 3: to ask you. If you like listening to Latino USA 11 00:00:42,600 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 3: on Spotify, will you take a second and hit follow 12 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:47,919 Speaker 3: us on the show page because I want to make 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 3: sure you don't miss a single episode and that you 14 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 3: don't waste time looking for episodes every week. And if 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 3: you found us through one of Spotify's daily mixes, following 16 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 3: the show directly is the best way to keep the 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 3: episodes come gracies. And here's the show. 18 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: Today. 19 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 3: We're really excited to share one of my favorite episodes 20 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 3: from the new season of Futuro Studio's. 21 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 2: Hit podcast, La Brega. 22 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,680 Speaker 3: It's the bilingual podcast that tells stories about the Puerto 23 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 3: Rican experience. Last month, we brought you the premiere episode 24 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 3: of season three, which is all about Campiones Puerto Rican Champions. 25 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 3: Today we're sharing episode four, which is called Isabel Gonzalez 26 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 3: the United States. The episode follows Champion Isabel, who arrives 27 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 3: to the US in the early nineteen hundreds and faces deportation, 28 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 3: but she says I'll see you in court and ends 29 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 3: up taking her case all the way to the Supreme 30 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 3: Court of the United States. This episode shows us the 31 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 3: deep roots of anti immigrants sentiment in this country and 32 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: the very long arc of people who have stood up 33 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: for our rights to cross borders and to be here. 34 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 3: And of course this is layered with the colonial history 35 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 3: of the US Empire. So this episode has really stayed 36 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 3: with me and I can't wait for. 37 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: You to hear it too. 38 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 3: I'm going to pass the mic over to Ala Na 39 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,639 Speaker 3: cassanoa vergess. She's the host of La Bregat. 40 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:22,119 Speaker 4: Oh. 41 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 3: Also, there's some strong language in the episode. 42 00:02:35,120 --> 00:02:38,679 Speaker 1: Isabel Gonzalez was doing what so many Puerto Ricans have done. 43 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 1: She was going to New York and asking her family 44 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 1: to pick her up. 45 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 2: I think she thought it would be simple, like, oh yeah, 46 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 2: I'm going to show up and just integrate in. 47 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: But she was only twenty years old, eight and a 48 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: half months pregnant, traveling alone, and it was nineteen oh two. 49 00:02:58,000 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 1: She was arriving by steamship. 50 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 2: I don't know if she was afraid, I would be 51 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 2: a little bit. 52 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: This is Belinda Torres Mary. 53 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 2: And I am the great granddaughter of Isabel Gonzalez. 54 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,959 Speaker 1: Isabel was a widow. Her husband had died earlier that year. 55 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: She was leaving her daughter in San Juan and wanted 56 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 1: to bring her to New York when she got settled. 57 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 2: I see her as she's probably an optimist, because anytime 58 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 2: you need to fight for something, you're never really a 59 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: pessimist to do that. 60 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,080 Speaker 1: The trip from San Juan to Ellis Island by steamship 61 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 1: took around a week. She arrived in peak summer. Nearly 62 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: two thousand people could have made their way through this 63 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: giant immigration center in New York Harbor that day. It 64 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: was the gateway to the US at the time. There 65 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: was line after line to get checked for diseases, to 66 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: get checked for life p and to have your papers checked. 67 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 1: It took hours. 68 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: They're just watching this line of people and she's coming up, 69 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: knowing she's pregnant, Like do I hide it, like was 70 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: she wearing a shawl or something, or like, you know, 71 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 2: there's no way to hide that. 72 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: A new Commissioner of Immigration, one William Williams, had started 73 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: a few months earlier. Under his watch, more people would 74 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: get turned away at Ellis Island. 75 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 2: I think she got scared when they took her aside. 76 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: Probably officials were targeting immigrants who they thought were likely 77 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 1: to need public assistance, especially single women. 78 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: She had eleven dollars only, was eight and a half 79 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 2: months pregnant, and no male chaperone. They were like, you're 80 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 2: getting right back on that boat and you're going back 81 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: home because you could be a ward of the state. 82 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: And she was like, no, no, I have relatives here. 83 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 2: I have an aunt and I have an uncle. 84 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 1: But the officials didn't care. She was still an unmarried 85 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 1: woman and in their eyes, a potential burden. So she 86 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: and the family only made a claim she wasn't single. 87 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: She was actually engaged and was here to meet up 88 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: with the young man who was also Puerto Rican and 89 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 1: marry him. 90 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:12,400 Speaker 2: I think current aunt and uncle kind of set that 91 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,960 Speaker 2: guy up a little bit, like the Puerto Ricans were 92 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: all working together to help each other. 93 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: But no fiance showed up at Ellis Island to prove it, 94 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,239 Speaker 1: so she was sent to a kind of olden days 95 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 1: immigration court. 