First-to-Market Trade Title: No existing general-interest trade book makes a sustained, accessible case for Puerto Rican independence

Breakout Author: Alberto Medina is ideally positioned for a standout debut. His writing has appeared in The New Republic, The Hill, and Current Affairs, and his Substack, Free Puerto Rico, is already aligned with the book's core argument and title, as well as his dedicated Instagram presence: @free.puerto.rico

Broad, Engaged, and Growing Audience: With approximately 5.8 million Puerto Ricans in the U.S. diaspora, the book speaks directly to a substantial built-in readership.

Topic: Decolonization has gained traction in mainstream discourse, with high-profile figures?including global popstar Bad Bunny?bringing pro-independence messaging into global cultural spaces. Support for independence has surged, with the Puerto Rican Independence Party reaching 31% in 2024

Built-In Platform: Medina is the president of the Board of Directors for Boricuas Unidos en la Diáspora, an organization of Puerto Ricans in the continental United States who educate and organize for decolonization, with 35K+ followers, such as Dean Huertas and Bianca Graulau

Events & Institutional Network: Medina's connections include the Puerto Rican Cultural Center (Chicago), El Taller Puertorriqueño (and the Julia de Burgos Bookstore in Philadelphia), the Free Library of Philadelphia, and the Mark Twain House & Museum (Hartford, CT)