Podcast appearances and mentions of vanessa rodriguez

Amb la companya de l'àrea de discapacitats, Rosa Maria Mercade, parlem de la doble discriminació de ser dona i discapacitada. També entrevistem a la Vanessa Rodriguez, psicòloga i sexòloga, d'aquesta doble discriminació i la relació amb la sexualitat. podcast recorded with enacast.com

Vanessa Rodriguez v. David Shinn

It's a special edition Stress Therapy Session! Today, we are pausing to listen to an episode from Kerri Hummingbird's, Soul Nectar Show Podcast where she interviews Vanessa Rodriguez about to integrate holistic and medical awareness. You are going to love it! This podcast is also a member of the Ethereal Network of Shows. Join Cheri Flake on her Next Meditation And Yoga Retreat! Register for a meditation and yoga retreat in the gorgeous Georgia Mountains and walk away with a new, solid daily meditation practice with benefits that last a lifetime! OR Register for sweet, peaceful meditation and yoga beach retreat on Jekyll Island seaside right off the coast of Georgia. Join our Facebook Group! Stay in touch with Cheri and be a part of the Stress Therapy Community! Twitter: @stresstherapy Instagram: @thestresstherapist Facebook Linkedin Website YouTube Want Cheri Flake to be your therapist? If you live in Georgia go here to schedule a free 15 minute consultation Follow Cheri Flake on GoodReads Buy Cheri's book: Honey Do To Honey DONE! A Simple System For A Productive And Happy Household With Absolutely No More Nagging! A word from your host, Cheri Flake, LCSW: Feeling good after our Stress Therapy session? Awesome. Check out the show notes to connect with me, The Stress Therapist on social media or go to www.iLoveTherapy.com to find out about meditation classes & meditation and yoga retreats.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5624757/advertisement

The permission to meet your needs starts with you. Sure, you might have a great boss or a supportive partner who encourages you to do something for yourself. But the permission to meet your needs has to first come from within. Vanessa Rodriguez and I dive deep into this conversation on this week's show. I met Vanessa at a conference where I spoke recently. She came up to me afterwards and I was so taken by her feedback and takeaways that I decided to invite her on the show! I am so excited because you're about to get another real life example of how 3C Living and Leading can show up in someone's life in a positive way. You'll get to hear how Vanessa is applying the concepts in her personal life and as a leader with her team. Plus, Vanessa has a lot of wisdom of her own to share! Vanessa is a wife and mother and works as the Director of Social Work at Children's Hope Foster Family Agency.Step into The Life You're Made For, I'm cheering you on!heatherpenny.com@heatherpennyphdMusic by Heather Penny and Andres SalomonProduced by Cody Vermillion and Natalie Hanemann

Have you ever thought about narrowing down your services to lead generation only? Or maybe white labeling for another agency is for you? In today's episode, I sit down with two of my past mentees, Nessa and Mari, and they dive into their services as social media managers. Vanessa Rodriguez is a lead generation specialist who excels at helping Online Service Providers (OSPs), and coaches connect with their dream clients using organic and unique lead generation strategies. On the other hand, Mari Balladares brings more than 14 years of experience in marketing and event planning to the table. She now supports her clients as a talented Website and Graphic Designer and Social Media Manager.This episode promises an unfiltered and candid conversation and we're covering how to pick the right services to offer as a social media manager, lead generation, white labeling, and discovering the path to defining your unique specialization in the ever-evolving world of social media business. Get ready to be inspired and have a whole lot of fun along the way! Don't miss out!Head to the Show Notes: https://social-media-manager-confidential.captivate.fm/episode37Sign up for my FREE, exclusive private Community for Social Media Managers: https://social-media-manager-confidential.captivate.fm/community37Download my FREE Guide, 35 Best Places to Get More Social Media Management Clients: https://social-media-manager-confidential.captivate.fm/clients37Shop my done-for-you templates for Social Media Managers: https://social-media-manager-confidential.captivate.fm/shop37Let's be Instagram friends: @sugarpunchmarketingPS. Are you finding this podcast useful? Share it with someone you know who needs help building a sustainable social media management business. You get to help a friend & I get to reach more social media managers just like you!

Debbie talks to the owners of Maria Mezcaleria the new restaurant located in the Hippodrome. Sharing their love for drinks and food join them on this brand new episode. Be sure to go show your support here and at Hecho in Waco. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join me as I delve into the world of learning analytics - the use of data to improve the effectiveness of learning. We explore how learning analytics can help L&D professionals to gain insights into learners' behavior, engagement, and performance, enabling them to better personalize their teaching and support learners' learning.Joining me in this conversation is Vanessa Rodriguez, a seasoned practitioner in learning analytics, who shares her insights on the different types of data that can be collected, how this data can be analyzed, and the tools and techniques that can be used to make sense of the findings.Finally, we explore some of the exciting developments in the field of learning analytics, including the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence to generate predictive models that can help educators anticipate learners' needs and intervene early to support their success.Whether you're an educator, a learning and development professional, a student, or simply interested in the future of education, this episode is sure to provide you with valuable insights into the exciting world of learning analytics.Link to my websiteContact me: adultlearninglounge@gmail.comLink to my Linkedin

You need to share bad news, a lay-off, a break-up, or even a death. How do you do it - with love and care?   For this Women of Color Rise episode, Analiza talks with Vanessa Rodgriuez, CEO of NYC Outward Bound Schools. Prior to this, Vanessa was the Chief Program Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer at Citizens of the World Charter Schools (CWCS). She joined CWCS after serving as the Talent Officer of Newark Public Schools (NPS). Vanessa is also the proud mom of a fifteen-year-old son and she enjoys spending time playing basketball with him.   Vanessa has led many hard transitions and turnarounds, including layoffs at Newark Public Schools. She shares the keys to having a difficult conversation: Center care for the other person and that this care means honesty. “I care about you and want to be honest.” Just say it. Start with the “bad news” and then follow up to figure out solutions. Keep the mission front and center. Vanessa would remind herself that the mission is to serve students not provide employment. Consider the politics and front loading communication with other stakeholders to get buy-in before delivering the news.   Get full show notes and more information here: https://analizawolf.com/ep-44-just-say-it-how-to-have-a-difficult-conversation-with-vanessa-rodriguez  