96 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 2: Ellis Island had their own court system. I think it 97 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:29,359 Speaker 2: was three dudes, you know, sitting on a bano, and 98 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 2: it usually is yeah, it is, isn't it, And so 99 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 2: they're like, no, you're going back. 100 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: But the details of Isabel's situation, whether she was single 101 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: or not and likely to become a public charge, were 102 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: only part of the issue. There was a bigger question 103 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: that was affecting all Puerto Ricans at the time. Spain 104 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: had extended citizenship rights to them when Puerto Rico was 105 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: a Spanish colony, but the US had invaded just four 106 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 1: years before she arrived at Ellis Island, and Puerto Rico 107 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: was now a US colony. It would follow that Puerto 108 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:06,600 Speaker 1: Ricans would be US citizens, but the US didn't see 109 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: it that way and was holding Puerto Ricans at arms length. 110 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 2: I imagine it was stressful too, when you're about to go 111 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 2: into labor at any moment and then this is going 112 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 2: on where people want to kick you out of the country. 113 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: Isauel and other Puerto Ricans were in a legal gray area. 114 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,159 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico and other colonies belonged to the US, but 115 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: weren't a part of it. On one hand, they were 116 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 1: subject to US rule with US appointed unelected governors, but 117 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: they were not treated as US nationals or citizens. They could, 118 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 1: for instance, be rejected at the border. 119 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 2: What was so amazing is that, you know, they put 120 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 2: her in that holding area at ls Island, and you 121 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,479 Speaker 2: know she must have been very scared and everything, but 122 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: she's just like, I'm not going to go back because 123 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,560 Speaker 2: we are a US territory, so you can't kick me out. 124 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: Isabel had been denied entry to a country that had 125 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:03,280 Speaker 1: evaded her homeland, and she was about to be one 126 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: of the first people to try to force the US 127 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,120 Speaker 1: into addressing this hypocrisy. She was going to take her 128 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: case all the way to the Supreme Court and in 129 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: doing so stand in for all Puerto Ricans. In fact, 130 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: the entire US Empire would be watching. Isbel's case had 131 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: implications for people all over the world. 132 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 2: America has told her, in not so many words, who 133 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:31,640 Speaker 2: do you think you are coming to this country? You 134 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 2: don't belong here. She's like, no, who do you think 135 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: you are to treat me that way? 136 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: Damn I know chills. 137 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 2: Like she'd be snapping if that was a thing. 138 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: We'll be back. 139 00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 5: You're fighting colonialism, but at the same time, it's patriarchy 140 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 5: because this case wouldn't happen if she was a man. 141 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 6: Hey, it's Anna Sale, host of Death, Sex and Money, 142 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 6: the show from Slate about the things we think about 143 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,360 Speaker 6: a lot and need to talk about more. Many of 144 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 6: us have something going on behind closed doors, like a 145 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 6: listener we called Elizabeth who told us she's a hoarder. 146 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 3: I see mes beyond probably what most people think of 147 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 3: when they think of mes. 148 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 6: We'll work through it all together on Death, Sex and Money. 149 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 6: Listen wherever you get podcasts. 150 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 1: WEBA We're back. For most of her life now, Belinda 151 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 1: has been the keeper of her great grandmother's story. Belinda's 152 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,680 Speaker 1: grandfather was Isabel's grandson. 153 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 2: I started asking my grandparents and doing interviews with them, 154 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 2: just really wanting to get to the bottom of things 155 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 2: and where are we from? What does it all mean? 156 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 2: Why did they come here? Then my father produced like 157 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 2: an old article he had a copy of and it's 158 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 2: out of the Puerto Rican Encyclopedia written in the nineteen thirties. 159 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:11,520 Speaker 1: It referred to a court case Gonzalez v. Williams, about 160 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 1: how the US government tried to deport Isabel back to 161 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico, and about how she put up a fight 162 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 1: that would be extraordinary in any time period. She said no. 163 00:09:22,520 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 1: So Belinda started reaching out to great aunts and uncles 164 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: and cousins. She went to libraries and contacted law schools 165 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: and historians, piecing together her great grandmother's life. 166 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 2: Some people have asked me, why are you even doing 167 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 2: this kind of research, like who cares? I don't see 168 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 2: it as the past, Like we live in the now 169 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 2: and that our past is always running parallel with us. 170 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 2: It's not like a linear thing. 171 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: There are still a lot of mysteries about Isabel's life 172 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: in Puerto Rico. She was born and raised in San Juan. 173 00:09:55,920 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: A massive hurricane San Sidiaco struck Puerto Rico in eighteen 174 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 1: ninety nine, just a year after the US invasion, and 175 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: the devastation kickstarted a wave of migration. Belinda isn't sure 176 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: if that's what happened to her family, but over time 177 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: many of them relocated to New York. 178 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: So, like, the whole family immigrated. 