IndexThe Value of Family in Puerto Rican CultureThe Meaning of ReligionThe Role of Education, Relationships, and FoodWorks Cited:People of Puerto Rican descent living in the United States exhibit many of the cultural constructs prevalent in the their homeland. Whether it's family traditions, education, or religion, Puerto Rican Americans tend to pay homage to their culture in everyday life. In Sonia Sotomayor's memoir titled My Beloved World, she provides insight into what it's like to grow up in a Puerto Rican family. The values ​​and customs explained in the novel will be further explored along with other resources throughout this article. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Value of Family in Puerto Rican Culture One aspect of Puerto Rican culture of great importance is family. The family is a structural foundation that is integrated throughout the individual's life. According to scholar Derek Green (2019), “the Puerto Rican family structure is broad; It is based on the Spanish system of compadrazco (literally 'co-parenting') in which many members – not just parents and siblings – are considered part of the immediate family.” This type of family dynamic consists of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents within the immediate family. In addition to blood relatives, bonds with close friends are also highly valued and contribute to family life. The enormity and importance of family is expressed frequently throughout Sonia Sotomayor's novel. The members mentioned by Sonia are her Abuelita, Tio Benny, Nelson, Miram, Titi Gloria, Titi Maria, Titi Aurora, her mother, her brother Junior and many others. It is common for family members to live relatively close to each other, sometimes even in the same household. At one point in the novel, Sonia talks about when she moved to a new house with her brother and mother. As mentioned by Sotomayor (2016), several family members moved into the immediate area shortly after their move. Staying in touch with family members is a crucial act to show that you care about them. As stated by Maria De Lourdes Serpa (2005), professor at Lesley University, "telephone communications, as well as visits between families, are signs of care and are strongly encouraged and valued" (Puerto Rican Culture section, para. 2 ). . These traditions are exposed in Sotomayor's novel when she goes to college. During Sonia's first semester at Princeton University, her Abuelita sends her envelopes with dollar bills and her mother visits her on campus. While mail may be a variation of phone calls, it is still a method of communication that demonstrates affection. A relationship of the utmost importance in Puerto Rican culture is that between a mother and her children. In terms of mother-daughter relationships, they tend to be very close, caring and helpful towards each other. Patterns tend to emerge in how mothers treat their daughters and how they raise them. As described in the Ethnicity and Family Therapy journal, mothers raise their daughters to be polite, respectful, and hard-working. The mother tends to take care of the home so that her daughters can focus on their studies and succeed academically. This idea translates into the importance of education, which will be briefly discussed later in this article. Aside from the importance of family relationships, the structure of a family and the roles its members play is something significant within the culture. Throughout history, Puerto Rican families have been a patriarchal faction.This means that men are the breadwinners; in other words, they are the authority figure within a family. The significant gender roles in place originated from the Spanish and Western European cultures that became established during the conquest of Puerto Rico. In the past women had much less power. In the past, the commonly known social concept that women stayed in the kitchen and took care of children was the standard. However, this model of gender roles is changing. According to text provided in the journal Ethnicity and Family Therapy, women are gaining more power socially and economically, while men help more around the house. The Meaning of Religion A second cultural element that has a strong impact on the lives of Puerto Ricans is religion. In the words of scholar Derek Green (2019), “Roman Catholicism is the dominant religion” (Overview section, para. 2). The implementation of the Roman Catholic Church into Puerto Rican culture came when the Spanish colonized the island in the early 1500s. Since it was introduced to Puerto Rico, Catholicism has influenced beliefs, traditions, education, and social structure of the Puerto Rican people. The way Puerto Ricans practice their religion is influenced by the way it is practiced around the world, with some notable differences. According to Derek Green (2019), Puerto Rican religious practice is heavily influenced by the Passion of Christ, the Seven Sacraments, and religious literature. In terms of differences, Puerto Rican practice has less Irish influence than American practice. This means they do not have a built relationship with God. As stated in the magazine entitled Ethnicity and Family Therapy, “Puerto Ricans distrust the Catholic Church and the priest… they tend to personalize their relationship with God.” In other words, religious practices are less controlled by the Church and are directed by personal values ​​and beliefs. Often, religious affiliations expand beyond church services into the educational system. In the novel My Beloved World, Sonia Sotomayor acknowledges this notion when she talks about her Catholic school education. Sonia attended a Catholic institution until college. The role of education, relationships and food As in many cultures, education is a crucial part of an individual's life; Puerto Rico is no exception. Education is a foundation that ultimately leads to success in various aspects of life. As argued by scholars McGoldrick, Giordano, and Preto (2005), education opens doors to many opportunities, especially for those who come from low socioeconomic status. Therefore, education is highly valued in Puerto Rican culture. This concept is represented in Sonia Sotomayor's memoir My Beloved World when she talks about applying for and attending college. As stated by Sotomayor (2016), he came from a family that did not have much money. Despite financial difficulties, he excelled in school. Her academic success led to her admission to Princeton University. She was awarded a full scholarship, which helped her and her family tremendously. Attending Princeton opened endless windows of opportunity for Sonia. Ultimately, his education improved his life. An overarching topic that influences almost every aspect of the Puerto Rican lifestyle is cultural values. A value that is placed above everything is the connection with nature and spirituality. The importance of this idea is mentioned in the clinical text entitled Ethnicity and Family Therapy. The text says “this spiritual goal is, ideally, more valuable than material goods and social status” (McGoldrick, Giordano and Preto, 2005, p. 244). Puerto Ricans use their spirituality and, 66(3), 213-225.