Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association
Encyclopedia
The Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association, Inc. (PRSSA), based in San Juan
, Puerto Rico
, is an American
non-profit
student organization dedicated to promoting statehood
for Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States
. Founded in 1979, the organization has grown to more than 5,000 members and 70 chapters at colleges and universities in over 20 states, the District of Columbia
, and Puerto Rico.
The PRSSA promotes the participation of pro-statehood students in the political process, serves as a pro-statehood student think tank
, leads a grassroots approach to lobby both Houses of the United States Congress
, and develops the future leaders of the statehood movement through informational and internship programs.
, Puerto Rico's current Secretary of State, and then-college student Luis Fortuño
, Puerto Rico's current Governor
.
The organization was constituted to promote the discussion of Puerto Rico's political status dilemma in mainland United States colleges and universities, promote statehood for America's largest territory and facilitate absentee balloting in the islands' elections for the estimated 15,000 young voting residents of Puerto Rico registered in college campuses throughout the states and Washington, DC.
McClintock served as the association's first president from August 1979 to June 1980, when he graduated from the Tulane University
Law School. McClintock was responsible for establishing the PRSSA throughout stateside colleges and universities during his tenure. PRSSA grew to over 500 members and 35 chapters throughout the United States. McClintock also organized the first PRSSA Convention in the now defunct Cerromar Hotel in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
. The three-day convention featured then-congressman and future Senator Paul Simon
as keynote speaker, as well as then-Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
, statehood patriarch and former Governor Luis A. Ferré
and McClintock's predecessor as Secretary of State, Pedro Vázquez, as speakers.
Fortuño, a Georgetown University
undergrad, succeeded as the second president from 1980 to 1981. He then organized the PRSSA’s absentee voting campaign for the 1980 Puerto Rican general elections. The approximately 1,500 absentee votes garnered by the PRSSA were an important factor in the reelection of Governor Romero Barceló by a 3,000-vote margin.
Among founding PRSSA leaders, Tulane University student Pedro Pierluisi
went on to become Attorney General and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, George Washington University
student José Rodríguez Suárez went on to become Puerto Rico's Under Secretary of State and José Jaime Pierluisi
became Governor Pedro Rosselló
's Economic Advisor prior to his untimely death in 1994. Other PRSSA founding members who have been prominent in later life include Francisco Cimadevilla
, former Editor-in-Chief at Casiano Communications and current advisor to Gov. Fortuño, Ricardo Skerrett, an immigration attorney in Tampa, Florida
and Manuel De Juan, a former Assistant Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company
and current advisor to the Fortuño administration.
in 1996. The organization returned to inactivity after 1997.
student, served as the Association’s fifth president from November 2007 to June 2009. Along with Vice President Velez, Cabrera reestablished chapters nationwide, waged a campaign for young voters in the 2008 Puerto Rican election cycle, launched an educational campaign on statehood throughout Puerto Rico’s universities, and began work on the internet-based José Celso Barbosa Statehood Library.
Raúl Vidal, enrolled at American University
’s Washington College of Law
, began serving as the sixth president on June 2009 and has organized a campaign in support of HR 2499, the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009. He is now an assistant to Puerto Rico's Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, José Ramón Pérez-Riera.
The PRSSA waged a voter registration campaign during the winter of 2007-2008 in preparation for the March 2008 primaries of the New Progressive Party, Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood party. PRSSA helped mobilize thousands of student votes in Puerto Rico and outside Puerto Rico through absentee balloting. The PRSSA’s websites also served as an information center for voters, including electoral status verification tools, voter registration requirements, locations of electoral colleges, and frequently asked questions. On March 9, 2008, the day of the primary, the PRSSA websites provided live results to thousands of people throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and received more than 30,000 visits.
The PRSSA then began an inscription campaign for the November 2008 Puerto Rican general elections during the summer of 2008. On August 11, 2008, the PRSSA held an Absentee Vote Inscription Party in Shannan’s Pub of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, which featured PRSSA founders and NPP candidates Luis Fortuño
and Pedro Pierluisi
. The Association then held an exhibition during the 2008 New Progressive Party Convention in the Condado Plaza Hotel of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This was followed by a PRSSA-led student registration drive in 22 colleges and universities throughout Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission reported in September 2008 that over 200,000 students registered to vote for the first time, a result of the efforts by the PRSSA and other pro-statehood organizations.
