Identity among Puerto Ricans of the diaspora on the U.S. mainland is fluid, fragmented, multifocal, and nuanced. We explore Puerto Rican identity through the use of poetry, by presenting I-poems of adult Puerto Ricans living in the Greater Boston area, which we extract from qualitative interviews from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study. I-poems are presented in conjunction with published poetry of Puerto Rican poets, with the aim of underscoring resonating sentiments and experiences. Poetry allows us to bring voice to the ambiguity of transnational and diasporic identity that is not as accessible and perceptible through other methodology.
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