We interrupt the worldwide fixation on the “slap heard ‘round the world” to bring you a brighter, more jovial look at “Black Hollywood.” Today on the show we have the one, the only, Chris Spencer. If you don't know that name, trust me, you've seen his work. Chris is a prolific writer and comedian best known for co-creating “Real Husbands of Hollywood.” But he's also written for the Emmy's, written and acted alongside the Wayans, does stand up at the top comedy clubs in the country, and co-hosts with his wife Vanessa Rodriguez, “Date Night with Chris and Vanessa” on Kevin Hart's SiriusXM “Laugh Out Loud” channel. Chris is a man who literally knows everyone in “Black Hollywood” (Barack Obama's people called Chris when they wanted Will Smith's phone number). He recently finished directing his first feature film, "Back on the Strip," and it's chock-full of names like Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, JB Smoove, Faizon Love, Wesley Snipes, and Bill Bellamy, to name a few. In this funny and informative interview, Chris shares about his experiences as a writer and comedian breaking into the business, what it was like directing his first feature, some of the challenges in post-production when you and the editor don't see eye-to-eye, and why he turned down Kevin Hart's offer to be Creative Director of Kevin's enterprise. I know I say this every time, but you REALLY don't want to miss this one! -Chris on Instagram -Ron on Twitter Crossing the 180 theme music "Gettin' Paid, Part II" by Alec's Band (CC BY) and curated from FreeMusicArchive.org. This episode of the podcast is brought to you by Sony Ci Media Cloud. Learn more about Ci and book your free demo at sonymcs.com. The Art of the Frame podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Anchor and many more platforms. If you like the podcast, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/artofthecut/support

Pasi Sahlberg is a Finnish educator, scholar, thought-leader and author. He has worked as a mathematics and science teacher, teacher-educator, researcher, and policy-maker in Finland, and studied education systems and advised education system reforms around the world. His international career includes senior specialist at the World Bank in Washington DC (2002-2007), lead education specialist at the European Training Foundation in Torino, Italy (2007-2009), and visiting professor at Harvard University (2014-2016). He also has extensive experience as an education policy expert to the OECD, European Commission, and the Finnish Government's Foreign Ministry.Pasi has written widely about pedagogy, teacher and teaching, and education system change. He has published over 170 academic and professional articles and 22 books. He is a member of several editorial boards, and has supervised or examined 15 doctoral dissertations in Finland, England, Italy and the U.S. His most recent books include Finnish Lessons 2.0: What can the world learn from educational change in Finland (2015), Hard Questions on Global Educational Change (with Jonathan Hasak and Vanessa Rodriguez, 2016), Empowered Educators in Finland (with Karen Hammerness and Raisa Ahtiainen, 2017), FinnishED Leadership: Four big, inexpensive ideas to transform education (2018), and Let the Children Play! How more play will save our schools and help children thrive (with William Doyle, 2019).https://pasisahlberg.com/

This episode features my perspective on challenging holiday traditions & staying present. I also talk about breathing yourself skinny, Sunday Scaries Meditation and send special shoutouts to all you loyal dreamcatchers. The piece de resistance of this episode is an excerpt from a "Lately on Sundays" perspective piece by Vanessa Rodriguez. I guarantee it will have you looking at your parents in a completely different light and will probably make you cry! Trust me, you'll want to send to your friend to listen to. Happy 2021, I love you all! inspe.co --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vibehigh/message

Thank you so much ☺️ Vanessa Rodriguez had a great time talking about wrestling, family , and Chicago traffic! Tune for a special episode of the Midwest Marks Podcast talking with this amazing Woman FOLLOW VANESSA ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/thevanessarodriguez/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/midwest-mark/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/midwest-mark/support

On this episode, the ladies are joined by special guest Vanessa Rodriguez!! Vanessa shares about her senior project “Hotline”, Mel's obsessed with Steven Universe, Eighty is obsessed with Call The Midwife and Emily is obsessed with smelling good. The ladies also engage in a conversation around breaking through the status quo of the film industry, Vanessa making her directorial debut and how you can help fund this bomb ass project! Fund the Arts!If you would like to follow the journey and help Vanessa and Hotline reach their production funding goal, please check out the following:Instagram: @csun.hotlineGofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hotline-csun-senior-thesisTikTok: @18001posFollow us on Instagram @justcomeoverpodcastFollow us on TikTok @justcomeoverpodEmail us: justcomeoverpod@gmail.comMusic: Jordan Pier @leavingrichmondArtwork: Alex Velasquez @yourboymaccoyMarch 2021

Families forced to stay home during the Pandemic spending more time together. Some welcome it with open arms but for others it is a time of fear and danger. I spoke with marriage family therapist Dr. Vanessa Rodriguez to find out why violence is increasing at home.

Seattle artist, presenter, and educator Raven Juarez shares stories about her artwork, and describes scenes from her life. She also tells us about the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, which she practices in her daily work as a Lead Preschool Teacher. Raven then joins in a conversation about Seattle’s recent successes and remaining challenges on the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Episode 006 is hosted by Aisha Hauser and Sarah Mayes. You can support the show and learn how to join our community at: https://www.patreon.com/bythesound SHOW NOTES Raven Juarez Art (https://www.ravenjuarez.com) Raven Juarez on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/raven_inthetrees/) Kehinde Wiley: “A New Republic” at SAM (April-May 2016) (http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/exhibitions/wiley) Roaring Mouse Creative Arts Studio (https://www.roaringmouse.org) , by Carolyn Edwards, Lella Gandini, and George Forman (https://www.powells.com/book/-9780313359811) /Toddler Care, by Lella Gandini (https://www.powells.com/book/-9780807740088) , by Lisa Daly (https://www.powells.com/book/-9781605542744) by Lella Gandini and Cathy Weisman Topal (https://bit.ly/2tD4Prz) Fairy Dust Teaching (https://fairydustteaching.com) Teacher Tom (http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com) Finding Fred (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-fred/id1477279443) Broad City (https://www.justwatch.com/us/tv-show/broad-city) New signage could make Seattle more accessible for pedestrians with disabilities (https://crosscut.com/2019/12/new-signage-could-make-seattle-more-accessible-pedestrians-disabilities) Americans with Disabilities Act - Findings, Purpose, and History (https://www.adaanniversary.org/findings_apurpose)   Vanessa Rodriguez’s VR Accounting Services (https://www.vraccountingservices.com/) Support this podcast