179 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 1: And do you have a sense of what their life 180 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: was like in Puerto Rico if they needed to move 181 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 1: to New York for opportunity. Were things very hard for them? 182 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 2: Well, that's what I assumed at first, although I had 183 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 2: heard some stories that at one point the family was 184 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 2: a little bit better off. They were very aware of 185 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 2: class and what level people were at. And there was 186 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 2: also a famous picture that was floating around with relatives 187 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 2: of Isabelle on a horse posing sitting side saddle with 188 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 2: a long white dress on back of Puerto Rico. 189 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: She's looking like a fancy lady. 190 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:53,280 Speaker 2: She's looking more like a fancy lady. But you know, 191 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 2: it doesn't mean they were rich or anything. 192 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 1: Regardless of how much money they had or didn't, the 193 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: family was politically active. 194 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:10,199 Speaker 2: When I was interviewing my aunt Grace, which is one 195 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,240 Speaker 2: of Isabel's children, she was telling me that her mother 196 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: and her family they were revolutionaries back in Puerto Rico. 197 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,599 Speaker 1: Isabel had an uncle named Domingo co YAsO, who was 198 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: a well connected journalist in New York in the eighteen nineties. 199 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 1: Domingo had been part of a group of Puerto Ricans 200 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: based in the city who were supporting the cause of 201 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: independence from Spain. He was around when the Puerto Rican 202 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: flag was being designed in New York City. He had 203 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: tentatively embraced the US invasion, but US policy towards Puerto 204 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 1: Rico had disappointed him. So when Isabel arrived at Ellis 205 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: Island and was rejected, Domingo stepped into help. He reached 206 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 1: out to lawyers to appeal her removal right away, and 207 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 1: she was allowed to enter the US on parole and 208 00:11:58,200 --> 00:12:01,440 Speaker 1: gave birth in his home to ada daughter Ava while 209 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: a federal judge in New York considered her case, and 210 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 1: Isabel did end up marrying that mystery fiance that her 211 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: aunt and uncle had set her up with. That meant 212 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,680 Speaker 1: that she was no longer at risk of being a 213 00:12:16,679 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: public ward. So case closed, right, But she kept the 214 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: marriage secret so the case could continue. Why Because it 215 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: was no longer just her case. It was a case 216 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: that had the power to affect all Puerto Ricans. 217 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: It would have been easy for her, like imagine you 218 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 2: just had a baby, Like I'm done with this, Like 219 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 2: I have a way out. She didn't choose that way out. 220 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,960 Speaker 1: Weeks went by Domingo the uncle. He was sending updates 221 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: on the case to eager newspaper readers back in Puerto Rico. 222 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: He didn't sound very optimistic the Americans, he wrote, quierreng 223 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 1: la richas bajos. They want the cage, but they reject 224 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: the birds. Then the news came out. 225 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 4: Puerto Ricans are not American citizens entitled to land in 226 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 4: the United States without interference from the immigration authorities, According 227 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,079 Speaker 4: to a decision handed down in the United States Circuit 228 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 4: Court yesterday in the case of Isabella Gonzalez The New 229 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,319 Speaker 4: York Times October eighth, nineteen o. 230 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: Two, a court had ruled Puerto Ricans were not American citizens. 231 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: Isabel and her uncle Domingo wasted no time. They did 232 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: the thing you do when you really want to change 233 00:13:40,040 --> 00:13:43,600 Speaker 1: how the law is applied. They appealed to the Supreme Court. 234 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 1: Isabel had provoked a huge question that went even beyond 235 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 1: immigration when newspapers were following closely. 236 00:13:52,160 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 4: Are Puerto Ricans aliens? The Brooklyn Eagle, twenty first of 237 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 4: August nineteen o two, and it. 238 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:03,680 Speaker 1: Was spelled that way Porto instead of Porto because the 239 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: US military had renamed the island after the invasion. 240 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,319 Speaker 4: The question has come up over the deportation of a 241 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 4: widow name Isabel J. 242 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: Gonzalez in the Court of Public opinion. It helped a 243 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: lot that Isael was a widow. It was seen as 244 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: more respectable than being an unmarried woman. Other Puerto Ricans 245 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 1: had been deported before, but she had a sympathetic story 246 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: to tell and a family with connections to anchor her. 247 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 5: You're fighting colonialism, but at the same time it's patriarchy 248 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 5: because this case wouldn't happen if she was a man. 249 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 1: Jessica Mendez Kolberg is an attorney in Puerto Rico who 250 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:44,040 Speaker 1: knows the case well. 251 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 5: If she was a man traveling alone, unmarried to the 252 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 5: United States, she probably wouldn't have a problem. Actually, her 253 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 5: fiance didn't have a problem because we didn't see a 254 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 5: case with his name. 255 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: Even the officials who had blocked her entry were anxious 256 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: to get Anta. Sir Williams, who was in charge at 257 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: Ellis Island, told the press the decision would affect quote 258 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: all immigrants who come here from the insular possessions of 259 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: the United States. In nineteen oh two, the US had 260 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: lots of colonies Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Hawaii, Guam, which 261 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: were referred to as the insular territories, and it wasn't 262 00:15:23,320 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: clear how the US Constitution applied in these faraway parts 263 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: of the US Empire, because for the most part, the 264 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 1: government didn't want it to. The US government had recently 265 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: been using the confusing term non citizen national when referring 266 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 1: to Puerto Ricans. What did it mean to be a 267 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: national who wasn't a US citizen? What kind of rights 268 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: did that person have? Other times they'd use Puerto Rican citizen? 