Data Sovereignty for Puerto Rico: A Decolonial Feminist Proposal

• In Event: Data Ecologies, Colonialism, and Sovereignty in Puerto Rico

Abstract

Puerto Rico's data ecology, like its political and economic landscape, remains entangled in a colonial relationship with the United States. This manifesto argues for the urgent application of a data sovereignty framework to reclaim control over Puerto Rican data. Currently, data generated by and about Puerto Ricans is often extracted, analyzed, and utilized without their meaningful consent or benefit, perpetuating existing power imbalances and hindering self-determination. Drawing on decolonial feminist theory (Lugones 2003), we recognize data as a site of power, where colonial logics of extraction and control are reproduced. A data sovereignty framework, grounded in Indigenous and decolonial thought (Walter, 2016; Christensen, 2019), offers a pathway to disrupt these dynamics. This framework emphasizes community ownership and control of data, prioritizing local needs and knowledge. It calls for the establishment of data governance structures that are accountable to the Puerto Rican people, ensuring transparency, ethical data practices, and the protection of culturally sensitive information. Furthermore, it demands the development of local data infrastructure and expertise, fostering digital autonomy and resisting the continued exploitation of Puerto Rican resources. By centering the voices and experiences of Puerto Rican communities, particularly those most marginalized, this manifesto envisions a future where data empowers self-governance, social justice, and decolonial futures. This is not simply a technical issue, but a fundamental question of power, self-determination, and decolonization.

Authors

• Lorraine Torres Colon, University of California-Berkeley

• Michael Rodríguez-Muñiz, University of California, Berkeley