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As educators, we teach the students we believe they are. But if we don’t know who we are as teachers, how do we know who our students are? Dr. Vanessa Rodriguez, co-author of the book “The Teaching Brain,” talks about how teachers can become better educators by being more keenly aware of how their personal beliefs and traits affect how they see students and approach the learning process. If teachers are never taught to explore those lenses, they are missing who their students truly are. By understanding three sides of themselves -- private, public and perceived - teachers can build relationships that help students thrive. Vanessa reminds us that teachers are learners too and cautions that the education community’s focus on student-centered learning ignores crucial components of the learning process - that learning is an interaction. This podcast is produced by NarayanKripa Sundararajan (@KripaSundar) as part of the Course of Mind project, an ISTE initiative made possible in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.Support the show (http://www.iste.org)

Latino youth and families make up a sizeable and growing proportion of the population in Sussex County. Education, health services, nutrition, housing, and employment are crucial priorities for this community. Current barriers rooted in transportation, documentation, and employment entrap them in a cycle of poverty and transience. Today, few Latino youth in Sussex County go on to college, and very few will escape poverty once they hit adulthood. Latino communities in Sussex County, Delaware are continuously growing, and as they expand, so does the urgency around access to basic needs that many take for granted. Access to education, health services, nutrition, housing, and jobs lie out of reach. La Colectiva was formed as a response to this opportunity gap, and has since made it its mission to connect Latino families to the services they need to thrive. Vanessa Rodriguez works with La Colectiva as part of a team that is prototyping a Seamless Navigation Hub, which will function as a place for Latino families to identify life-changing resources with the help of a network of service navigators.

Real Realtors 025 | Marco and Vanessa Rodriguez   We have had many Realtor Teams on Real Realtors. Today, we are joined by the husband and wife team of Marco and Vanessa Rodriguez, who own Genesis Real Estate and mainly cover West Contra Costa County. Together, they have created a team dynamic that centers around their clients, family, and faith. In this episode, we dive into how their team dynamic operates, how they are growing their brokerage, how they navigate the Bay Area Market, and what they do to give back to their communities. Website: mvrod.com              Phone: 510-375-3172 Email: marco@mvrod.com & vanessa@mvrod.com   1:15 Getting Started Husband and Wife team Challenges and benefits 3:00 Genesis Real Estate Open 6 years, 15 agents Small brokerage in the Bay Area Faith plays a big part in business New office in Berkeley Working the Richmond markets 5:35 Buyers and Sellers Work with both Buyers more gratifying Sellers easier to do 6:50 Opening Genesis Real Estate Opened in 2012 Lots of work put into it Leaving Prudential Naming and how faith played a role in it 8:55 Recruiting Agents Attract not recruit Show agents what Genesis is all about Training agents to know what you say matters Also matters how you say it 12:44 Foreclosures Not as plentiful today Helping clients avoid foreclosure Short sales 14:40 Educating Buyers Understanding risks Auctioning foreclosures 17:00 Challenges with Buyers A competitive market in the Bay Area Consulting with buyers Reputations Networking 21:11 Renting vs. Buying Putting money into something that is yours What are you paying now vs. what a mortgage payment would look like Short term vs. long-term thinking 24:35 Community Involvement Company involvement Support local groups and people Organizations working with EdFund: Scholarships for minorities Ecoviva: Helping El Salvador become a self-sustaining nation Samaritans Purse Childs Hope Getting other realtors involved Everyone has a capacity to give 30:48 New Agents Advice Get to work Be positive 33: 34Wrap up    

Nick sits down with Casting Director Vanessa Rodriguez (Soul Plane, Ballers, Entourage) & Comedian Sharon Houston (Punk'D, Celebrities Undercover ) To talk about their work in Casting, putting together projects. Which Current A List Star was almost casted as Vince in HBO's Entourage. How to put together a Comedy album on a Budget & where they stand on No. 45 A.K.A. TrumpFollow Nick @NickofComedy, Amarie Lee @amarielee_comedy and @CPUPodcasts for information on new episodes

Nick sits down with Casting Director Vanessa Rodriguez (Soul Plane, Ballers, Entourage) & Comedian Sharon Houston (Punk'D, Celebrities Undercover ) To talk about their work in Casting, putting together projects. Which Current A List Star was almost casted as Vince in HBO's Entourage. How to put together a Comedy album on a Budget & where they stand on No. 45 A.K.A. TrumpFollow Nick @NickofComedy, Amarie Lee @amarielee_comedy and @CPUPodcasts for information on new episodes

Grab your mug and join Vanessa Rodriguez for a stimulating conversation and creativity session using the EB Method! Vanessa was one of the winners from This is Writing's university writing contest held in 2017! We think Vanessa has a bright future in writing ahead of her! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/endlessbeautiful/support