269 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,560 Speaker 1: What does it mean to be a citizen of a 270 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: non sovereign territory? Just the year before, the Supreme Court 271 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: had ruled in a case involving tariffs on oranges imported 272 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: from Puerto Rico. It was called Bidwell v. Downs, But 273 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: it wasn't really about fruit. It was about what was 274 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 1: considered foreign. The justices decided that because the territories were 275 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: inhabited by quote alien races, they weren't ready to be 276 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:23,320 Speaker 1: part of the US. Specifically, they weren't civilized enough, so 277 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: quote the administration of government and justice, according to Anglo 278 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: Saxon principles, may for a time be impossible. 279 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 7: These territories are not part of they belong to the 280 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 7: United States, and because they are different, they speak a 281 00:16:38,880 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 7: different language, have different customs, religions, and ways of life, then. 282 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 5: The Constitution cannot apply in its full extent to them collectively. 283 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: The court decisions about the US territories from around this 284 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 1: time are known as the Insular Cases, and today they're 285 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: widely recognized as being racist. 286 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 5: It's very frustrating and infuriating to literally see those words 287 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 5: in Supreme Court cases where they refer to your people, 288 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 5: Puerto Ricans as savagists on civilized alien races that are 289 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 5: not worthy of the Constitution being applied in its whole 290 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 5: extent to them because of the color of their skin. 291 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:35,159 Speaker 1: Basically, the question was essentially, what would it mean if 292 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: these uncivilized people could participate in something as sacred as 293 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: US democracy. 294 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,399 Speaker 2: There were conversations starting out in Ellis. 295 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:45,280 Speaker 1: Island, Belinda. 296 00:17:45,320 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 2: Again they mentioned skin color and the brownness of people 297 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 2: and savages, you know, amongst the Caribbean islands and natives, 298 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:56,679 Speaker 2: and what would that do to the vote if everyone 299 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 2: were allowed to come in and vote, and could they 300 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 2: be caped bull of that and what would that do 301 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 2: to this country? 302 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: Oh Isabel got a new lawyer to represent her to 303 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,320 Speaker 1: the Supreme Court, the same one who had challenged the 304 00:18:12,359 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: government in the other Insular case. Involving the oranges, and 305 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:21,720 Speaker 1: she had more help. Puerto Rico didn't have and still 306 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:25,199 Speaker 1: doesn't have a vote in Congress, but the position of 307 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: Resident Commissioner, the non voting representative in Washington, had just 308 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,919 Speaker 1: been created in nineteen hundred, and the very first person 309 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:37,240 Speaker 1: to be elected to that position was someone who would 310 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: come to be an important ally for Isabel Fedico de 311 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:48,080 Speaker 1: Hitto Nocinalel Niebel Los Angeles Baskez is a professor at 312 00:18:48,119 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 1: the University of Puerto Rico, and she's fascinated by this 313 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: largely unknown figure. Fadirico de Hittou was a lawyer. He 314 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,640 Speaker 1: spoke multiple languages and had lived in Europe. He admired 315 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: the US Constitution and the Republican system of. 316 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 8: Government Feri goo ahto elmbre. 317 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 1: Sta. Federico was a man of law and democracy, but 318 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: he also consulted with a medium in Old San Juan 319 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 1: who would help him connect with spirits. Sometimes these spirits 320 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: were historical figures who would give him advice about the future. 321 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 1: He kept a meticulous diary, and Nieve has found that 322 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: the predictions he got were uncannily accurate. Like a year 323 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 1: before Faedarico was elected as Resident Commissioner. The spirits were 324 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: telling him to study up on his English because he 325 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: was going to Washington. 326 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 8: Washington Lediario. 327 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: At first, people didn't have very high hopes for him. 328 00:19:55,960 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: The position was brand new. Federico was supposed to represent 329 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 1: Puerto Ricans, but he didn't have the right to a seat, 330 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: or the right to debate or speak from the floor, 331 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:18,400 Speaker 1: and of course he couldn't vote on anything. It was absurd. 332 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:24,840 Speaker 1: One newspaper proclaimed that if Federico even managed to get 333 00:20:24,880 --> 00:20:29,040 Speaker 1: past the lobby at the Capitol, he would be exceeding expectations. 334 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:35,639 Speaker 1: But he was exceedingly handsome and extremely charming, and very tall, 335 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:37,680 Speaker 1: and crucially he. 336 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 8: Was white, Sino blanco altoliment loi. 337 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: Federico's beard was lush and well groomed. He had a 338 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:58,080 Speaker 1: high forehead, and in photos he often looked straight at 339 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 1: the camera. There's one that could be un tinder where 340 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:04,040 Speaker 1: his arms are folded in front of him, as though 341 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: he's talking to you across a bar. His head is 342 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,639 Speaker 1: cocked to one side, he's raising an eyebrow, and I 343 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: believe these days we'd call it a thirst trap. American 344 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: newspapers described him as among quote the finest looking men 345 00:21:20,200 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: in Washington and referred to his splendid physique. Nieh says 346 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:27,879 Speaker 1: this was not normal. 