it was a kind of puerto rican town. >> it was home. i mean, i think i would even go futher.think it meant home, and as we were saying earlier, el museo in its growth, then now, on this corner-- fifth avenue, 104th street-- it's the best of both words. it's really the integration of the highest museum concentration in the world of the best quality of the museums going from the met, the guggenheim, the jewish museum, the design museum, the cooper-hewitt. you know, you have all of those museums lined up, and so now, the city museum of new york, which is our neighbor, and then el museo del barrio has a home from which to really propel our culture. >> hinojosa: but the truth is is that there was a long time, once el museo kind of gets off and running, that el museo del barrio was kind of seen as, you know, as that kind of arts institution up there in spanish harlem. it was not necessarily taken seriously as a true, artisic museum, per se. i mean, what... there was that kind of feeling towards el museo del barrio, right? i mean, kind of like second... second-class citizen? >> well

>> you know ray, i want to talk to you, though, about growing up in new york as a puerto rican.it's hard to say, but you know that many people across the country, who don't know about puerto ricans, still, in this day and age, think puerto ricans, think bad things. >> oh, yeah, negative associations. >> negative things. >> sure. >> and you were growing up in bensonhurst, which, at that point, was an all-white neighborhood. you were feeling this racism. you said you were the only puerto rican family in your neighborhood. >> mm-hmm. >> and your mom actually went to rent the apartment, because she was light-skinned, and figured that they would rent to her. >> mm-hmm. >> so what was that racism like for you as a kid? >> it was something that you... always caught you up short, because you couldn't believe it. here you are, you think of yourself as a saltwater fish swimming in salt water. so until something happens that sort of shakes you out of your reverie, you think, "well, i belong here just as much as any other person belongs here." and then something would happen to single you o

you're the first puerto rican to be nominated for an oscar as a screenwriter. did the calls just suddenly start... >> they did, yeah. >> hinojosa: they did. >> yeah, yeah, yeah. >> hinojosa: so it really does happen? >> oh, yes. >> hinojosa: like, the next day? >> oh, yes, it was madness. actually, in a way it started a little bit before. it started after sundance. it was such a success at sundance. >> hinojosa: and i was at sundance that year. >> really? did you go? >> hinojosa: i couldn't... are you kidding? i was reporting at that time for cnn, so i was live all the time, but i actually had heard about the film-- it was the big buzz. you know, and people think that somehow, this is all very easy, but at sundance, you guys were kind of hanging by pins and needles. >> oh, yeah. >> hinojosa: you didn't know. >> we didn't know what was going to happen, uh-uh. >> hinojosa: your film could have been rejected and... >> yeah. >> hinojosa: ...quashed, and... >> exactly. no, but it sold that night, you know, to focus, and yeah, the calls came in. you know, i did a job

this week, the puerto rican legislator, the -- debated a resolution ofsen sure, yes,sen sure, condemning me for speaking out against the very abuses, a leading member of the ruling party said gutierrez wasn't born in puerto rico, his kids weren't born in puerto rico, he doesn't plan to die and be buried in puerto rico so he doesn't have the right to speak out about puerto rico. if you see injustice anywhere, it is not only your right but your duty to speak about it. we don't speak about injustice or apartheid or human rights abuses or the denial of rights of women around the world because we ourselveses were born there. that would be silly. where we see injustice we speak out because it is the right thing to do ironically, by questioning my right to speak out on maff of free speech they have made my point crystal clear. by challenging my free speech they have amplified the words of my five minute speech more than if i had spoken for five hours. it is their right, my critics have the right of free speech even as they have toe -- they have denied the same right to others but i want them to

>> he is poor regan -- he is puerto rican and really wanted to go back. i am very committed to my work here. we worked things out. >> how often do you go to puerto rico? >> every month. it is 3 hours and 15 minutes. jetblue is new york's hometown airline so that goes well. >> how did the responsibility for the fed in puerto rico get under the new york fed? >> not really because it is this same region for huhd and -- hud and epa. puerto rico is part of the new york region. i think it is are sixth bureau. >> it seems to me there are 800 different languages spoken in new york city. >> i would think so. it means everybody can come here and feel at home. there is always somebody that speaks your language. >> it is the largest single african-american community, and there is something like one quarter of the south asians who live here. >> could be. >> if you were to go visit your mayor in new york city and said what can i do for you? what is the number-one thing you would ask for? >> that is a good question. >> a few years ago i would have served their -- said se

. >> there are a lot of puerto ricans that live here. >> yes. >> and and i think i read there are hundred of languages in new york city? >> yes, and everyone can feel at home, someone who speaks your language. >> it's the largest speaking jewish community in the united states, and something like a quarter of the south asians in the united states live here. >> that should be right. >> if you were to go -- let's take it in threes. if you were to go visit your mayor in new york city mayor bloomberg today, and he said, kathryn wylde what can i do for you, what would you say? >> that's a good question. well, a few years ago i would say serve a third term. but he's doing that with our support. i guess it is to -- well, what i would ask the mayor is how we can help him finish off the work he started with school reform. with sustainability and making this a green community. and with making us a center of research and technology as the economy i described. the mayor has undertaken and large game-changing initiatives for new york city. and it's hard to get it done. takes time. and you know it's tur