New York's Citicorp Tower was an architectural sensation when it opened in 1977. But then engineer William LeMessurier realized that its unique design left it dangerously vulnerable to high winds. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll describe the drama that followed as a small group of decision makers tried to ward off a catastrophe in midtown Manhattan. We'll also cringe at an apartment mixup and puzzle over a tolerant trooper. Intro: A surprising number of record releases have been made of sandpaper. In high school, Ernest Hemingway wrote a poem composed entirely of punctuation. Sources for our feature on the Citicorp Tower: Joseph Morgenstern, "The Fifty-Nine-Story Crisis," New Yorker, May 29, 1995. "All Fall Down," The Works, BBC, April 14, 1996. Eugene Kremer, "(Re)Examining the Citicorp Case: Ethical Paragon or Chimera?" Arq: Architectural Research Quarterly 6:3 (September 2002), 269-276. Joel Werner, "The Design Flaw That Almost Wiped Out an NYC Skyscraper," Slate, April 17, 2014. Sean Brady, "Citicorp Center Tower: How Failure Was Averted," Engineers Journal, Dec. 8, 2015. Michael J. Vardaro, "LeMessurier Stands Tall: A Case Study in Professional Ethics," AIA Trust, Spring 2013. P. Aarne Vesilind and Alastair S. Gunn, Hold Paramount: The Engineer's Responsibility to Society, 2010. Caroline Whitbeck, Ethics in Engineering Practice and Research, 1998. Ibo van de Poel and Lambèr Royakkers, Ethics, Technology, and Engineering: An Introduction, 2011. Matthew Wells, Skyscrapers: Structure and Design, 2005. Gordon C. Andrews, Canadian Professional Engineering and Geoscience: Practice and Ethics, 2009. "William J. LeMessurier," American Society of Civil Engineers, July 1, 2007. David Langdon, "Citigroup Center / Hugh Stubbins + William Le Messurier," ArchDaily, Nov. 5, 2014. Vanessa Rodriguez, "Citicorp Center - New York City (July 1978)," Failures Wiki (accessed Oct. 28, 2017). Jason Carpenter, "The Nearly Fatal Design Flaw That Could Have Sent the Citigroup Center Skyscraper Crumbling," 6sqft., Aug. 15, 2014. Stanley H. Goldstein and Robert A. Rubin, "Engineering Ethics," Civil Engineering 66:10 (October 1996), 40. "Selected Quotes," Civil Engineering 66:10 (October 1996), 43. "Readers Write," Civil Engineering 66:11 (November 1996), 30. James Glanz and Eric Lipton, "A Midtown Skyscraper Quietly Adds Armor," New York Times, Aug. 15, 2002. "F.Y.I.," New York Times, Feb. 2, 1997, CY2. Anthony Ramirez, "William LeMessurier, 81, Structural Engineer," New York Times, June 21, 2007, C13. Henry Petroski, "Engineering: A Great Profession," American Scientist 94:4 (July-August 2006), 304-307. Richard Korman, "LeMessurier's Confession," Engineering News-Record 235:18 (October 30, 1995), 10. Richard Korman, "Critics Grade Citicorp Confession," Engineering News-Record 234:21(Nov. 20, 1995), 10. Listener mail: Wikipedia, "Relative Hour (Jewish Law)" (accessed Nov. 11, 2017). "The Jewish Day," chabad.org (accessed Nov. 11, 2017). "Hours," chabad.org (accessed Nov. 11, 2017). "Zmanim Briefly Defined and Explained," chabad.org (accessed Nov. 11, 2017). Wikipedia, "Twenty Questions" (accessed Nov. 11, 2017). "Two Types: The Faces of Britain," BBC Four, Aug. 1, 2017. This week's lateral thinking puzzle was contributed by listener Kelly Bruce. You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on iTunes or Google Play Music or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- on our Patreon page you can pledge any amount per episode, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