347 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:34,639 Speaker 8: Wander et, no normal gionoviso e per. 348 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 2: Kelia. 349 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: And remember the idea that people in these Washington circles 350 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:45,400 Speaker 1: had of Puerto Ricans and Filipinos and Hawaiians was essentially 351 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: that we were savages. Cartoons portrayed brown children who needed 352 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: to be educated by Uncle Sam. And here was Feedrico 353 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 1: de Hito, with his oiled beards, striding around in well 354 00:21:57,000 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 1: tailored suits, talking about how much Puerto Ricans knew about democracy, 355 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 1: corresponding with anyone and everyone and winning them over. That's 356 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: how he got the rules changed so that he'd be 357 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: able to not only enter the lobby of Congress, but 358 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: to speak from the floor. Those are still the extent 359 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 1: of the powers of the Resident Commissioner. 360 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 2: Today, do a vieta more. 361 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 8: Fer colojo. 362 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 1: Obviously, he was also a product of his privilege. Nieve 363 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: has looked into how he responded to Puerto Ricans who 364 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 1: were being abused at sugar plantations in Hawaii. When the 365 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,640 Speaker 1: plantation owners said there was nothing to see here, said 366 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: that Eco basically bought their lie and moved on his 367 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:48,159 Speaker 1: main focus in Washington was establishing that Puerto Ricans were 368 00:22:48,240 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: citizens worthy of admission to the Union, to be part 369 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,680 Speaker 1: of that great American experiment in democracy that at that 370 00:22:55,800 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 1: time at least was so inspiring to him. So oh 371 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:04,640 Speaker 1: Nie says, he started to do stunts, like he applied 372 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 1: to be admitted to the Supreme Court bar to be 373 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 1: able to bring and argue cases. It was a position 374 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: open only to citizens. If they accepted him, then it 375 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,960 Speaker 1: would follow that Puerto Ricans were US citizens. 376 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 8: Iparaso presa dolmonoma. 377 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: When he's accepted, it's a shock, but they draw the 378 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,360 Speaker 1: line at just him, over and over again. The government 379 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:34,640 Speaker 1: would recognize Federico, but only him. So when he heard 380 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: about the case of Isabel Gonzalez, he saw an opportunity. 381 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 8: Loo Gleaman test case Callesia parayearo supremo. 382 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 1: A test case. Here was a fellow Boriqua who was 383 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: willing to go all the way to the highest court 384 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: to push the US government into giving a different answer 385 00:23:53,400 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 1: on citizenship. Coming up, Federico and Isabel joined forces. This 386 00:24:02,040 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 1: is labrega. Hey we're back. 387 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:29,560 Speaker 2: Well this is so pertinent now right, I mean, and 388 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 2: it always has been like it seems like every presidential 389 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 2: race there's something coming up about immigrants, and you know, 390 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:39,960 Speaker 2: who is worthy and who was not is what it 391 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 2: amounts to in my opinion, And that's. 392 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: Really the question that she was facing, right, who's worthy 393 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 1: and who isn't worthy? 394 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 2: That's exactly what she was facing. 395 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, Belinda has a photograph of Isabel from around this time. 396 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: There were several copies made. Some have speculated that it 397 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,240 Speaker 1: was commissioned by lawyer to show how worthy this Puerto 398 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:06,719 Speaker 1: Rican plaintiff was. Isabel looks white. She has her light 399 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: brown hair up, it's almost reddish. She's wearing a white 400 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: blouse with a high collar up to her chin, and 401 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:13,440 Speaker 1: white gloves. 402 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 2: Very prim and proper looking, I would say. And just 403 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 2: the way she's standing with that straight spine. She's got 404 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:26,359 Speaker 2: her hands on a chair, but like her back is 405 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 2: almost arched, and she's got her lips almost pursed. It's 406 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,640 Speaker 2: almost like with a firmness of character. 407 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: Isabel and Federico were representing Puerto Ricans using their own 408 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: personal stories for wider gain, but their writing shows that 409 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: they came at the issue of belonging in very different ways. 410 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:52,240 Speaker 1: He charmed people, She demanded he spoke of his love 411 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: of the US. She spoke of her inherent rights. 412 00:25:56,520 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 2: There's evidence of her definitely showing her will like she 413 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 2: was not someone to do platitudes. She wasn't connect cater 414 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 2: to you. 415 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: Isabel and her uncle Domingo published scathing letters to the 416 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,359 Speaker 1: editor in major newspapers. The New York Times published a 417 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 1: series of letters under Isabel's name in nineteen oh five. 418 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:26,160 Speaker 9: If the citizens of Puerto Rico, as they are unintelligibly 419 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 9: called in the Foraker law, which is enforced in the island, 420 00:26:29,280 --> 00:26:33,080 Speaker 9: Puerto Rico's organic laws are clogged with different states codes 421 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 9: imposed on her by the American rulers who have carried 422 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 9: to the island the system of laws the country wants 423 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 9: its own. We're not going to ask that liberties and 424 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:48,199 Speaker 9: franchises be taken away from or granted to Kentucky or Oklahoma. 