Harvest of Empire

The history of Latino immigration to the U.S. is at once a political can of worms and a rich cultural tapestry. The links between immigration and U.S. policies in Latin America are documented, and as Latino numbers grow, their effect on American culture and domestic policy is no longer confined to border towns. Salsa now outsells ketchup, and bilingual education and citizenship issues are currently hot political topics. Juan González gives us a lesson on U.S.-Puerto Rican relations and details some of his experiences as a young immigrant from Puerto Rico.

Interview by David Barsamian.