The Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association (PRSSA) Elects Its New Executive National Board

*PRESS RELEASE*

PRO-STATEHOOD STUDENTS ASSOCIATION ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP

NEW YORK, NY- The Puerto Rico Statehood Students Association (PRSSA) elected Sebastián Negrón Reichard as President of the organization for its 2015-2016 term.

PRSSA, founded in 1979 by former Governor Luis G. Fortuño and former Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock, has been known for its fierce defense of the cause for Puerto Rico’s statehood from a responsible, thoughtful, and inclusive point of view. In the most recent years, PRSSA supported the Estadistas Unidos movement and served as a sounding board for the association’s 30 chapters and 1,400 members.

Negrón Reichard is a student at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Carlos Robles Cruz, a student at Boston College, also joined the Executive National Board as Executive Vice President, while Kevin McClintock Batista, a student at Georgetown University, was elected Associate Vice President. Jesús Pérez Báez, student at the University of Pennsylvania, and Laira Torres Ruiz, student at Washington St. Louis University, were elected Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.

“I would like to thank the outgoing leadership of PRSSA for the hard-work and commitment. Moving forward, we are mainly focusing our efforts in three areas: the reorganization of the association’s main structure; incorporating the Estadistas Unidos (absentee ballot movement) franchise into our initiatives; and encouraging educational events about statehood targeted to university and high school students.”, said Negrón Reichard.

PRSSA is a student organization incorporated and recognized by the Department of State of Puerto Rico as a nonprofit organization. The organization is dedicated to promoting statehood for Puerto Rico in universities and through forums in the continental U.S. and PR.

PRSSA’s Support for Statehood at Today’s Discussion on Puerto Rico’s Status at the U.S. Congress

The Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, among other pro-statehood leaders, will defend statehood today at the Congressional hearing hosted by the House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Alaska Native Affairs. This hearing will give continuation to previous congressional discussions on Puerto Rico’s territorial status, especially the Puerto Rico Statehood Admission Process Act (H.R. 727). The bill was introduced by Congressman Pierluisi, and calls for a decisive “up or down” vote on statehood for Puerto Rico.

PRSSA’s new leadership vows to eradicate the current undemocratic political status of the island, and educate its members on statehood as a viable alternative to the people’s right to solving the island’s issues. PRSSA believes Congressman Pierluisi’s bill establishes the proper mechanisms to administer a successful status plebiscite, given its effectiveness in outlining the transition process the island would undertake if it were to become a state, and its efficacy in instructing Congress to act pursuant to Puerto Ricans’ right to self-determination. PRSSA, composed of aspiring young leaders, highly regards the values that founded our nation, and expects leaders in Congress to act upon our requests.

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Contact: Sebastián Negrón Reichard /