425 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 9: We're going to ask that our own be given back 426 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,640 Speaker 9: to us, those that we exercised. When General Miles went 427 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,680 Speaker 9: to Puerto Rico to save us and proclaimed to the 428 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 9: White Wings his liberating speech, which turn out later to 429 00:27:01,240 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 9: be nothing but bitter mockery and waste. 430 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 1: Paper, Federico de Hueto was no less passionate. A friend 431 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 1: would later write, no pensaveel in otracosa. He thought of 432 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: nothing else but Isabel's case. Federico had so much admiration 433 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,520 Speaker 1: for the Constitution and for the US. He had written 434 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:26,399 Speaker 1: as much in a letter to President Theodore Roosevelt, and 435 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 1: the President had written back, calling Puerto Ricans his fellow 436 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: Americans to support Isabel. Federico submitted a brief to the 437 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: Supreme Court spelling out the flaws in the government's case. 438 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 4: I maintain that no port of the territory of Puerto 439 00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 4: Rico can be considered as a foreign port for the 440 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 4: purposes of the immigration laws, and that even if the 441 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 4: petitioner were an alien, which I deny, the provisions of 442 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 4: the immigration laws should not apply to her. 443 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 1: Across forty two pages, the hitdeau ran circles around the 444 00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: US argument. He leaned on law and logic and educated 445 00:28:10,600 --> 00:28:13,879 Speaker 1: them on Puerto Rico's past relationship with Spain and the 446 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: US invasion itself. He also unfortunately described Puerto Rico's position 447 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: as being separate from that of the other colonies, saying 448 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: they didn't necessarily qualify for citizenship if Puerto Rico did. 449 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 4: In the case of Puerto Rico. They all required from 450 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:36,720 Speaker 4: the inhabitants during the military government was a plane renunciation 451 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 4: of all foreign allegiance and an explicit acceptance of the 452 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 4: duties of American citizenship. 453 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 1: And of course he praised US democracy, calling it our government, 454 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: and used himself as an example. Again, if I were. 455 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 4: An alien, I could not have attained the highest honor 456 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 4: in my professional career, that of taking, as a member 457 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 4: of the bar of this honorable court, the oath to 458 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 4: maintain the Constitution of the United States. 459 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 1: The justices would later call his brief excellent. In January 460 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: nineteen oh four, the decision came down. The justices narrowed 461 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:31,040 Speaker 1: the question to whether Isabel was a foreigner and decided no, 462 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 1: she was not. Newspapers reported it as a win for 463 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico. 464 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 4: Puerto Ricans, not aliens, No so most extant heroes, some 465 00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 4: one news January sixth, nineteen oh four. 466 00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: But the justices punted on the issue of citizenship and 467 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:55,960 Speaker 1: really didn't touch it at all. Domingok YAsO, Isabel's uncle, 468 00:29:56,520 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: was quoted saying the decision was to not decide. The 469 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: case has become one of the infamous Insular cases for Federico. 470 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 1: It was another gut punch. The justices had complemented his 471 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: legal mind, but it was clear they didn't really follow 472 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:17,239 Speaker 1: his logic. Eventually, the Espididistas would tell him that there 473 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 1: was nothing else for him to do in Washington, to 474 00:30:20,200 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: pack up his bags. 475 00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:26,520 Speaker 8: Ferdigo Naga said Puerto Ricoto Royal Pirito Kuro. 476 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: That Puerto Rico was surrounded by dark spirits. Federico lived 477 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: out the rest of his life in Ibonito with his wife. 478 00:30:39,800 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: He wouldn't live to see the US extend citizenship to 479 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: Puerto Ricans in nineteen seventeen. When he died just three 480 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: years earlier. He donated land, books and art to the 481 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: public and was buried very humbly in a cemetery that's 482 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 1: now falling apart. Nieve has been trying to get his 483 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 1: remains moved to a more fitting spot, without success. We 484 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 1: know that Federico and Isabel's paths crossed at least one 485 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: more time after the Caseta. There's a fragment of a 486 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: letter from Isabel to Federico from April nineteen oh four. 487 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:29,200 Speaker 1: It's written in neat, looping cursive. Nieva shared it with us. 488 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,320 Speaker 1: It begins distinguished compatriot. 489 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 8: The ting compatriota camps. 490 00:31:37,600 --> 00:31:41,200 Speaker 1: That word compatriota is a word associated with. 491 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 8: Revolutionaries lake Al Contarcelo and Tayado no. 492 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:52,480 Speaker 9: So. 493 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:57,560 Speaker 1: But she's asking him for help with something. Frustratingly, the 494 00:31:57,680 --> 00:31:59,800 Speaker 1: fragment cuts off the part that says what it was. 495 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 1: She sounds formal but warm. 496 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:09,480 Speaker 8: Kelo athink tisi momente supaisana keller repera. Isabel Gonzalez he 497 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 8: studying Island Noa, York. 498 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: She signs the letter as his countrywoman who respects him. 499 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: A few years after the Supreme Court decision, Isabel divorced 500 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: the man she had married in New York, and then 501 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:33,120 Speaker 1: later she married Belinda's great grandfather. They had three more 502 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: kids who had their own children, and so on and 503 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 1: so on and in the family. The sense is that 504 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: Isabel's legal challenge was successful. 