BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Marc Anthony's "Preciosa" blasted from the speakers as Lin-Manuel Miranda sang along, posing for photos underneath the Puerto Rican flag.
The "Hamilton" creator and Puerto Rican star attended a campaign party in support of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday in Bethlehem.
He was introduced by Harris' sister, Maya Harris, and his father, activist and strategist Luis Miranda. Jr.
The party, held at the Puerto Rican Beneficial Society on East Third Street, was organized in coordination with the Latino Victory Fund, a nonprofit organization and political action committee.
An estimated 600,000 Latinos live in Pennsylvania and more than 400,000 of them are Puerto Rican.
The Lehigh Valley has one of the largest Puerto Rican populations in the state.
Maya Harris, who campaigned earlier in the day with the Mirandas, addressed a policy proposal focused on Puerto Rico that was detailed by Kamala Harris on Monday.
"I know as president she will invest in Puerto Rico ... in education, in entrepreneurship, in an energy infrastructure so people can have reliable access to electricity," Maya Harris said. "Kamala knows that Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans deserve better. She will fight for that."
'They are terrified'
Wednesday's rally comes on the heels of comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's remark Sunday that Puerto Rico is a "floating island of garbage." He said that from the stage Sunday at former President Donald Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden.
"They made fun of everybody that night at the rally that I'm ashamed to say happened in New York City," Lin-Manuel Miranda told the crowd of about 200 Harris supporters. Lin-Manuel Miranda told the crowd of about 200 Harris supporters. "Muslims, Latinos — they are equal-opportunity offenders."
"The only joke they distanced themselves officially as a campaign was the Puerto Rico joke. Why? Because y'all have power. They are terrified."
Hinchcliffe's comment sparked outrage and led to protests by Latino leaders in the community who protested at Trump's rally in Allentown on Tuesday.
Lin-Manuel Miranda commented on the former Trump administration's treatment of Puerto Ricans after Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. The devastation from those storms led to more than 3,000 deaths on the island.
"Here's what the Trump defenders will say, 'He didn't tell the joke,'" Miranda said. "He gave that comedian that platform and it's not about the joke. It's a reminder of how Trump treated us in our darkest days.
"We didn't know if our family was alive or dead or underwater without electricity.
"[Trump] withheld Congress-approved aid to help our people and when he got criticized for that, he said, 'It's not my fault. They just want everything done for themselves.' We remember this and that little joke helped us remember this."
Artists stand up for Puerto Rico
Lin-Manuel Miranda joins fellow Puerto Rican artists Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, who condemned the comments and showed support for Harris this week.
Lopez is expected to speak at a campaign rally with Mexican group Maná for Harris in Las Vegas on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Reggaeton star Nicky Jam, who previously endorsed Trump, withdrew his support on Wednesday following the backlash of Trump's New York City rally.
