American Boricua is the first modern visual history of the Puerto Rican diaspora in all 50 of the United States. For over 20 years, Wanda Benvenutti has been traveling throughout the country, documenting Boricuas from all walks of life. She is a first-generation American Boricua from North Philly and based in Brooklyn. Her roots are in the small beach town of Salinas, Puerto Rico, and she is a freelance photojournalist, writer, editor and model.
The word Boricua is a term of pride and endearment Puerto Ricans use for one another. It is derived from the Native Taino word for the island, Boriken, or “Brave Noble Lord”. It is the essence of sabor, that flavor that makes Boricua culture undeniably unique. What most people do not know about Puerto Ricans is that while Puerto Rico has been a part of the United States for more than 100 years, it is the only Latinx group born as US citizens that share two lands. American Boricua is visual evidence of who we are and how we live in the United States today.
Opening Celebration: Thursday September 14, 5.30 – 8.30pm.
Exhibition: September 14 – October 31, 2023