505 00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 2: Her husband, which is my great grandfather, Wan Francisco Taurus, 506 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,000 Speaker 2: he was always saying, just look at my wife. She 507 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,720 Speaker 2: you know, she changed the laws. She fought against the 508 00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,240 Speaker 2: US government US immigration at once. 509 00:32:57,280 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 1: If Federico was heartbroken by the non decision decision on citizenship, 510 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 1: Isabel seemed motivated by it. That's when she started writing 511 00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 1: those letters to The New York Times. There's some doubt. Nieve, 512 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: for example, thinks it was Domingo who wrote them, using 513 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:19,560 Speaker 1: Isabel's name and celebrity to get published. But the Isabel 514 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: that Belinda has gotten to know would probably have written 515 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:23,480 Speaker 1: them herself. 516 00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 2: I am choosing to see it in this way. Whether 517 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: it ends up being right or not, it would be 518 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:32,600 Speaker 2: nice to know that. But in the end, I have 519 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 2: enough of a constellation of evidence, right, And what is it. 520 00:33:36,320 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: That you are doing with your interpretation? How does it 521 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:41,000 Speaker 1: fuel you in what direction? 522 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 2: Well? I mean it totally inspires me. Like when I 523 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 2: feel down, I just have to think about her. Like 524 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:48,760 Speaker 2: she was eight and a half months pregnant on a boat, 525 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 2: has no idea what's going to happen. She could have 526 00:33:51,600 --> 00:33:55,080 Speaker 2: just turned around, she had the chance. It would have 527 00:33:55,160 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 2: been paid for. 528 00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:57,520 Speaker 1: You're just going back. 529 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 2: It would have been so easy. But she opened the 530 00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 2: other door, the door of unknowing, and she walked through that. 531 00:34:04,640 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 2: And so if she can do that, and I am 532 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,879 Speaker 2: like a grown grown ass woman, you know, or whatever, 533 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:15,080 Speaker 2: grown ass adults. My woes are petty in comparison, just petty. 534 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 2: So it's nice to have that kind of a boost 535 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:20,719 Speaker 2: as she walks in parallel with me. 536 00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:28,560 Speaker 1: A lot hasn't changed in the century since Isabel's court case. 537 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 1: Puerto Ricans are US citizens, but American Samoans are not. 538 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:36,719 Speaker 1: There's no right to vote in federal elections, there's no 539 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 1: vote in Congress. Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico are 540 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 1: denied benefits that people in the States get to this 541 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:48,399 Speaker 1: day because of the insular cases. But a few years ago, 542 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,880 Speaker 1: another Puerto Rican woman walked through the door of unknowing 543 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 1: and challenged the US government too well. 544 00:34:55,280 --> 00:35:00,040 Speaker 5: Mira Equerta rit Principia. 545 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 1: Jessica Mendez Colberg, the attorney from earlier in the episode, 546 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 1: asked the Supreme Court to overturn those racist insular cases. 547 00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:11,400 Speaker 1: She also knew that she was fighting an uphill battle, 548 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:15,840 Speaker 1: but doing it on principle. Jessica went to Washington, d C. 549 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: In twenty nineteen. 550 00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 10: Well here argument today in Case eighteen thirteen thirty four, 551 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:25,360 Speaker 10: the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico versus 552 00:35:25,560 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 10: Aurelia's Investment and the consolidated cases. 553 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:32,399 Speaker 1: It was a complicated case involving the Financial Oversight Board, 554 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:36,560 Speaker 1: which controls Puerto Rico's finances, but it's the insular cases 555 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:40,320 Speaker 1: that makes the imposition of the board possible, and Jessica 556 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 1: was asking for the first time in the Court's history, 557 00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 1: for the justices to overturn them. Jessica was working for 558 00:35:47,160 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 1: a small firm from Bonce, representing a public sector union. 559 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:55,040 Speaker 5: This court is used to having in front of them 560 00:35:55,640 --> 00:35:58,880 Speaker 5: a white man of old age with a lot of 561 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:02,799 Speaker 5: experience before war them. We wanted the court to see 562 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,200 Speaker 5: somebody different in front of them. 563 00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: The other advocates there had argued before the Supreme Court 564 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:14,080 Speaker 1: some sixty times. It was Jessica's first time and she 565 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:17,680 Speaker 1: was thirty three years old. I recognized that the Supreme 566 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:23,279 Speaker 1: Court has centuries of history of racist decisions, that we 567 00:36:23,680 --> 00:36:27,160 Speaker 1: need not respect it more than actually necessary. And yet 568 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:29,360 Speaker 1: I also want to ask you, like, how do you 569 00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 1: feel going into that space. 570 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,799 Speaker 5: Well, I never thought of them still to this day, 571 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 5: as they are gods to me. They are people, and 572 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:46,600 Speaker 5: I wanted to put them at my samee level so 573 00:36:46,960 --> 00:36:51,439 Speaker 5: that that wouldn't distract me. I also went a few 574 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:54,919 Speaker 5: days before my argument so that I could actually see 575 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:59,240 Speaker 5: them in person, and actually, you see, these are people. 576 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:03,400 Speaker 5: They are not that tall, not that strong. 577 00:37:06,040 --> 00:37:09,239 Speaker 1: Jessica and the other attorneys negotiated over how to split 578 00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 1: up the time, and she ended up with ten minutes 579 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,440 Speaker 1: to argue for overturning the insular cases so that the 580 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:18,800 Speaker 1: US couldn't withhold certain rights and benefits from Puerto Rico. 581 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:22,399 Speaker 11: Miss Mendez, Colbert, mister Chief Justice, and may it police 582 00:37:22,440 --> 00:37:22,799 Speaker 11: the Court. 583 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:26,080 Speaker 5: One of the things that we wanted to say in 584 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 5: those few minutes is that, well, when you look at 585 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:30,720 Speaker 5: this building. 