A Man Who Simply Loves His Hometown

“First it is important that our fellow U.S. citizens know that the 3 million American citizens in Puerto Rico have different rights when they live in Puerto Rico than when they live in the continental U.S.”  Juan Pablo Gutiérrez-González, local owner of the strategic design and branding agency, Gutigon, said. There are more than 6 million Puerto Ricans living in the U.S. because Puerto Rico needs equality and to be the same as any state so that more opportunities can be available for all on the island.” 

Juan Pablo Gutiérrez-González; his last name representative of both his father and his mother, unlike the States where the tradition is to take solely the father’s last name, simply loves his island and wants more for it.

Gutiérrez-González is a strategic designer and owner of Gutigon, Corp., a design company focusing on research, problem solving, innovation and decision making for brands, products and public policy since 2009. He presides the Local Workforce Development Board, a group of community leaders appointed by the Mayor of San Juan and charged with planning and oversight responsibilities for workforce programs and services for San Juan.

 But more than that, he’s just a man who loves the place he was born in.

Gutiérrez-González grew up on the West side of the island, in the city of Mayagüez with his mom, grandma and his brother. His mother and grandmother worked at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and he credits them for exposing him to diverse experiences that  ultimately helped mold him.

Witnessing the economic challenges his hometown faced, he was inspired to pursue his entrepreneurial dream.

“Bad political leadership” in Mayagüez taught him that “those who don’t get involved in politics are governed by those who do.” That is the lesson that shapes his current mindset and business vision.

He states that “the less citizens care, the more politicians control”.

Something every citizen in Puerto Rico was forced to care about was the devastation cause by a natural disaster, a category five Hurricane Maria that hit the US territory of Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017 with winds of up to 174 mph. It directly and indirectly killed over 3,000 people and is the third-costliest tropical cyclone in U.S. History and the costliest for Puerto Rico.

However, Gutiérrez-González had no time to think about one of the biggest hurricanes to ever strike.

 All he could think about was the news he got the day before the hurricane struck.

He and his wife found out that she was having a miscarriage.

Losing a house meant nothing to him; losing a car, a TV, a bed meant nothing to him. But losing his baby meant everything.

Instead of getting swept up by the hurricane of life, Gutiérrez-González decided to travel to the eye of the storm, the calmest part.

He realized that he could have lost everything, but not his family.

He said most people run from disaster, failing to realize that the calmest part is always in the center.

He used this time to become even more connected with his wife and son.

But something that he never lost was his love for Puerto Rico.

Statehood is a huge debate discussed in Puerto Rico and in national politics. Gutiérrez-González said that Puerto Rico only has two choices: independence or statehood.

“I strongly believe that statehood is the best opportunity for Puerto Rico to reach its full potential and enjoy equality,” Gutiérrez-González said. “The people that want independence in Puerto Rico look for examples from the regimes in South America like Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua; the pro-independence are now cheering failed regimes.

“I don’t want Puerto Rico to be what those who support independence hope for the island,” he continued. “I support statehood and equality, I want Puerto Rico to continue developing and growing and having all the rights and benefits but most importantly, the opportunity that everyone in the mainland have. I want to preserve democracy in Puerto Rico, that is very important.”

When it comes to the controversial topic of Puerto Rican gentrification, Gutiérrez-González believes having investors like the “American crypto-gentrifiers,” is a way for the island to prosper.

“They are investing, I don’t believe they affect the island in a bad way, some are creating jobs and opportunities for others and bringing new business to the island,” Gutiérrez-González said.  “On the topic of ‘gentrification’, we cannot blame the investors, it’s been widely reported that house prices have been going up for the last few years everywhere in the nation.”

Gutiérrez-González is Puerto Rican, but makes it clear that Puerto Ricans are Americans. He called the U.S. a melting pot of cultures where every Latino group from different countries continuing to honor their customs.

“Puerto Ricans are Americans by birth. We speak Spanish, English and mostly Spanglish,” Gutiérrez-González said. “Puerto Ricans move freely throughout the nation, that’s why there are more people living in the States than in the territory. Once a person born in Puerto Rico moves to any state they have the full rights and benefits of U.S. Citizenship, including voting rights for the President and Congress.”

He highlighted Puerto Rico’s contribution to the U.S. military.

“Puerto Ricans are Americans, they have served in every war alongside the U.S. since before World War I,” Gutiérrez-González continued. “Puerto Ricans have served in the military proudly and with distinction. Puerto Rico has had U.S. citizenship for 105 years now, it has been proved that 99% of Puerto Ricans treasure and protect their U.S. Citizenship; isn’t that being American? We are both, Puerto Rican and Americans. Ask someone from Texas where they’re from, and they will say they are from Texas. The same goes for Californians, or from the newer states Hawaiians or Alaskans; we are proudly both Puerto Ricans and Americans.”