What is Puerto Rico? Many Americans - if not most - are unaware that Puerto Rico is a part of the United States. In this episode, learn the history of our scandalous treatment of the US citizens living in Puerto Rico and explore how Puerto Rico’s past foreshadowed the United States' present… and possibly our future. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Recommended Congressional Dish Episodes CD128: Crisis in Puerto Rico Additional Reading Book: War Against All Puerto Ricans by Nelson A. Denis, March 2016. Article: Puerto Rico Warning Congress Its Health Crisis Will Impact U.S. States by Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, March 22, 2017. Document: Testimony of Jose B. Carrion III, Chairman, Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, March 22, 2017. Article: Why the GOP's proposals to cap Medicaid funding won't work by Ana Mulero, Healthcare Dive, March 21, 2017. Article: Fed Raises Interest Rates for Third Time Since Financial Crisis by Binyamin Appelbaum, The New York Times, March 15, 2017. Letter: Fiscal Plan Certification, Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, March 13, 2017. Press Release: Jenniffer Gonzalez Calls for Fiscal Oversight Board Action to Prevent Medicaid Crisis by Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, March 13, 2017. Article: Tensions heighten following control board rejection of fiscal plan by Luis J. Valentin, Caribbean Business, March 9, 2017. Article: A bad deal for Puerto Rico, Globe control board opinion, The Boston Globe, March 5, 2017. Article: Quest for statehood: Puerto Rico's new referendum aims to repair economic disaster by Danica Coto, Salon, February 3, 2017. Letter: Letter to Governor Rossello Nevares, Financial Oversight & Management Board for Puerto Rico, January 18, 2017. Article: Puerto Rico's New Governor Takes Over as Debt Crisis Reaches Climax by Tatiana Darie, Bloomberg, January 3, 2017. Article: Puerto Rico Control Board Names Carrion Chair Amid Protests by Katherine Greifeld, Bloomberg, September 30, 2016. Article: Puerto Rico's Invisible Health Crisis by Valeria Pelet, The Atlantic, September 3, 2016. Op-Ed: Understanding Puerto Rico's Healthcare Collapse by Johnny Rullan, Morning Consult, June 20, 2016. Article: Puerto Rico not sovereign, Supreme Court says by Richard Wolf, USA Today, June 9, 2016. Article: US supreme court says Puerto Rico must abide by federal double jeopardy rule by Alan Yuhas, The Guardian, June 9, 2016. Op-Ed: No More Colonialism Disguised as Financial Assistance: The US Must Relinquish Puerto Rico by Nelson A. Denis, Truthout, May 19, 2016. Article: Sea Turtles Delay Debt-Ridden Puerto Rico's Gas-Switching Plan by Jonathan Crawford, Bloomberg, March 23, 2016. Article: There's a big sale on Puerto Rican homes by Heather Long, CNN Money, February 21, 2016. Article: The US shipping industry is putting a multimillion dollar squeeze on Puerto Rico by Rory Carroll, Business Insider, July 9, 2015. Article: Harvard's billionaire benefactor also a GOP sugar daddy by Vanessa Rodriguez, OpenSecrets.org, June 4, 2015. Interview: How the United States Economically and Politically Strangled Puerto Rico by Mark Karlin, Truthout, May 24, 2015. Article: Why Have So Many People Never Heard Of The MOVE Bombing? by Gene Demby, NPR, May 18, 2015. Article: Puerto Rico Expands Tax Haven Deal For Americans To Its Own Emigrants by Janet Novack, Forbes, January 27, 2015. Article: Citizenship Renunciation Fee Hiked 422%, And You Can't Come Back by Robert W. wood, Forbes, January 13, 2015. Article: Puerto Rican Population Declines on Island, Grows on U.S. Mainland by D'Vera Cohn, Eileen Pattien and Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew Research Center, August 11, 2014. Article: Puerto Rico woos rich with hefty tax breaks by Sital S. Patel and Ben Eisen, Market Watch, April 22, 2014. Article: Bankers Crashed the Economy - Now They Want to Be Your Landlord by Rebecca Burns, Michael Donley, and Carmilla Manzanet, Moyers & Company, April 2, 2014. Article: 'Backdoor bailout' boosts Puerto Rico's revenues, Bond News, Reuters, February 10, 2014. Article: Economy and Crime Spur New Puerto Rican Exodus by Lizette Alvarez, The New York Times, February 8, 2014. Article: Everything You Need to Know About the Territories of the United States, Everything Everywhere, June 27, 2013. Document: Puerto Rico's Political Status and the 2012 Plebiscite: Background and Key Questions by R. Sam Garrett, Congressional Research Service, June 25, 2013. GAO Report: Economic Impact of Jones Act on Puerto Rico's Economy by Jeffry Valentin-Mari, Ph.D. and Jose I. Alameda-Lozada, Ph.D. April 26, 2012. Article: Massive Puerto Rico pipeline triggers debate by Danica Coto, The San Diego Union-Tribune, May 14, 2011. Article: Island residents sue U.S., saying military made them sick by Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein, CNN, February 1, 2010. Article: At Riggs Bank, A Tangled Path Led to Scandal by Timothy L. O'Brien, The New York Times, July 19, 2004. Case Study: Money Laundering and Foreign Corruption: Enforcement and Effectiveness of the Patriot Act by the Minority Staff of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, United States Senate, July 15, 2004. Article: MIT to Pay Victims $1.85 Million in Fernald Radiation Settlement by Zareena Hussain, The Tech, January 7, 1998. Article: Police Drop Bomb on Radicals' Home in Philadelphia by William K. Stevens, The New York Times, May 14, 1985. References U.S. Energy Information Administration Puerto Rico Territory Energy Profile Puerto Rico Territory Profile and Energy Estimates Average Price of Electricity to Ultimate Customers by End-Use Sector Video: 1985 Philadelphia MOVE bombing This Day in History: March 2, 1917: Puerto Ricans become U.S. citizens, are recruited for war effort FBI Files Pedro Albizu Campos - includes letter about his radiation torture Pedro Albizu Campos - full files Luis Munoz-Marin 1986 Congressional Report: US Army & US Atomic Energy Commission radiation experiments on US citizen prisoners 1995 Dept of Energy Report: Human Radiation Experiments OpenSecrets Excelerate Energy: Profile for 2016 Election Cycle Crowley Maritime Excelerate Energy Company website Lobbying Report American Maritime Partnership Company website Lobbying Report Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico Control Board Website Control Board Document List Website: Puerto Rico Tax Incentives Law 20: Export Services Act Law 22: Individual Investors Act Department of Economic Development & Commerce: Act 73: Economic Incentives for the Development of Puerto Rico 26 US Code 936: Puerto Rico and possession tax credit IRS: Expatriation Tax Forbes Company Profiles Johnson & Johnson Pfizer GlaxoSmithKline Travelponce.com: Ponce Massacre Museum Sound Clip Sources Hearing: Oversight Hearing on The Status of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) Restructuring Support Agreement, Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs, March 22, 2017. Witnesses Panel I The Honorable Ricardo Rossello, Governor of Puerto Rico Mr. Gerardo Portela-Franco, Executive Director - Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority Panel 2 Mr. Jose B. Carrion III, Chairman - Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico Mr. Luis Benitez Hernandez, Chairman - PREPA Governing Board Mr. Stephen Spencer, Managing Director - Houlihan Lokey Mr. Adam Bergonzi, Managing Director & Chief Risk Officer - National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation Mr. Rob Bryngelson, President & CEO - Excelerate Energy Ms. Ana J. Matosantos, Member of Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico Interview: Interview with Luis M. Balzac, March 7, 2017. Luis: Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico, contrary to common opinion, we do pay some federal taxes. What we don’t pay is federal income tax. Jen: Okay. Luis: So we don’t pay federal income tax. However, Puerto Ricans pay Medicare at the same rate that you pay in San Francisco/California. Jen: Do Puerto Ricans get the same benefits that I get in San Francisco? Luis: No, we do not get the same benefits that you get in San Francisco. Jen: Oh. Luis: So, for example, there are states like California, New York, and other states that I believe get about an 83 percent federal subsidy for Medicare expenses. There are other states—and I realize I’m being recorded, but don’t quote me on it. This you can check, also, very easily— Jen: Sure. Luis: Other states—I think it’s Tennessee— Jen: And you don’t have to give me exact numbers. Just go ahead and, like, big picture, tell me the situation. Luis: Got it. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Even better. So, there are states like California and New York that get about 80-some percent of reimbursement on their major expenses from the federal government. There are other states that get less. I think Tennessee gets less; I think Tennessee gets, like, 50-some percent. Puerto Rico, I think it gets about 23 percent. Jen: Oh, god. Luis: It’s important to understand that, where does the other—if we use 23 percent as an example for Medicare—where does the other 77 percent come from? State funding. Jen: Okay. Luis: So, please understand that if you move to Puerto Rico as a U.S. citizen, and you, for any reason, need Medicare, and you go to the hospital, those hospitals that you go to have to comply with MCS, which is part of HHS—Health and Human Services. And you have to comply with all the regulations and requirements of a hospital to be reimbursed and enjoy federal dollars. However, that institution/Puerto Rico is only getting cents on the dollar compared to other states, but someone needs to make up for that short fall. Jen: Yeah. Luis: The state does. Jen: Well— Luis: That lack of equality translates to Puerto Rico’s budget. Luis: I’m a proud American, and I will defend our country wherever I go. Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: But I’m also a realist. I cannot expect Congress to give the people in Puerto Rico a fair share of the pie when we don’t have a delegation sitting at the table when the pie is divided. Luis: When I ran the office of the governor of Puerto Rico in New York, and we were lobbying to be included into the Affordable Care Act, my biggest argument, when I met with members of the Senate or the House, in states that had a large Puerto Rican population—Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, by way of example—my point to these members of Congress was, I need your help; I need you to be a voice to Puerto Rico to be included in the Affordable Care Act. And the staff would be like, are you kidding me, Luis? That is none of our business. And I will be like, well, let me—give me an opportunity to maybe convince you that it is your business. The problem is— Jen: Yeah, because you’ll pay for them when they come here. Luis: —you will pay for it. And by the way, we don’t even have a way to qualify because guess what, a lot of them are coming in, getting services, and going back to Puerto Rico once they’re done. Some are staying— Jen: Yeah, that's what I would do. Luis: Some are staying, but others are just coming here, and you have no way of qualifying and quantifying it because they’re United States citizens. You can’t stop it. Jen: Yeah— Luis: And how could you blame them? How could you blame them if Puerto Rico does not have the facilities to treat a cancer or SSI or any other initiative and my mother is risking her life? I’m going to take her to Orlando— Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: —without a doubt. Jen: Yeah. Luis: I will say that Puerto Rico, even though we have all the issues that you and I have been talking about, we are still part of the United States, and it’s somewhat similar to the changes that we see here, stateside, in the contiguous 48 states, where I would say that from coast to coast, from Florida to California, I think the middle class in the United States has been shrinking. Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: Likewise in Puerto Rico. Jen: Okay. Luis: But I would say that it is more like the United States, and we are not like Latin America and other third-world jurisdictions. We have a decent-size middle class because we don’t have the IRS because we are not paying federal income tax. There is in Puerto Rico a large underground economy where people work on the side, get paid in cash, and don’t report their earnings to the—there's no IRS—or to the local version of the IRS which is the Treasury Department. So, what you have in Puerto Rico is that you see somewhat of a thriving economy. So those people that are in commercial real estate and they’re doing business with big national chains like Macy’s and JCPenney and all that stuff, you will see in Puerto Rico sales records being broken and people spending a lot of money in the island. So, it’s not like the Dominican Republic. Even people in the projects that are subsidized by state and federal dollars, you can see that they have a/c in the walls, the projects are made out of cement, and you will be able to see all that when you go there in person. So, when you drive around Puerto Rico, all over the island, it is nothing like the Dominican Republic. We are way better, and— Jen: Well, I’ve never been there, either, so a comparison doesn’t really… Luis: Yeah. We are way better—and I realize that I’m about to contradict myself, okay?—we are way better, and it is thanks to the United States. So even though inequality has got all these problems and it’s affected the debt and all that stuff and we are looking now at serious issues, Puerto Rico is still better than—I will never move to Cuba because I think Cuba is better than Puerto Rico, so I get it— Puerto Rico is United States, and we’re doing better than most. Jen: So that brings me to the control board, because now we have Puerto Ricans saying on paper, no doubt, we want to become a state, and yet Congress just did this thing where your government, your state government, or closest thing—what do you call it? Territorial government? Luis: Yeah. Jen: Is that the proper phrase? Luis: Territory. Jen: Okay. Luis: Yeah. Jen: So your territorial government was, basically just taken over by this weird board that has some dictatorial powers. Is there any one in Puerto Rico that’s happy about this? Is there something I’m not seeing? Luis: Yeah. Okay, so, I’m going to compare that. First of all, let’s be fair, and we’re not the first jurisdiction that, let’s say, enjoys the benefit of a control board, because D.C., New York City, have both had it in different jurisdiction relationships, but they did, and it helped. Okay? Jen: O-kay. Luis: The difference between New York City is the following: you have a city that imposed a board by the state. So people in the city of New York, even though they had a control board years back, they had a control board what was decided by politicians who they elected. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Okay? Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: So, that makes it—but it’s still the same in that you have a higher jurisdiction imposing a control board for fiscal reasons over a lower jurisdiction. Correct? Jen: Yes. Luis: And then you have D.C. They also had a control board, and the list goes on and use the federal government, if I’m not mistaken. So there you have a jurisdiction of a federal imposing in D.C., which is not independent. Now, let me tell you where emotions can go a little crazy here. And remember I’m a stakeholder; I’m pro American. Jen: Yeah. Luis: However, we did not invite the United States of America, back a hundred-and-some years ago; we were invaded. Jen: Yeah. Luis: So, we are invaded, we are treated unequally, that inequality causes financial chaos. We are told by the Supreme Court that our constitution is not really a constitution—you should research that; that was recent—an opinion by the Supreme Court. So, really, our constitution, that we thought we had a constitution, is not worth anything on paper because Congress has complete control of that jurisdiction. Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: So, what we have is, back to your question about a board, is a federal government imposing a board on people who did not vote for those that imposed that board. Jen: Yeah. And I know that in Congress Puerto Rico has a representative at the time that this was created—I think it was Pedro Pierluisi—but he didn’t have a vote, so— Luis: No. Jen: And even on the board, the governor gets to sit at the table, but the governor of Puerto Rico doesn’t get a vote of the board. Luis: No. And there’s a slight correction to what you said about Pierluisi in your podcast: the resident commissioner does have a vote in Congress—not on committees, on subcommittees. Okay? Jen: Okay, so he has a vote on a subcommittee but not— Luis: No. Jen: —in the committee or the main House. Luis: Correct. Now, are you ready for the kicker? Jen: Yes. Luis: If the vote on a subcommittee comes to a point where the resident commissioner becomes the deciding vote, it doesn’t go. You’ve got to vote again. Jen: No! Luis: Yeah. Jen: So, that’s— Luis: Can I give you an— Jen: —kind of not really having a vote. I mean— Luis: No. Jen: —he does— Luis: No, I know. Luis: Let’s talk for a second about the pharmaceutical industry, okay? Jen: Yeah, because— Luis: Not to be confused— Jen: —just so that I’m on the same page as you, you worked for Pfizer for a while, too, right? Luis: I directed governor affairs for Pfizer, and that included jurisdictions of New York City and Puerto Rico. Jen: Okay— Luis: And San Francisco. Jen: —and when did you do that? Luis: I did that in 20—I took a year off of the government and I went to Pfizer, did not like it, then went back to Puerto Rico government. So that was 2011. Jen: So was that before the Clinton administration took away the tax credits or after? Luis: Oh, no, after. Oh, yes. Jen: Okay, okay. Luis: 2011, before I became a deputy secretary of the United States. Jen: Okay, got you. Luis: Okay. Jen: So this is after all the tax benefits were gone, and was Pfizer still—when did the pharmaceutical industry, like, leave Puerto Rico? When did they leave? Luis: No way. Why are you saying that? Jen: Because that's what I read. Luis: That's wrong. Jen: Is that not what happened? Luis: No! That’s wrong. I’m about to clarify that. Jen: Okay. Luis: All right. So, if you look at the pharmaceutical industry, if you search, let’s say, BIO, I believe BIO is still the pharmaceutical, big pharma association, the industry association, trade association, okay? If you look at that, you will see that in Puerto Rico BIO had a membership of a huge number of pharmaceuticals. And then you may look at BIO now, and the Puerto Rico chapter, which has another name, has way less pharmaceuticals. So the normal person that doesn’t understand how things work will say, well, everyone left. Well, let’s slow down and look at what are the names that are missing. Well, some of those names don’t exist anymore because the industry has completely merged and consolidated their resources. By way of example, I will tell you that in Puerto Rico alone, Pfizer bought Wyeth. Jen: Pfizer what? Luis: Pfizer bought Wyeth. Jen: Oh, okay. So, okay. Luis: Okay? Jen: Gotcha. So Pfizer got bigger by eating a smaller company. Luis: Correct. And there’s nothing wrong with that. So what happened was that I believe at that time when that happened, Pfizer had three operations in Puerto Rico, Wyeth had three operations in Puerto Rico, okay? So now when they merge, they have six plants in Puerto Rico. So what do they do? They are able to— economies of scale and to do streamline, and they are able to close two and stay with four. And now Wyeth is not in Puerto Rico— Jen: But the effect— Luis: —and people think Wyeth— Jen: Is the effect of that, of the people of Puerto Rico, that the people that worked in those two plants are now out of a job? Luis: But it has nothing to do with 936. Jen: Remind me. I did that episode, like, eight months ago. 936 was the tax credits disappearing? Was that…? Luis: That’s exactly—they disappeared with a coin toss, you said. Jen: Okay, okay. Thank you. Luis: So, so, that consolidation, that example that I’m sharing with you, I believe all happened after 936 stopped, but the reason why Pfizer and Wyeth consolidated was for reasons that had nothing to do with 936. Jen: Yeah. Luis: It had a lot to do with being more productive and being able to share assembly lines and being able to share resources and the same CEO and all that stuff. And so, to the untrained eye, to the Puerto Rican, what they think or see is, oh, Wyeth left. No, they didn’t leave; it was absorbed by a larger pharmaceutical. Jen: So, is the pharmaceutical industry still a major employer in Puerto Rico? Luis: Yes, it is. And I will tell something else: Pfizer and many pharmaceuticals, for many years, are enjoying tax benefits on—there’s something called CFC—controlled foreign corporations—and they are able to enjoy benefits that are comparable to 936. It’s just a different name; a different loophole, you want to call it—I don’t want to call it a loophole—it’s a different tax advantage. Luis: Remember, the pharmaceutical industry, way back when—and we’re talking about right after Puerto Rico changed from an agricultural economy to a manufacturing economy, okay? Jen: Mm-hmm. Luis: I really need you to follow me on this. Puerto Rico used to be sugarcane industry. Jen: Yeah. Luis: And we changed. Take my great uncle. He was the governor of Puerto Rico for the other party, the commonwealth party, and him and Governor Luis Munoz Marin came up with this tax incentive with the federal government and 936 were invented, and Puerto Rico changed—completely—and became a manufacturing economy. Jen: Okay. Luis: No more sugar cane; now we’re manufacturing. And when that happened, pharma came to Puerto Rico. What we have to remember is manufacturing industry also included, probably, the largest textile industry. Textile was huge in Puerto Rico. Now— Jen: Is it still there? Luis: No! Why—now, you’re smart. Why do you think textile is gone in Puerto Rico? Where is textile nowadays? Jen: Probably China, India. Luis: Yes, yes! So, in this case, it left to other jurisdictions for minimum wage and for a bunch of other reasons. 936? Yes! It was not great when it left, but the industry changed. Textile goes wherever you have the cheapest labor. And Puerto Rico— Jen: So— Luis: —cannot compete with India, China, Dominican Republic, where people get paid a dollar an hour. Forget it. You can’t compete with that. Jen: And it sounds like the same problem we’re having in California, in Texas, and Massachusetts, and everywhere. Luis: Yeah, yes. Jen: What would you like to see happen on the island? What do you think could help? Luis: Becoming a state. Jen: So that's the goal. Luis: Yes, without a shadow of a doubt, because if we become a state, we are able now to have the congressional mitigation to help us, and we’re able to fight for equal funding so that the state does not need to subsidize such huge percentages. And now we have an equal playing field. Now if I get in debt— Jen: Okay. Luis: Now if I get in debt, go ahead and criticize me all you want. Jen: Well, then you have bankruptcy protection if you go into debt. Luis: Also. Luis: So, you understand the reason why people are going to Puerto Rico is because of Law 20 and 22, right? Jen: Um, I don't know. No. Luis: So, I’m going to share with you the Law 20 and Law 22. Both laws were passed by Governor Luis Fortuno, which is a governor that I worked for. Jen: Okay. Luis: And those two laws were used, pushed, and promoted big time by the previous governor, Alejandro Garcia Padilla. You can do a quick Google, and you will see how most people went nuts over those two laws, and those two laws is the sole reason why people in stateside, mainland U.S., are fleeing to Puerto Rico to enjoy those tax benefits. Jen: Well, what are those benefits? Luis: I'm going to tell you. Jen: Okay. Luis: So, first, you have Law 20. Law 20 