On October 8, 2008, PRSSA founder and first president Kenneth McClintock
was the guest speaker during the inauguration ceremony of the PRSSA's University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Chapter, in what constitutes a rare appearance by an New Progressive Party
leader at the campus. Previously, the PRSSA had publicly manifested support for the permanence of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) near campus grounds. The PRSSA and other local campus organizations also opposed new student regulations presented by the campus administration that were deemed undemocratic by students.
On November 4, 2008, former PRSSA president Luis Fortuño
and PRSSA founding member Pedro Pierluisi
were elected Governor
and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
, respectively. On November 11, 2008, Governor-elect Fortuño appointed former PRSSA president Kenneth McClintock
as Secretary of State
of his upcoming administration. On January 2, 2009, Fortuño was sworn in as the ninth elected Governor of Puerto Rico and McClintock was sworn in as the 22nd Secretary of State of Puerto Rico.
Following the election, the PRSSA began lobbying Congress for a self-determination referendum for Puerto Rico.
The PRSSA then held a reception on January 19, 2009, with Puerto Rico State Secretary Kenneth McClintock
and Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz
in Washington, DC. Jeffrey Farrow, former Co-Chair of President Bill Clinton
’s Working Group on Puerto Rico and former Congressman Robert García
of New York also attended the event.The reception provided an opportunity for the young statehooders to begin collaboration with elected officials, professionals, and academics for the purpose of lobbying for a self-determination bill in Congress.
Next the PRSSA began a series of informal discussions on statehood, called “Tertulias Estadistas”, throughout Puerto Rico’s universities. One of these, held on April 1, 2009 at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, featured former New Progressive Party
senator José Garriga Picó as moderator. Another “Tertulia Estadista” held on April 29, 2009 featured Garriga Picó and renowned economist Carlos Colón De Armas. A "tertulia" on H.R. 2499 took place on December 3, 2009 in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
and featured former PRSSA President José Cabrera.
Recently, the PRSSA chapter at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
created a radio program, "La Mirilla Colegial", where PRSSA members discuss statehood, H.R. 2499, and current events.In addition, the chapter at Florida International University
hosted a lecture by Maurice Ferré
on Puerto Rico and its role in the United States.
The PRSSA has been actively promoting The Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009, HR 2499 by directly appealing to the members of Congress through meetings and talks. Raul Vidal, President of the PRSSA, has led and organized this effort, successfully gathering support from different members of Congress and other members of different political sectors.
The PRSSA has also established a lobbying website at HR2499.com. In addition, the organization has been seeking the support of members of Congress, through calls, and emails. The PRSSA also manages the collecting of signatures for the petition in support of the bill at Care2
, and the Facebook
Application HR 2499.
As part of its ongoing lobbying effort in Congress, in May the PRSSA acquired Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman
's support of Congressman Pedro Pierluisi
's 2009 status bill. The PRSSA also submitted a written statement by then PRSSA President Raúl Vidal in support of H.R. 2499 during a House Natural Resources Committee hearing on June 24, 2009.
As of May 2009, the PRSSA's official group on Facebook
, "Statehood for Puerto Rico", has over 6,000 members.
Past National Board Members
Timeline of National Board since 2007 Reactivation
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
student organization dedicated to promoting statehood
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
for Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 1979, the organization has grown to more than 5,000 members and 70 chapters at colleges and universities in over 20 states, the District of Columbia
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and Puerto Rico.
The PRSSA promotes the participation of pro-statehood students in the political process, serves as a pro-statehood student think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
, leads a grassroots approach to lobby both Houses of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, and develops the future leaders of the statehood movement through informational and internship programs.
First generation
PRSSA was founded in August 1979 by then-law student Kenneth McClintockKenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
, Puerto Rico's current Secretary of State, and then-college student Luis Fortuño
Luis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
, Puerto Rico's current Governor
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
.
The organization was constituted to promote the discussion of Puerto Rico's political status dilemma in mainland United States colleges and universities, promote statehood for America's largest territory and facilitate absentee balloting in the islands' elections for the estimated 15,000 young voting residents of Puerto Rico registered in college campuses throughout the states and Washington, DC.
