The concept for my project was inspired by a profound understanding of the Puerto Rican diaspora to which I belong. Immersed in large communities of diasporic Puerto Ricans, I’ve observed recurring themes and elements within our shared experiences, including a common desire to return to the island. The articles on mapping and archival techniques influenced how I envisioned my project, opening up possibilities for what could be achieved through this process. It will be exciting to start this project in the future and see what new digital tools come along in the process.

My project sets out to create an interactive map to trace the Puerto Rican diaspora’s movement to the US mainland, inspired by the participatory nature of “queeringthemap.com.” The idea is to let people pin their family’s origins, encouraging widespread participation through partnerships with Puerto Rican communities and events. The aim is to make the map a public tool for sharing data and showcasing the diaspora’s diverse roots across the US. It’s a digital humanities effort that combines public engagement with scholarly pursuits, offering a new lens on the diasporic narrative by analyzing Puerto Ricans’ collective memories and experiences. By providing a platform where individuals can document their stories, this project helps to fill the gap in understanding and visualizing the Puerto Rican migration story, linking academic research with the lived experiences of a vibrant culture. This work complements existing resources like https://puertoricosyllabus.com/, placing Puerto Rican studies within the digital humanities framework.