At the Museum of the Old Colony, acclaimed artist Pablo Delano examines the paradoxes of colonial identity. His own parents, Jack and Irene Delano, were part of DIVEDCO, a New Deal-inspired government agency that used film, illustrated books, and silkscreen by Puerto Rico’s most renowned nationalist artists to shape a national identity.

For the seventh episode of American Colony, Joaquín Cotler explores what DIVEDCO represented and how the program’s visual language still defines Puerto Rico today. DIVEDCO set out to sell Puerto Ricans an American Dream. What its artists built instead was Puerto Rico’s own image of itself.

This episode of American Colony was produced by Joaquín Cotler. It was edited by Julio Ricardo Varela.

Credits

American Colony is a production of The Latino Newsletter and Shake It Easy Media

Original Concept by Julio Ricardo Varela

Senior Editor: Nuria Net
Senior Producer: Joaquín Cotler

Hosts: Julio Ricardo Varela and Nuria Net

Producer: Carlos Berríos Polanco
Consulting Producer: Susanne Ramírez de Arellano

Managing Editor: Christina Hernández

Video Producer: Amalia I. Nuñez-Pires

Social Media Videos: Anthony Modesto Milián and Aliana M. Bigio

Illustrator: Ricky Rodriguez
Composer: Alain Emile

Additional music courtesy of Soundstripe

Executive Producers: Julio Ricardo Varela, Nuria Net, and Joaquín Cotler

Support for this program comes from the Mellon Foundation, the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. More at Mellon.org. 

American Colony was also made possible by individual donations. To support the nonprofit work of The Latino Newsletter, click on the Donate tab at The Latino Newsletter.