McClintock served as the association's first president from August 1979 to June 1980, when he graduated from the Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
Law School. McClintock was responsible for establishing the PRSSA throughout stateside colleges and universities during his tenure. PRSSA grew to over 500 members and 35 chapters throughout the United States. McClintock also organized the first PRSSA Convention in the now defunct Cerromar Hotel in Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Vega Alta, Puerto Rico
Vega Alta is a municipality of Puerto Rico. Vega Alta is located on the northern coast of the island, north of Morovis and Corozal; east of Vega Baja; and west of Dorado with an area of . Vega Alta is spread over seven wards and Vega Alta Pueblo...
. The three-day convention featured then-congressman and future Senator Paul Simon
Paul Simon (politician)
Paul Martin Simon was an American politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. He was a member of the Democratic Party...
as keynote speaker, as well as then-Governor Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Romero Barceló
Carlos Antonio Romero Barceló is a Puerto Rican politician who served as the fifth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the second governor to be elected from the New Progressive Party and also Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001, making him one of the more successful...
, statehood patriarch and former Governor Luis A. Ferré
Luis A. Ferré
Don Luis Alberto Ferré Aguayo was a Puerto Rican engineer, industrialist, politician, philanthropist, and a patron of the arts. He was the third Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1969 to 1973, and the founding father of the New Progressive Party which advocates for Puerto Rico...
and McClintock's predecessor as Secretary of State, Pedro Vázquez, as speakers.
Fortuño, a Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
undergrad, succeeded as the second president from 1980 to 1981. He then organized the PRSSA’s absentee voting campaign for the 1980 Puerto Rican general elections. The approximately 1,500 absentee votes garnered by the PRSSA were an important factor in the reelection of Governor Romero Barceló by a 3,000-vote margin.
Among founding PRSSA leaders, Tulane University student Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro R. Pierluisi Urrutia is a Puerto Rican lawyer and politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the United States Democratic Party...
went on to become Attorney General and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
student José Rodríguez Suárez went on to become Puerto Rico's Under Secretary of State and José Jaime Pierluisi
José Jaime Pierluisi
José Jaime Pierluisi was an economic adviser to Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Rosselló from 1993 until his death during a carjacking on June 7, 1994.A cum laude graduate of Harvard College and the recipient of an M.B.A...
became Governor Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Rosselló
Pedro Juan Rosselló González, M.D., , is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the sixth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001...
's Economic Advisor prior to his untimely death in 1994. Other PRSSA founding members who have been prominent in later life include Francisco Cimadevilla
Francisco Cimadevilla
Francisco Cimadevilla is a former Vice President and Editor-in-Chief for the Casiano Communications media emporium in Puerto Rico, previously serving at Casiano as Editor of Caribbean Business, the U.S. territory's only weekly business newspaper, from 1999 to 2004...
, former Editor-in-Chief at Casiano Communications and current advisor to Gov. Fortuño, Ricardo Skerrett, an immigration attorney in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
and Manuel De Juan, a former Assistant Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company
Puerto Rico Tourism Company
The Puerto Rico Tourism Company was created during Governor Luis A. Ferré's administration to coordinate the marketing and growth of Puerto Rico's tourism sector...
and current advisor to the Fortuño administration.
Second generation
The PRSSA was dormant from 1981 until 1993, when another group of pro-statehood students led by Oreste R. Ramos, Rogelio Carrasquillo, Roberto Velázquez, Jorge E. Souss, Juan Carlos Galá and Mario Gaztambide reactivated the Association. Former PRSSA president Kenneth McClintock, elected to the Puerto Rico Senate in 1992, helped steer this new incarnation of the PRSSA. Ramos, a student at the University of Pennsylvania and the son of former Puerto Rico Senator Oreste Ramos, presided over the Association from 1993 to 1995 and organized the absentee voting campaign for the 1993 status plebiscite in Puerto Rico. Carrasquillo then presided over the PRSSA from 1995 to 1997 and coordinated the absentee voting campaign that contributed to the reelection of then-Governor Pedro RossellóPedro Rosselló
Pedro Juan Rosselló González, M.D., , is a Puerto Rican physician and politician who served as the sixth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1993 to 2001...
in 1996. The organization returned to inactivity after 1997.
