Hey, what next listeners, Mary here. And I want to introduce you to one of my other favorite

podcasts, Code Switch. It's hosted by Gene Denby and Shereen Marisal Maragi. And it's produced by a whole

wonderful group of folks over at NPR. On Code Switch, you can hear some of the best stories and

conversations about race just about anywhere. And on today's bonus episode,

you're going to hear a fascinating story about a pretty simple question, what is your race?

We've talked a lot about the census here at what next, how it can be used to affect legislation,

who represents you. But today, Jean and Shereen, with the help of reporter Adrian Florido,

they're going to talk about what happened when Puerto Ricans were asked for the first time on

their census form. What's your race? The answer reveals a lot about the island's relationship with

the U.S. and, of course, our identities. Here's Gene, Shireen, and Adrian to tell you the story. And don't forget to subscribe to Code Switch, wherever you listen. I'm Gene Demby. I'm Shireen Marisol Maragi, and this is Code Switch. From NPR. And we're here with our colleague, Adrian Florido, who's now working full-time for NPR's National Desk. But, I mean, he just't stay away. I mean, you know. Because he loves us. What's not to love? Hey, you too. I miss you. I miss you every day. We miss you too. But you're here and you wanted to start this off with music. Yeah, a song by Ruth Fernandez, who was a famous Afro-Po-Poter Rican singer, the soul of Puerto Rico,

they called her. And the lyrics are from a famous poem, written in the voice of a black

Puerto Rican talking to a white Puerto Rican.

She says, yesterday you called an answer She said,

Yesterday you called me black. But today she says, I've got an answer for you. Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

She says, my mom, my mother, she sits in the living room.

Mm. Hmm. But what about your grandmother? Where is she? And the implication here in this song is that this white guy has his grandmother hidden away.

And she's hidden away because she'll give away the family secret.

So what's the family secret that the white Puerto Rican dude's grandmother is actually not a white

person? Right, that she's, that she's black.

And the lyrics are pretty famous in Puerto Rico, because they get at something that isn't, you know, talked about very much on the island.

Racism.

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