Proyecto Estrella

Proyecto Estrella is an organization based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that promotes education on the political status of Puerto Rico and supports statehood for the U.S. territory. The organization has played active roles during and after the 2012 and the 2020 status referenda.

2012 Status Referendum

Following H.R. 2499's adoption in 2009, former leaders of the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association José A. Cabrera and Javier Aguilú launched the Star Project in 2010 to advocate statehood for Puerto Rico. The initiative would emohasize education on the political status issue and the merits of statehood through social media and live training events throughout Puerto Rico's townships and universities.[1] PlebiscitoPR, a collateral initiative of the Star Project led by Aguilú, promoted citizens’ awareness of the plebiscite and voter participation.[2][3]

The Star Project advocated for statehood ahead of the 2012 Puerto Rican status referendum, holding training events in San Juan, Las Piedras, Vieques, the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao, and the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón. For these endeavors, the organization joined a coalition of advocacy groups, including the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association, the Young Democrats of Puerto Rico, Igualdad Futuro Seguro, the Young Republican Federation of Puerto Rico, and Boricua Ahora Es. A majority of voters (54%) rejected Puerto Rico's current territorial status and another majority (61%) chose statehood.

Post referendum

Following the plebiscite, the Star Project joined Boricua Ahora Es to promote awareness of statehood's victory[4] and to promote the occurrence of a congressionally-sanctioned status plebiscite, including the Taking of Congress.[5] [6] [7] Afterward, the 2014 budget bill included $2.5 million in funding for a future vote in Puerto Rico's political status.[8][9]

In 2013, the Star Project and the Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association joined together to commemorate the birthday of Puerto Rican statesman Dr. José Celso Barbosa, the founder of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican statehood movement, with an event held at Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery in Old San Juan. The event gained prominence because it featured the only joint appearance by Congressman Pedro Pierluisi and Boricua Ahora Es leader and statehood activist Ricardo Rosselló, who were then rivals for the 2016 New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico gubernatorial nomination.[10]

2020 statehood referendum

Following the 2020 Puerto Rican status referendum, the Star Project joined 15 other pro-statehood organizations in forming a citizens' coalition requesting action from President Joe Biden and Congress.[11][12][13] The organization also began publishing opinion pieces in regional[14][15][16][17] and specialized[18] media outlets in the U.S. mainland to create awareness about the results of the referendum.[19] [20]

References
  1. "Jovenes comienzan jornada por la estadidad – Telemundo". Telemundopr.com. 2015-08-15. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  2. "Lanzan nueva pagina web sobre el plebiscito – Noticel". Noticel.com. 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  3. "Jóvenes impulsan en web la estadidad para Puerto Rico – El Diario New York". eldiariony.com. 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  4. "Estadistas exigen respeto al plebiscito". WAPA TV (NotiCentro). November 9, 2012.
  5. "Estadistas se preparan ante plebiscito federal – Presencia". Presencia.pr. 2013-04-13. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  6. "Al Jazeera Americas The Stream to Cover Puerto Rico Status - Pasquines". pasquines.us. 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  7. "Should Puerto Rico become the 51st state? – Al Jazeera America (The Stream)". america.aljazeera.com. 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  8. "U.S. approves funds for referendum on Puerto Rico's status". 2014-01-16. Archived from the original on 2014-01-20. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  9. "Make room for 51st star? Spending bill includes $2.5 million for vote on Puerto RIco statehood". 2014-01-22. Retrieved 2020-09-05.
  10. "Statehooders Celebrate Barbosa's Birthday – Pasquines". pasquines.us. 2013-07-30. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  11. "Puerto Rico Organizations Write Washington". PR51st.com. December 17, 2020.
  12. "Organizaciones estadistas reclaman igualdad al Congreso de Estados Unidos". Villalba Online. December 22, 2020.
  13. "Letter to President-Elect Joe Biden from Puerto Rican Organizations". Puerto Rico Report. January 11, 2021.
  14. "Puerto Rico's Politics are Complicated, and Not Dominated by One Party". Orlando Sentinel. December 31, 2020.
  15. "Florida Should Support Statehood for Puerto Rico". Tampa Bay Times. December 17, 2020.
  16. "In statehood search, Puerto Rico should learn from Hawaii". Honolulu Star Advertiser. January 4, 2021.
  17. "Puerto Ricans Just Issued their Mandate for Statehood". Cleveland Plain Dealer. December 2, 2020.
  18. "The Way Forward for the Puerto Rico Statehood Movement". Latino Rebels. December 23, 2020.
  19. "Delegation for 12.18.20: Relief deal? — Russian hack — anti-Semitism — wetlands — Georgia". Florida Politics. December 18, 2020.
  20. "Puerto Rico Can Learn from Hawaii". Puerto Rico Report. January 13, 2021.
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