Third generation
José Cabrera and William-José Vélez reactivated the PRSSA in November 2007. On that same year, Javier Aguilú, an undergraduate student at the University of Central Florida, joined forces and helped the organization's effort to gain momentum. Cabrera, a University of Dayton School of LawUniversity of Dayton School of Law
The University of Dayton School of Law is a private ABA-approved law school. It is located in Dayton, Ohio, and is affiliated with the University of Dayton, which is a Catholic university of the Marianist Order.-Mission:...
student, served as the Association’s fifth president from November 2007 to June 2009. Along with Vice President Velez, Cabrera reestablished chapters nationwide, waged a campaign for young voters in the 2008 Puerto Rican election cycle, launched an educational campaign on statehood throughout Puerto Rico’s universities, and began work on the internet-based José Celso Barbosa Statehood Library.
Raúl Vidal, enrolled at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
’s Washington College of Law
Washington College of Law
American University Washington College of Law is the law school of American University. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue in the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest Washington. WCL is ranked 50th among law schools by US News and World Report...
, began serving as the sixth president on June 2009 and has organized a campaign in support of HR 2499, the Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009. He is now an assistant to Puerto Rico's Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, José Ramón Pérez-Riera.
2008 Campaign for Young Voters
The PRSSA waged a voter registration campaign during the winter of 2007-2008 in preparation for the March 2008 primaries of the New Progressive Party, Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood party. PRSSA helped mobilize thousands of student votes in Puerto Rico and outside Puerto Rico through absentee balloting. The PRSSA’s websites also served as an information center for voters, including electoral status verification tools, voter registration requirements, locations of electoral colleges, and frequently asked questions. On March 9, 2008, the day of the primary, the PRSSA websites provided live results to thousands of people throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and received more than 30,000 visits.
The PRSSA then began an inscription campaign for the November 2008 Puerto Rican general elections during the summer of 2008. On August 11, 2008, the PRSSA held an Absentee Vote Inscription Party in Shannan’s Pub of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, which featured PRSSA founders and NPP candidates Luis Fortuño
Luis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
and Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro R. Pierluisi Urrutia is a Puerto Rican lawyer and politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the United States Democratic Party...
. The Association then held an exhibition during the 2008 New Progressive Party Convention in the Condado Plaza Hotel of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This was followed by a PRSSA-led student registration drive in 22 colleges and universities throughout Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission reported in September 2008 that over 200,000 students registered to vote for the first time, a result of the efforts by the PRSSA and other pro-statehood organizations.
On October 8, 2008, PRSSA founder and first president Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
was the guest speaker during the inauguration ceremony of the PRSSA's University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Chapter, in what constitutes a rare appearance by an New Progressive Party
New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state...
leader at the campus. Previously, the PRSSA had publicly manifested support for the permanence of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) near campus grounds. The PRSSA and other local campus organizations also opposed new student regulations presented by the campus administration that were deemed undemocratic by students.
On November 4, 2008, former PRSSA president Luis Fortuño
Luis Fortuño
Luis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
and PRSSA founding member Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro R. Pierluisi Urrutia is a Puerto Rican lawyer and politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the United States Democratic Party...
were elected Governor
Governor of Puerto Rico
The Governor of Puerto Rico is the Head of Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Since 1948, the Governor has been elected by the people of Puerto Rico...
and Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico
The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico is a non-voting member of the United States House of Representatives elected by the voters of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico every four years...
, respectively. On November 11, 2008, Governor-elect Fortuño appointed former PRSSA president Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
as Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
of his upcoming administration. On January 2, 2009, Fortuño was sworn in as the ninth elected Governor of Puerto Rico and McClintock was sworn in as the 22nd Secretary of State of Puerto Rico.
2009 Campaign for Statehood
Following the election, the PRSSA began lobbying Congress for a self-determination referendum for Puerto Rico.
