Being a CubaRican (Cuban and Puerto Rican) comes with double the amazing food, culture, language, and fierceness, but there are some things CubaRicans are tired of hearing from fellow Latinx and Non-Latinx that drives us bananas! Here are some things we CubaRicans want you to know we’re tired of hearing of.

1) What’s a CubaRican? 

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Okay, this one we let slide more often because people generally don’t hear the word “CubaRican” often. But it is annoying when it’s asked over and over even after we explain it. Look at the context clues of the name, it’s got Cuba and Rican…but what’s worse is when you explain it everyone goes “Why can’t you just say Cuban and Puerto Rican”. Because that’s too long and CubaRican is cute! Let us have this! 

2) How are your parents still married? 

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I’m not sure if it’s still like this today for CubaRicans, but growing up I learned that Cubans and Puerto Ricans generally didn’t like each other so when people found out I’m a mix they would ask if my parents were still married. Seriously, who asks that? It’s so rude, don’t be asking people that no matter what stereotype you hear about a person’s mix. And for the record, yes my parents are and it’s gross just how much in love they are. 

3) You don’t sound Puerto Rican or Cuban 

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I get it, when we speak Spanish it can get confusing for you. We don’t sound fully Cuban or Puerto Rican with our accent. But that doesn’t make us any less of what we are, we just have a beautiful and unique accent of our own. Tu sabes? 

4) Do you feel more Cuban or Puerto Rican? 

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Um…no? Some of us, like me for example, grew up in a more Cuban household but that doesn’t mean I feel less Puerto Rican. It just meant where I grew up I was around more of that side of the family but when vacations came, I was constantly surrounded by my Borikén!  But like many of us, I feel just as much Cuban as I do Puerto Rican. 

5) Why do the flags look the same? 

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I’m sure there’s an actual answer as to why the flags look alike but I honestly never have an answer to this one. This question is usually the second thing asked to CubaRicans and it’s annoying. Google it okay, or just accept you may not get an answer and admire our pretty flags with all the confusion that comes with it. 

6) CubaRicans are so sexy 

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This isn’t a compliment, it’s fetishizing. Don’t do this, don’t pass go, don’t collect the dinero. You will not get a date, just leave. Goodbye. 

7) You say weird words in Spanish  

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The Caribbean has some creative words and honestly, it’s what makes being CubaRican great. But like can you stop telling us we sound weird for our words? Spanish isn’t the same in every country and because we’re mixed, we take words from both islands and use them together. You may not be familiar with all of our words but instead of calling it weird, just ask what it means and we’ll be happy to explain! 

8) Are you parents US citizens? 

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First off, don’t be asking anyone this. It’s none of your business of someone’s status. People tend to ask CubaRicans this a lot because of their misunderstandings about how older Cubans came to the US and the fact that stateside born Americans still don’t understand that Puerto Ricans are US Citizens. Regardless though, stop asking people this. It’s rude and none of your business. 

9) Don’t Cubans and Puerto Rican make the same food? 

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While Cuba and Puerto Rico share similar ingredients like plátano, coco, and arroz. And dishes that are prepared different but have the same ingredients like fufu and mofongo…we don’t make the same food! Both islands have dishes that are creative and specific like ropa vieja for Cuba and tembleque for Puerto Rico. Don’t be fooled, and also eat the food in front of you because it’s all delicious. 

10) Wait, I thought you were Puerto Rican or Cuban? 

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We’re both! You’d be surprised how many times people forget and when you remind them. Sometimes in passing they’ll tell a new friend to the group “Oh they’re Cuban” or “OH they’re Puerto Rican” and then you awakwrdly add I’m (which ever they forgot). It’s a lot. 

11) Is your family communist? 

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Y’all, just stop this. For a lot of CubaRicans, talking about certain things about that side of the family may be a sensitive subject. Not all Cubans are communist but also why are you bringing up politics when meeting us? There are better things to talk about than focusing on the one specific detail of half of our culture. 

12) I bet you go to Cuba and Puerto Rico all the time. 

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WE FREAKING WISH. Flying to both islands can be expensive and for a lot of us, Puerto Rico has been a sensitive place for us considering all the murder and injustice committed to our isla thanks to the US Government. Also many Cubans like myself, we’re not allowed to visit Cuba because of how our family left the island. No no, we don’t go all the time, but we’d love to if we could. 

13)  You must be amazing at dancing with your mix 

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So not all Latinx can dance nor do they have to be amazing at it. That’s a harmful stereotype we project onto Latinidad. But we will take credit that our islands have been your source of bomb styles of dance all thanks to the Afro-Cubans and Afro-Puerto Ricans living on the island. 

14) Why do you speak so fast? 

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In a CubaRican home, if you don’t get to the point quickly you won’t be heard. So from birth, we’re taught to speak fast okay? Either keep up or get left behind, we got a lot to say! 

15) If you marry a Cuban or Puerto Rican, won’t your kids be less of the other 

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Ugh, why are you so worried about our kid’s mix? It doesn’t matter percentage wise what they’ll be more of. They’ll always be 100% Cuban and 100% Puerto Rican because we will raise them the same way we were. Learning and loving both their islands and culture, so stop worrying. 

16) Do you only listen to Celia Cruz and Marc Anthony? 

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Nothing’s going to stop a CubaRican from listening and dancing to the two icons of our islands but come on! Our islands offer so many other great artists like La India, La Lupe, Tito Puente, and Gloria Estefan just to name a few. But…I mean there is some truth though we do listen to a lot of Celia and Marc, stop asking us! 

17) I thought you were Puerto Rican, how come you had a quinceanera? 

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Okay, while there may be some Puerto Ricans who have quinceaneras, it’s not common for the island and at least that side of my family doesn’t do it either. But did you forget we’re half Cuban? Cubans do quinceaneras, and they do it big! Come on meng, remember we got two cultures here! 

18) CubaRicans are the ultimate cr*zy 

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Ah, another harmful stereotype but also extremely ableist. I’m not sure why people have this assumption that Caribbean people are cr*zy but if you think this stop. By saying these things you’re not only harming and invalidating Latinas for expressing themselves based on your patriarchal views, but you’re also harming Disabled Latinx by insinuating disability/mental illness is bad. 

19)  Which island do you like more? 

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To continue off from number 12 on this list, many CubaRicans haven’t been to their islands. But for those that have, how can you even ask which do we like more? CubaRicans experience double diaspora for this homelands and it’s hurtful when you’re asking us to pick one over the other. 

20)  Why are the flags trying to copy the US? 

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This will be the last time I ever answer this question, Cuba and Puerto Rico are not coping the United States flag! I’m not sure why all the flags look similar but CubaRicans know we’re not coping and we’re tired of you asking!

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