Puerto Rico may be a part of the United States, but its people, language, music and food, and indeed its very soul are as distinct and unique as any precious gem that has been discovered. Puerto Ricans have managed to retain an identity that is distinct and separate from their sovereign power. Puerto Ricans have struggled through a century of substantive and symbolic conflicts over such issues as language, education for their children and a solid political structure for their small island. Puerto Rican identity though has remained distinct throughout all this, while adapting to the pressures placed upon it. Identity is a key issue for Puerto Ricans when debating to remain a commonwealth or statehood.
Identity is the way that people define themselves as members of a certain group.
Because Puerto Rican culture is somewhat complex, if not colorful, their culture and identity has been an issue for centuries. Puerto Rico is very much concerned and has a perceived threat to its identity that is occasioned by imported mass media products, especially those from the United States. This notion-variously termed cultural imperialism, media imperialism, cultural domination, cultural homogenization, globalization and sometimes Americanization. The belief is that by importing a product from another country that they are also importing the cultural forms of that society.