The PRSSA then held a reception on January 19, 2009, with Puerto Rico State Secretary Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth McClintock
Kenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
and Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz
Thomas Rivera Schatz
Thomas "Tommy" Rivera Schätz is a Puerto Rican politician currently serving as the fourteenth President of the Senate of Puerto Rico. He is affiliated with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the United States Republican Party...
in Washington, DC. Jeffrey Farrow, former Co-Chair of President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
’s Working Group on Puerto Rico and former Congressman Robert García
Robert García
Robert García is a former Democratic United States Representative who represented New York's 21st district between 1978 and 1990.-Biography:...
of New York also attended the event.The reception provided an opportunity for the young statehooders to begin collaboration with elected officials, professionals, and academics for the purpose of lobbying for a self-determination bill in Congress.
Next the PRSSA began a series of informal discussions on statehood, called “Tertulias Estadistas”, throughout Puerto Rico’s universities. One of these, held on April 1, 2009 at the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras, featured former New Progressive Party
New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state...
senator José Garriga Picó as moderator. Another “Tertulia Estadista” held on April 29, 2009 featured Garriga Picó and renowned economist Carlos Colón De Armas. A "tertulia" on H.R. 2499 took place on December 3, 2009 in the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
and featured former PRSSA President José Cabrera.
Recently, the PRSSA chapter at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
created a radio program, "La Mirilla Colegial", where PRSSA members discuss statehood, H.R. 2499, and current events.In addition, the chapter at Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
hosted a lecture by Maurice Ferré
Maurice Ferre
Maurice A. Ferre is a former six-term Mayor of Miami. Ferre was the first United States mayor born in Puerto Rico and the first Hispanic Mayor of Miami. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2010 elections for the U.S...
on Puerto Rico and its role in the United States.
HR 2499
The PRSSA has been actively promoting The Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009, HR 2499 by directly appealing to the members of Congress through meetings and talks. Raul Vidal, President of the PRSSA, has led and organized this effort, successfully gathering support from different members of Congress and other members of different political sectors.
The PRSSA has also established a lobbying website at HR2499.com. In addition, the organization has been seeking the support of members of Congress, through calls, and emails. The PRSSA also manages the collecting of signatures for the petition in support of the bill at Care2
Care2
Care2 is a social network website that was founded by Randy Paynter in 1998 to help connect activists from around the world. It has a membership of more than 17 million people....
, and the Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Application HR 2499.
As part of its ongoing lobbying effort in Congress, in May the PRSSA acquired Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
's support of Congressman Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro Pierluisi
Pedro R. Pierluisi Urrutia is a Puerto Rican lawyer and politician affiliated with the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico and the United States Democratic Party...
's 2009 status bill. The PRSSA also submitted a written statement by then PRSSA President Raúl Vidal in support of H.R. 2499 during a House Natural Resources Committee hearing on June 24, 2009.
As of May 2009, the PRSSA's official group on Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, "Statehood for Puerto Rico", has over 6,000 members.
Leadership
Current National Board- Eduardo Soto – National President (2010-present)
- William-José Vélez – National Executive Vice President (2007-present)
- Edwin Jusino - National Associate Vice President (2011-present)
- Josué E. Rivera – National Secretary (2011-present)
- Diego Sanchez Gallardo – National Treasurer (2011-present)
Past National Board Members
- Kenneth McClintockKenneth McClintockKenneth D. McClintock-Hernández is the current Secretary of State of Puerto Rico. Mr. McClintock served as co-chair of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign's National Hispanic Leadership Council in 2008, co-chaired Clinton's successful Puerto Rico primary campaign that year and served as the...
– National President (1979-1980) - Luis FortuñoLuis FortuñoLuis Guillermo Fortuño Burset is the governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States of America. Fortuño is also the president of the New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico , a member of the Republican National Committee, and will be president of the Council of State...
– National President (1980-1981) - José Cabrera – National President (2007-2009)
- Raúl Vidal – National President (2009-2010)
- Eduardo Soto – National President (2010-present)
- José Rodríguez – National Vice President (1979-1980)
- William-José Vélez – National Vice President (2007-present)
- Astrid Martínez – National Secretary (2008-2009)
- Javier Aguilú – National Secretary (2009-2010)
- Joceline Negrón – National Secretary (2010-2011)
- Josué E. Rivera - National Secretary (2011-present)
- Adrianna Burgos – National Treasurer (2009-2010)
- Mikhail Blancovitch – National Treasurer (2010-present)
Timeline of National Board since 2007 Reactivation
Chapters
- American UniversityAmerican UniversityAmerican University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
- Bentley University
- Cornell UniversityCornell UniversityCornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
- Florida International UniversityFlorida International UniversityFlorida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
- Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
- George Washington UniversityGeorge Washington UniversityThe George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
- Haverford CollegeHaverford CollegeHaverford College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Haverford, Pennsylvania, United States, a suburb of Philadelphia...
