Documentary series on demographic changes in Puerto Rico premieres
During the decade from 2010 to 2019, Puerto Rico lost 14% of its population. What forced Puerto Ricans to emigrate? On July 26, the first part of the “Beyond the Census: The Demographic Crisis of Puerto Rico,” premiered on the YouTube platform.
The documentary series presents the factors associated with the emigration of Puerto Ricans to the United States and their effects intertwined with the stories of people who had to leave Puerto Rico for different reasons.
The documentary series, created by the marriage composed of demographer Raúl Figueroa-Rodríguez and epidemiologist Idania Rodríguez Ayuso, presents the issue in a structured way that helps people understand the reasons, consequences and future impacts of demographic changes in Puerto Rico.
Both professionals have a long history in the field of research in the areas of demography and public health. Their voices are joined by the opinions of experts in various professional fields who discuss the migration phenomenon.
This serial documentary delves into a topic that has affected thousands of families in Puerto Rico and has had economic impacts and social consequences for all Puerto Ricans.
Through testimonies of those who have had to leave Puerto Rico and long for their return to the island, this documentary tells not only the stories of those who have been forced to emigrate, but also presents the opinion of subject matter experts in the field of demography, economy and other professional skills.
Economists Jose Caraballo-Cueto, Rosario Rivera and Carlos Soto-Santoni join the voices of demographers Judith Rodríguez and Alexis Santos and attorney and analyst, Josue (Jay) Fonseca to offer their perspective and recommendations to address the problem of emigration and its impact on the future of Puerto Rico.
“It is important to discuss the issue of demographic changes and how these affect Puerto Ricans living in Puerto Rico and those in the United States. In this first part we focus on emigration, but in the coming months we will present the issues of the decrease in births and aging of the population, ” said Figueroa-Rodríguez.
The project had the support of Ultimate Solutions, a native company focused on social responsibility, and other Puerto Ricans who supported the couple’s initiative.
The first part of the docuseries is accessible free on the Raul Figueroa Vlog YouTube channel. In this space, Figueroa-Rodriguez has dedicated to educating on different aspects of demography and public health, among other issues.
In the past months, he has had professional resources that have provided a wealth of information on the subject of COVID-19 in all its aspects and its impact on individuals, families and society in general.
“The experience of moving from the country of origin leaves traces not only for those who leave, but also for their family and friends.This documentary allows us to learn about some of these stories and put the experiences of these people in perspective so that they can not only listen their voices, but also develop a deep understanding of the subject,” added Rodríguez-Ayuso, who has nearly two decades of experience as a project manager and consultant for the private sector and the government in the area of epidemiology.
More episodes will be aired in the coming weeks and months.
