I am Latina but pass as White

[msrizzo]

62. Yeah we have a very different culture.

Puerto Rico, for example, has an Afro-Caribbean culture, stronger in some parts of the island than in others but pretty well infused throughout. But when I was growing up we were told that the Taino Indians were extinct. However, recent genetic and archeological research has shown that Tainos did not die off but were more likely assimilated into the culture and the typical DNA of modern Puerto Ricans contains about 15% Taino genes and includes genes from ancestors from South America. I believe that the Taino genes were strong on my father's side of the family, which my mother's side was probably an even split of European/African genes. The research of Carlos Bustamante lab at Stanford is delving into this and I would try to summarize it more but fear that I would get it wrong.