The Untold Story of a Puerto Rican Girl Who Never Felt American

In this episode of DOCE, Jocelyne Buller opens up about what it was like to leave Puerto Rico at age 12 and move to New Jersey in the late 70s. Born a U.S. citizen yet treated like an outsider, she shares the challenges of learning English, the discrimination her family faced, and how she eventually turned language into her life’s purpose as a Spanish teacher.We discuss what it truly means to be Puerto Rican in America, and the tension between identity and belonging. Jocelyne reflects on growing up bilingual at a time when speaking Spanish was frowned upon, how her parents taught her resilience and pride, and the ways she’s kept her Puerto Rican culture alive while raising a bicultural family in the U.S.Throughout the conversation, we pondered: When do you stop being an immigrant and start feeling like a citizen? Can you be Puerto Rican and American at the same time? And how do you hold on to your roots while learning to fit in?Jocelyne’s story reminds us that being bicultural isn’t about choosing sides, it’s about embracing both. At the end of the day, isn't that what the American dream is about, freedom?🎥 Watch the full episode and join the conversation on identity, immigration, and heritage.