A dozen years of the context of islands

Twelve years ago today, Pasquines began with a mission: to make sense of the United States territories through contextual, nuanced journalism. Since then, we’ve chronicled the moments that have shaped the past, reflected the present, and hinted at the future for Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Today, as we celebrate our 12th anniversary, we’re marking the occasion by launching the Context of Islands Podcast—an audio companion to the work we’ve done since day one. Our first episode, The context of how Puerto Rico is not an island, reimagines one of our cornerstone articles and begins where so many stories do: with misconceptions. We set the tone for a series that will tick through time, telling layered stories of place, people, and policy like the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus Roosevelt Tower.

We’ve always believed that covering the territories requires both depth and care. It’s why our reporting has spanned everything from infrastructure to institutions, including our post on the Dulce Nombre de María Cathedral Basilica in Guam, a historic symbol of continuity, culture, and colonial legacy.

Our #TBT series has become another way we celebrate context—and today, it features a nod to the Eliza-James-McBean Clock Tower & Boardwalk in the US Virgin Islands, a landmark whose quiet presence speaks to the heartbeat of local life in Charlotte Amalie.

But we’re not just looking back. This year, we’re launching Terristories, a documentary-style project that follows five residents across the territories in a real-time portrait of daily life. Through this initiative, we’ll uncover new stories—like the role of religion in the communal fabric of American Samoa, or the significance of faith spaces such as the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in the Northern Mariana Islands. These projects are only possible with your support, which, as always, is tax-deductible.

Each of these structures—the cathedrals, towers, and public spaces—contains a clock. A symbol of passage, of continuity, of rhythm, with a dozen markers. And so it felt fitting to use them to mark this milestone of a dozen years of context.

Twelve years of Pasquines means twelve years of stories you won’t find anywhere else. Thank you for being part of this journey through the context of islands. The clock is still ticking—and we’re just getting started.