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How Mississippi is Catching Up — and Puerto Rico Is Not

by Aug 3, 2017Bocaítos0 comments

A common fact brought up during discussions of Puerto Rico’s status, is how it compares to the poorest state in the union, Mississippi. The Puerto Rico Report took a look at how the two jurisdictions compare and it is clear Puerto Rico is lagging behind.

Puerto Rico and Mississippi share historic similarities. Both have been affected by hurricanes and war – Mississippi was the 5th most prosperous state before the Civil War. They were both are founded on an agricultural economy and have large minority populations. Today, they both face educational challenges. Puerto Rico, like Mississippi, tends to lose its college graduates to states (in Mississippi’s case, other states) on the mainland.

Mississippi continues to face challenges, but the state has made strides over the past four decades and Mississippi is catching up. The hardworking people of Mississippi have better days ahead.

Puerto Rico has not seen these improvements. The trend is, in fact, moving in the opposite direction, with Mississippi outpacing Puerto Rio. Could there also be better days ahead for Puerto Rico?

With no clear end in sight for the crisis in the US territory, many point to the status as one of the underlying reasons for the stagnation. Will Congress take notice?

About The Author

William-Jose Velez Gonzalez

William-José Vélez González is a native from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, and a graduate from Florida International University in biomedical engineering, engineering management, and international relations. A designer with a strong interest in science, policy, and innovation, he previously served as the national executive vice president of the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association. William-José lives in Washington, DC, where he works at the Children's National Research Institute and runs Opsin, a nonprofit design studio dedicated to making design more accessible. You can see him on Love is Blind as Lydia's brother. He is the founder and Editor in Chief of Pasquines.

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