Colonial Shadows: Exploring Coloniality of Being Among Puerto Rican Immigrants in the United States

Coloniality, or the enduring legacy of domination and White supremacy stemming from colonization, manifests across power dynamics, knowledge systems, and personal identity. This study investigated the coloniality of being of 12 Puerto Rican adults living in the United States. We explored their perceptions of the self, other Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican cultural patterns, and self-aspirations. Using consensual qualitative research, six domains emerged from the data, including (a) self-identity, (b) Puerto Rican pride, (c) other Puerto Ricans, (d) Puerto Rican dependency, (e) Puerto Ricans and work, and (f) reasons for migrating or staying in Puerto Rico. Results portrayed colonial power dynamics’ profound and complicated mark on different aspects of the participants’ individual and collective selves. Participants’ language and narratives also conveyed ruptures between participants and other Puerto Ricans. Findings from our study help expand our understanding of Puerto Ricans’ lived experiences of colonization, a group that still experiences the occupation and domination of its land and people. Our article also discusses the clinical and theoretical implications of this work, particularly as it pertains to Puerto Rican identity formation.