Graduation Year

2025

Date of Submission

12-2024

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Professor Char Miller

Reader 2

Architect Arezoo Mohebpour

Reader 3

Professor Sarah Sarzynski

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2024 Ivanna Morales Mercado

Abstract

Operation Bootstrap, launched in 1947, fundamentally altered Puerto Rico’s economy, just as much as its food culture. Prioritizing manufacturing over agriculture led to the collapse of the island’s farming sector, increasing reliance on food imports and leading to a rise in diet-related diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular issues. This thesis examines the legacies of Operation Bootstrap on Puerto Rico’s food system, health outcomes, and cultural identity by emphasizing the need to value intergenerational knowledge. The oral history research in this study highlights the importance of intergenerational knowledge in reclaiming sustainable agricultural practices and healthy, culturally significant diets. I suggest food sovereignty as a solution to creating a sustainable food system that preserves the Puerto Rican identity. To achieve food sovereignty, social innovation must play a significant role, especially by stressing the importance of a network of collaboration between smaller and larger organizations. By integrating grassroots initiatives with policy reform and intergenerational knowledge, Puerto Rico can build a healthy and resilient food system that promotes sustainability and public health through lifestyle medicine. This research contributes to the broader discourse on food systems transformation in post-industrialized regions.

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