586 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:34,480 Speaker 11: We will see the words equal justice under law. The 587 00:37:34,640 --> 00:37:37,479 Speaker 11: insular cases stretched that tenet into its. 588 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:42,640 Speaker 12: Breaking point, and how they just need to be overruled 589 00:37:42,719 --> 00:37:46,000 Speaker 12: because it's been too long, basically to say it in 590 00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 12: rice and beans, it's been too long. 591 00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:53,920 Speaker 5: That brought a very interesting dynamic with the Chief Justice. 592 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:57,480 Speaker 10: Roberts and of the other parties rely on the insular 593 00:37:57,560 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 10: cases in any way, So it would be very unusual 594 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:02,879 Speaker 10: for us to address them in this case, wouldn't. 595 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:07,600 Speaker 5: It, because as they always try to do, they don't 596 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:09,480 Speaker 5: want to address the issue directly. 597 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 2: Well, yea Honor. 598 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:13,480 Speaker 11: They relied on the answer cases since the beginning of 599 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:14,120 Speaker 11: the proceedings. 600 00:38:14,719 --> 00:38:17,080 Speaker 1: And not only that, but the Court had just recently 601 00:38:17,200 --> 00:38:22,880 Speaker 1: repudiated another racist decision, the Kooramatsu case, which justified imprisoning 602 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:25,000 Speaker 1: Japanese Americans in World War Two. 603 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:28,520 Speaker 11: The Court said that the case had nothing to do 604 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:31,040 Speaker 11: with the Trumpers of Hawaii case, but still it was 605 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:34,640 Speaker 11: a morally repugnant doctrine that was purely on the basis 606 00:38:34,760 --> 00:38:38,120 Speaker 11: considering the basis of race, and therefore it was overruled. 607 00:38:38,480 --> 00:38:41,120 Speaker 5: So I told him, now here is the same that 608 00:38:41,239 --> 00:38:44,560 Speaker 5: answiary cases are morally repugnant and they need to be 609 00:38:44,719 --> 00:38:48,239 Speaker 5: overruled now. And after that, no more questions from him. 610 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:59,320 Speaker 1: Jessica got questions from Justices Kavanaugh, Ginsburg, and Bryer, and 611 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:02,080 Speaker 1: then she was done. Were you optimistic? 612 00:39:02,680 --> 00:39:05,799 Speaker 5: We want it to be, but we know the court 613 00:39:05,880 --> 00:39:06,320 Speaker 5: that we're in. 614 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,600 Speaker 1: You know, they did not win. There have been other 615 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 1: challenges to the insular cases, but the justices haven't taken 616 00:39:14,960 --> 00:39:18,839 Speaker 1: it upon themselves to reverse them, although Justice Gorsuch called 617 00:39:18,880 --> 00:39:26,800 Speaker 1: them shameful. Still, Jessica sees her effort at the Supreme 618 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:30,360 Speaker 1: Court as another link in a chain that includes Isabel. 619 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:36,720 Speaker 5: I do see the parallels of that case. It's something 620 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 5: that tells you the fight is still ongoing. You know, 621 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:41,640 Speaker 5: it's not over. 622 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:49,520 Speaker 1: Jessica only had ten minutes and she used them all 623 00:39:50,400 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 1: Federico and Isabel were limited in where and how they 624 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:56,760 Speaker 1: could speak that they made their case anyway, using whatever 625 00:39:56,920 --> 00:40:01,680 Speaker 1: privileges they had. Connections looks right, Busness. The problem is 626 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:05,680 Speaker 1: it often doesn't matter, even one hundred years apart. They 627 00:40:05,719 --> 00:40:08,800 Speaker 1: could all rely on being able to speak for Puerto Rico, 628 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:33,440 Speaker 1: but not necessarily on being heard. This episode was reported 629 00:40:33,520 --> 00:40:36,960 Speaker 1: and written by me Alana Casanova Burgess. It was produced 630 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:41,600 Speaker 1: by Eequiel Rodrigue Sandino, with editing by Maria Garcia, Laura Perez, 631 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:46,480 Speaker 1: and Marlon Bishop. Our senior producer is Nicole Rothwell. Original 632 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:50,319 Speaker 1: art for this episode is by Elizabeth Barreto. Special things 633 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,680 Speaker 1: this week to Sam Erman, the author of Almost Citizens, 634 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:57,759 Speaker 1: Puerto Rico, The US Constitution and Empire, which was a 635 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:01,359 Speaker 1: helpful resource when reporting this episode. And thank you also 636 00:41:01,480 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 1: to Cristina Dafi, Bonzacraus, Belinda Dorre, Mari miebel Los, angele 637 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:10,399 Speaker 1: Jaquez and Rebecca Uara. Thank you also to Mario RoCE 638 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:13,480 Speaker 1: and Lara Perez for their voice over work. And thank 639 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:17,000 Speaker 1: you to Sara Cruz Castro and Janda Aponte from Rado 640 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:21,000 Speaker 1: MI Versidrad for providing studio space for this episode's interviews. 641 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:25,880 Speaker 1: The La Brega team includes Nicole Rothwell Esquila Rodrigue, Sandino, 642 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:31,560 Speaker 1: Lara Perez, Lilliana Ruis, Roxana Aguire, Maria Garcia and Marlon Bishop. 643 00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,840 Speaker 1: Our production managers are Jessica Ellis and Victoria Estrada with 644 00:41:35,960 --> 00:41:39,800 Speaker 1: support from Francis Poon and Our marketing team includes Annelo 645 00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:43,160 Speaker 1: Reyes and Luis Luna, with support from Paloma Perez and 646 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 1: Jackie Hill. Fact checking this season is by Laura Marcoso 647 00:41:47,120 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 1: and Tatiana Dias Ramos. Sound designed by Jacob Rozarti, mixing 648 00:41:51,560 --> 00:41:55,880 Speaker 1: by Stephanie Lobau, Julia Caruso, Jacob Brizzari and jj Carrubin. 649 00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:59,959 Speaker 1: Scoring and musical curation by Jacob Brazzari and Stephanie Lobo. 650 00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:03,320 Speaker 1: Hello Oh. Our theme song is by Ife. Original music 651 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:06,880 Speaker 1: is by Balloon. Our executive producers are Marlon Bishop and 652 00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:11,200 Speaker 1: Maria Garcia and me Alanna Casanova Burgess. Legal review by 653 00:42:11,280 --> 00:42:15,400 Speaker 1: Projorn and clearance council by Fisher Legal Arts Jonathan Fisher. 654 00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:19,920 Speaker 1: Futuro Media was founded by Maria Inojosa. Labrega is a 655 00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,919 Speaker 1: production of Futluto Studios. This season of Labrega was made 656 00:42:24,000 --> 00:42:27,719 Speaker 1: possible by the Mellon Foundation. Check out our website Labrega 657 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:31,040 Speaker 1: Podcast dot org for transcripts and more information about this 658 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:34,760 Speaker 1: episode and if you want access to the entire season 659 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,680 Speaker 1: right now. Add free sign up to support us as 660 00:42:37,719 --> 00:42:41,719 Speaker 1: a Futluto Plus member at Fututomediagroup dot org, slash join 661 00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:44,120 Speaker 1: plus talk to you soon, Bye. 662 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:51,359 Speaker 13: Latino USA is supported by the Mellon Foundation. Melon makes 663 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:55,400 Speaker 13: grants to support the visionaries and communities that unlock the 664 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:59,040 Speaker 13: power of the arts and humanities. To help connect us 665 00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:03,840 Speaker 13: all at Mellon dot org, The John D. 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