The relationship between the United States and its territory of Puerto Rico is complicated — and Anabel Rosa is stuck right in the middle of it. When she was a girl growing up in Puerto Rico, she dreamed of living in the mainland U.S. As a teenager, she gave up her quinceañera for a trip to New York City.
When she finally moved to the mainland for college, she ended up staying for about two decades. But her roots on the island drew her back, and this time, she brought her family down with her.
She loved all of the time she got to spend with her family. But it was very hard to live on the island, especially as the territory’s economic circumstances deteriorated. After six years, she made the tough decision to leave once again.
Today Rosa calls North Carolina home. She is an attorney with the law firm James Scott Farrin. She is also chair of the Durham Mayor’s Hispanic/Latino Committee and a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs.