Transnational Barrios as a concept within Latin American and Latino studies explains the social construction of space, place, culture, traditions, and artistic symbolic meanings that are established beyond national boundaries by diverse Latina/o populations in communities of a hosting country.
Therefore Transnational Barrios are seen by scholars as critical spaces to celebrate and embrace cultural production, political mobilizations, ethnic identity and solidarity, and develop a sense of belonging within communities.
“Both historically and today, barrio formations are the result of specific plans and policies on the local, state, and federal levels that have resulted in high levels of racial segregation, substandard and limited housing stock, poor schooling, and severely circumscribed mobility.”[2] Scholars such as Gina M. Perez, Frank A. Guridy, and Adrian Burgos Jr. believe that one must use the transnational approach in Latin American and Latino Studies to create a framework that will better apprehend the diverse experiences of Latinas/os in multiple contexts.
The use of code switching between Spanish and English demonstrated the concern for the low income, poor experience of life in New York for Puerto Ricans, which strongly made visible the political motivation behind the poetry movement.
The transnational space created in the barrios of Manhattan’s Lower Eastside provide New York Puerto Ricans, or as they called themselves Nuyoricans, a chance to mobilize leftist ideals in their poetry, art performances and literature.