Latinos in the city were taking to the streets, running for office and carving out artistic spaces. "Latino" at the time in New York meant "."
Photojournalist Bolivar Arellano immigrated to the city in '71, and remembers a vivid introduction to the , a militant organization that advocated for Puerto Rican independence.
"Viva Puerto Rico libre!" Arellano heard a man shout next to a police officer. "Long live free Puerto Rico," was not a sentiment the officer shared. The man was hit with a baton after each declaration — six times, Arellano says.
"Blood was coming to his face, and that's when I said, Puerto Rico has to be beautiful for this guy to resist that beating," Arellano says. "So that was my encounter with the Puerto Rican community. Since then, I'm still with them."
