Ana Teresa Colón García

Even though the Puerto Rican population in New York City has declined, candidates for mayor are still vying for their votes. The upcoming November 4 election is shaping up to be historic: for the first time, a socialist candidate of Indian and Muslim descent, Zohran Mamdani, could be elected mayor.

As they move from Puerto Rico and between states, many Puerto Rican families face cultural, language and economic barriers while seeking better services for their children with special needs.

To counter the propaganda of public officials and political leaders, Puerto Rican attorney Luis José Torres Asencio used a recent keynote address to urge both the press and the general public to exercise their right to access information more frequently and with greater urgency.