I've begun to think a lot about my heritage as a Puerto Rican in the United States. It's a piece of me that I can never shake and have constantly pondered about since my youth. I never thought about it much, but now it's something that I keep in mind about, especially during my work.

Sometime ago, I learned about Ramon Frade's Our Daily Bread, which represented the traditional symbol of a Puerto Rican to the viewer's eye. In his proud gaze and figure, he showed himself strong in the countryside of the island. The jíbaro has since become a symbol of the Puerto Rican people, my people.

After 21 years, I am happy to say this as loud as I can for all to hear:

I am a proud Puerto Rican!