is better known as Export Services law, meaning you and I can open a corporation in Puerto Rico that exports services outside of Puerto Rico. Services, not manufacturing. So you and I can open a consulting firm that consults on any issue, and if our clients are not in Puerto Rico, if our clients are in Europe or New York or California, when that company in Puerto Rico bills those accounts, that corporation will only pay local four percent tax and no sales tax. Wow! Jen: Okay. That's crazy. Luis: Okay? So that means that you and I can have an existing company and have a law firm in New York, and you and I are the partners, and we’ll make—and let’s say that half of our clients are not in Puerto Rico, so why don’t we just open an office in Puerto Rico and do all the billing out of Puerto Rico and serve those clients from Puerto Rico—by the way, you and I can hire attorneys in Puerto Rico that are bilingual; graduated from Harvard, Yale, all those popular universities; pay even a fraction of what you and I would pay a lawyer in New York, and we bill them to the clients that are outside Puerto Rico, and we only pay four percent tax. That’s Law 20. It’s beautiful. Jen: Wow. Okay. Luis: All right. So, now, Law 20 was supplemented, complemented, by Law 22. Law 22 is called the Investor Act. So, now, you and I are the partners of that law firm, and we’ve moved operations and the corporation is only paying four percent tax, local tax, okay? Jen: Okay. Luis: Got it. You and I have not lived in Puerto Rico for the last 15 years. Jen: Okay. Luis: So we, you and I, have our attorneys will review Law 20, and what Law 20 says is you and I can move to Puerto Rico personally, and when we’re in Puerto Rico, our Puerto Rico-sourced income will be tax free. Jen: So the income—so, it’s the Investment Act. So are you talking about, like— Luis: Yes. Jen: —instead of paying capital gains tax, they pay nothing. Luis: Nothing. Now, it needs to be Puerto Rico-sourced income. That means that if you and I own Apple shares, or Microsoft, and we move to Puerto Rico, that’s passive income. We’ll pay taxes because that income is generated outside of Puerto Rico. Jen: Okay. Luis: But if you and I go to Puerto Rico like Paltry and Paulson moved to Puerto Rico, and we invest in property, and we invest in the business of Puerto Rico, that Puerto Rico-sourced income will be tax free. Jen: Federally or are there any state taxes? Luis: Both. Jen: Wow. So the state— Luis: I don’t have the law— Jen: —doesn’t even get anything from that. Luis: Well, yeah, they do because think about all the jobs. You know it’s crazy how much money is generated by having those people in Puerto Rico. Of course it generates— Jen: Yeah. I guess that makes sense. Luis: It’s called economic development. Yes, it generates—I have a lot of people that have new accounts with those individuals all the way from real estate, legal fees, engineering. They’re all millions and millions and millions of dollars that were not moving around the economy until they moved there. Jen: And so, are these two laws something that you personally support? Are they a good idea? Luis: I think it’s a good idea. We somehow need to generate some federal activity. Jen: We do, but at the same time, your government is broke. So isn’t raising revenues, isn’t that a solution? Luis: Well, no. Well, you know what? It’s a little contradicting, so when I say I endorse it, but I just told you a little while ago that I want to be a state. And if I was a state, that would probably not be possible. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Those two laws would not be possible if we’re a state, but guess what—we’re not a state. Jen: Yeah. Luis: And what the heck are we supposed to do? Jen: Yeah. I guess that’s true. You’ve got to play the hand you’re dealt. Okay. Luis: I would rather not have those two laws and be a state. Jen: Okay. That's fair. Luis: Education. I think that your podcast touched on education about 100 schools being closed. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Yeah, but how many people have moved to Orlando? We do not have— Jen: So there's not as many kids? Luis: No! No! Now, I’m going to defend, I’m going to defend this. With me, you may go crazy because I jump from side to side, so for one, one part of me says— Jen: I do that, too. I totally get it. Luis: One part of me says, the student body—I think the island student population went down from half a million to 400,000 students. That’s 25 percent. Jen: Okay. Luis: Okay. That means that I should be able to cut 25 percent of schools and 25 percent of my budget. Right? Well, let’s look at the other side. You and I, again, are married, right? Jen: Uh-huh. Luis: And you and I have a boat, and we have two kids, and the schools that we have our kids are three blocks away. Beautiful. Well, you and I bought a house because it was right next to the school. So now they’re going to close that school, and the next school is five miles away. Jen: Yeah. Luis: Are you and I pissed? Jen: Of course. Luis: I don’t give a crap that there’s less students. I’m going to picket, and I’m going to make a lot of noise, and I’m going to make it impossible for the government to close that school, which is what happens. You know what? Somebody else should sacrifice, not my wife and I. We have it good. I like to be able to walk three blocks and grab my children by the hand, have a beautiful conversation with them while we eat cookies, and we go to the school right next door. Well, guess what? The population is so much smaller now that somehow we cannot justify having the same number of schools open. I believe that happened in Chicago under new jurisdictions. We have to adjust. So guess who needs to deliver those bad news? The fiscal control board, because you cannot possibly justify having all those schools open. So who’s going to be the bad guy? Thank God there’s a fiscal control board, because if you leave, you allow the local elected official to make those decisions, it would be political suicide. And that transfers to any state. Ask any governor to close down 25 percent of schools, and they’re going to lose the election. Jen: Well, I mean, I think that’s just a part of the job. The problem— Luis: I know! Jen: —that I’m seeing as— Luis: No, but wait a second the problem is that the governor can’t do it because when you commit political suicide, and you need to support the legislature to do that, the elected officials in the legislative body would be the first ones that won’t back you up. They’ll say, you crazy? I’m not going to back you up; I want to get elected next time. That’s a huge problem. He says, I can’t do it without you. People are like let’s not do it; let’s let the other guy do it. And he’s like, no, we don’t have enough money. The students are leaving Orlando and New York. They moved away. We don’t need so many schools; we need to close. And the senators will be like, I’m not going to pass that law; are you kidding me? We’re all going to be out of a job. Jen: Well, I mean, and that’s the thing, like, maybe you’re not supposed to serve forever. Like, I just feel like those tough decisions are a part of a job of being elected, and one of my concerns of this control board is that those families, they can’t petition to this board. There is no voice for the Puerto Ricans where the governor doesn’t have a vote. I guess I’d feel more comfortable with it if I thought that those families could petition to their governor, and it would be one vote at the table that would have those political calculations in mind. But with these seven people that were selected by Congress, I mean, is there any concern that they’re going to prioritize the bankers over the Puerto Rican people? Luis: I think a lot of people are concerned about that. Cover Art Design by Only Child Imaginations

Vanessa Rodriguez, advanced doctoral student and author of the book, "The Teaching Brain,” examines the intersection of education, neuroscience, and everyday experience

My interview with Vanessa Rodriguez aka Vanessa Runs.