- Iowa State UniversityIowa State UniversityIowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
- Interamerican University of Puerto RicoInteramerican University of Puerto RicoThe Inter American University of Puerto Rico —or Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico in Spanish, and often referred as "Inter"— is a private university system in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1912 in San German, Puerto Rico. The University has campuses in Aguadilla, Arecibo, Barranquitas,...
- John Carroll UniversityJohn Carroll UniversityJohn Carroll University is a private, co-educational Jesuit Catholic university in University Heights, Ohio, United States, a suburb of Cleveland. The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus as Saint Ignatius College.The university was founded in 1886 by the Society of Jesus, as...
- Loyola University New OrleansLoyola University New OrleansLoyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational and Jesuit university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Originally established as Loyola College in 1904, the institution was chartered as a university in 1912. It bears the name of the Jesuit patron, Saint Ignatius of Loyola...
- Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
- Northeastern Illinois UniversityNortheastern Illinois UniversityNortheastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
- Pennsylvania State UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityThe Pennsylvania State University, commonly referred to as Penn State or PSU, is a public research university with campuses and facilities throughout the state of Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1855, the university has a threefold mission of teaching, research, and public service...
- Polytechnic University of Puerto RicoPolytechnic University of Puerto RicoThe Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico —commonly referred as Poly or La Poly in Spanish— is a private non-profit university located in San Juan, Puerto Rico...
- Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto RicoPontifical Catholic University of Puerto RicoThe Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico is a Roman Catholic university located in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It provides courses in the areas of education, business administration, arts and human studies and science, leading to Bachelor's, Master's and Doctorate Degrees. Its campus is also home...
- Rochester Institute of TechnologyRochester Institute of TechnologyThe Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
- Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
- Stanford UniversityStanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
- State University of New YorkState University of New YorkThe State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
- Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
- Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
- Turabo University at GuraboTurabo University at GuraboTurabo —commonly referred as the University of Turabo and known as Universidad del Turabo or UT-Gurabo in Spanish— is a private university located in the municipality of Gurabo, Puerto Rico...
- Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
- Universidad del EsteUniversidad del EsteUniversidad del Este Eastern University in English— is a private non-profit institution of higher education and a component of the Ana G...
- University of Central FloridaUniversity of Central FloridaThe University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
- University of DaytonUniversity of DaytonThe University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
- University of MassachusettsUniversity of MassachusettsThis article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
- University of MiamiUniversity of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
- University of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaThe University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
- University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
- University of PennsylvaniaUniversity of PennsylvaniaThe University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
- University of Puerto Rico at AguadillaUniversity of Puerto Rico at AguadillaThe University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla is a state university located in the city of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.-General information:...
- University of Puerto Rico at AreciboUniversity of Puerto Rico at AreciboThe University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo is a state university located in the municipality of Arecibo, Puerto Rico and is part of the University of Puerto Rico system...
- University of Puerto Rico at BayamónUniversity of Puerto Rico at BayamónThe University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón is a state university located in the municipality of Bayamón, Puerto Rico. UPR-Bayamón is better known as CUTB from its previous name of Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Bayamón in Spanish...
- University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus
- University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusUniversity of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences CampusThe University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus —or Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas in Spanish— is a state university located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is one of the eleven campuses of the University of Puerto Rico...
- University of Puerto Rico at PonceUniversity of Puerto Rico at PonceThe University of Puerto Rico at Ponce is a state university located in the municipality of Ponce, Puerto Rico. UPRP is the only campus of the University of Puerto Rico System in the southern region of the island...
- University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras CampusUniversity of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras CampusThe University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras , also referred to as UPR-RP, is a public research university located on a campus in Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico...
- University of the Sacred Heart
- Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...