An atypical promotion shared on social media prompted us to join the Juana Colón Route in the town of Comerío, Puerto Rico. Located on the central-eastern region of the island, north of the Cordillera Central, this area is known for producing the best tobacco leaves in Puerto Rico. Today, however, only a handful of farmers still harvest the plant, creating a stark contrast to what was the norm back in the nineteenth century.
The world of social media has created an atmosphere of distrust due to the repercussions of spreading false and manipulable information online. Eco (Umberto Eco e Internet, 2015) argued that social media gives legions of idiots the right to speak. These discussions continue today due to the impact that new channels of communication have on humanity. The issue has generated extensive debates since the television made its way to everyday life. In truth, digital spaces are here to stay, which is why they must be studied and analyzed with the seriousness they deserve.
It was through social media that we learned about the sociopolitical figure of Juana Colón, along with her journey. The online promotion attracted a large group of people that, separated into two smaller groups for the tour, got to know this emblematic woman. Her legacy lives on in her community, which, in the face of adversity—whether it be poverty, violence, or lack of education—has created new possible scenarios for its members. The organizing party informed us via social media how to arrive to the meeting point, what to bring, and how to prepare for the route. They also suggested we make a donation to the Casa Juana Colón organization. Once you registered for the activity and signed an online liability waiver—with individualized support available if needed—the adventure began. This is how a group of strangers came together to share different stories and perspectives and became an extension of this community in Comerío.
Up the Hill to Cielito
In this piece of writing, we will not disclose too many details about Juana, seeing as you would learn about her life while on the route. However, Cielito is the name of the neighborhood in which Juana Colón lived and where she asserted her leadership in order to transform her community. Some features of ethnography—field of study dealing primarily with the description and analysis of culture (Saville-Troike, 2005)—should be mentioned in order to describe this visit. The route has seven stations spread throughout one of the town’s sectors and can all be visited on foot. Once we arrived at the seventh station, we could see a sort of spatial triangle, with the first point being the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Comerío. The second point is the first Casa Juana Colón (a space for community education that offers services) and the last point is the El Cielito community center, which houses the Exposición Permanente Fotográfica y Cinematográfica of the movie Los peloteros by Jack Delano and of the documentary Luchando por la vida by José Artemio Torres. After the seventh station, the adventure was still not over. The participants could imagine Juana walking with agility, speaking with power, and accomplishing what she set out to do for her community.
Music and Food: Community Immersion
The tour concluded with an invitation to savor traditional Puerto Rican food at La Jarana. The restaurant, an amusing establishment situated at a corner and filled with plastic chairs and tents, serves pastelitos de arroz y masa, tostones, carne ahumada, lechón, pastelillos de pollo, among other delicacies. We enjoyed our time listening to music and took part in a small interactive plena workshop lead by Taller Toca Plena. The experience was not confined to the simple observation of a musical event. Instead, the musical group encouraged us to immerse ourselves and become part of the act, allowing us to play several instruments, such as the güiro and panderos or panderetas. The audience even created their own plena, coming up with lyrics that alluded to what was learned on the Juana Colón Route. Additionally, the experience included an audiovisual component, seeing as several videos from Taller Toca Plena’s activities—classes, events, and songs—were projected on a screen.
The occasion, coordinated by Casa Juana Colón, allowed for an exchange of knowledge. While it drew attention to the organization, it also gave participants the opportunity to learn more about history and raised social awareness. Moreover, it included a musical presentation of Puerto Rican plena, which, along with local culinary practices, becomes a way to keep the community alive and further social development. These are new emerging undertakings led by communities committed to social justice and which also encourage experiencing music in community and enjoying traditional food. Without a doubt, social media platforms used in a responsible way empower the people. When activism comes from within, it contests Eco’s prediction of a legion of idiots. Using digital media to promote wellbeing is the cornerstone for the development of community education as a means to enact social change.
References
Saville-Troike, M. (2003). The Ethnography of Communication (3rd ed.). Blackwell Publishing.
Scarpanti, E. (2015). Umberto Eco e Internet. [YouTube video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwbwEzq4F-4.
The author is currently finishing her doctoral thesis on the political economy of communications, cultural consumption, mediatization, and virtual communities.
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