“Pancho: Un Boricua en Oregon” is the story of Francisco López, a dedicated family man living in Oregon for close to 25 years. Francisco (commonly referred to as Pancho) was born and raised in the Caribbean, on the island of Puerto Rico. The film seeks to draw attention to a different yet equally important aspect of immigration in the U.S.: Puerto Rican identity and perspective. What drove Pancho to move all the way to Oregon is a story of love, learning, and family. This is not a story of peril and injustice, but merely a look into what crosses the mind of the individual Puerto Rican when confronted with the duality of their identity, and what it gives and takes.
My documentary is based upon the life and experiences of Gabriel Sanchez. Currently, (in 2013) Gabriel is an undergraduate student at the University of Oregon studying archaeology and anthropology. He is interested in indigenous archaeology, or the incorporation of indigenous forms of knowledge within the archaeological context. Gabriel's current research project is with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this project and to work with Gabriel to share his story