While “most Island residents do not imagine Puerto Ricans living abroad as part of their community,” U.S. Puerto Ricans “continue to claim inclusion in a broader view of nation.”*** Being Puerto Rican is no longer a matter of living here or there, in Puerto Rico or in the U.S., nor is it tied to speaking Spanish. Most US Puerto Ricans continue to identify as Puerto Ricans even while seeing themselves as different from Island-born Puerto Ricans and also from North Americans.

Within U.S. borders, Puerto Ricans face specific economic and social realities. Although Puerto Ricans have made significant strides, the 2000 census shows that Puerto Rican families still have among the highest poverty rates. Addressing intergenerational poverty and closing the existing economic gap with the U.S. population pose ongoing challenges.