History Literature / OlgaDiesDreaming

* {{Colorism}}: In one of Blanca's earlier letters, she bluntly states that the majority-white Ivy League school Olga attended only tolerated her because she is "light-skinned and pretty, and speaks in a way that doesn't offend white skin".

* ButNotTooBlack: In one of Blanca's letters, she points out that the college Olga attended was only content to have her as part of their diversity quota because of her ability to pass for white.

* ButNotTooBlack: In one of Blanca's letters, she points out that the college Olga attended was content to have her for their diversity quota because of her ability to pass for white.

** Olga takes a path (an Ivy League education, her wedding planning business) that her mother disapproves but feels hollow. When her mother approaches her [[spoiler: to get Dick to sell her organization a large number of solar panels, she jumps at the chance.]]

%%** Shortly after the Hurricane, Olga is discussing wedding planning on a morning show. It all goes well until a co-host brings up "those poor people down in Puerto Rico" and the other one, remembering Olga is of Puerto Rican ancestry, asks about her family. Upset that such a tragedy is being tied to such a superficial show, Olga is BrutallyHonest about her frustration that Puerto Rico's needs are being ignored, how children are drinking from puddles and hospitals are running out of fuel for their generators and how it all benefits private interests. She ends by addressing the president directly and wishing him to be haunted by the ghosts of those dead from the hurricane.

* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: On her mother's command, Olga [[spoiler:visits Dick (with whom she'd broken up) for dinner with a business proposition: to arrange the sale of a few millions' worth in solar panels to her mother’s organization. When he realizes that she is seeing Matteo and that she is not interested in reuniting with him, he slaps her and rapes her.]] This sends Olga into a DespairEventHorizon.

WhyCantIHateYou

* IHaveNoSon: Blanca had been proud of Pietro until he voted for the PROMESA legislation and canceled a hearing to audit it. When they get the opportunity to meet in Puerto Rico after decades apart, he wants to show her pictures of his daughter. She is only interested in discussing her work helping the people of Puerto Rico. She tells he is weak in character like his father when it comes to doing what is needed and ''commands'' him never to come back to Puerto Rico. She says all this before ordering armed members of LaResistance to escort him to the airport. When she tries to hug him, he pushes her away.

* IHaveNoSon: Blanca had been proud of Pietro until he voted for the PROMESA legislation and canceled a hearing to audit it. When they get the opportunity to meet in Puerto Rico after decades apart, he wants to show her pictures of his daughter. She is only interested in discussing her work helping the people of Puerto Rico. She tells he is weak in character like his father when it comes to doing what is needed and ''commands'' him never to come back to Puerto Rico. She says them before ordering armed members of LaResistance to escort him to the airport. When she tries to hug him, he pushes back.

* TheMafiya: Olga gets involved with them, starting by simply planning a wedding for a rich Russians
family. They provide her with [[FellOffTheBackOfATruck champagne for her to resell]]. She moves on to ordering extra supplies for a client, then reselling that to another. Igor eventually offers her the opportunity to do money laundering. She declines [[spoiler:at first but after she loses almost all her clients after her rant on TV, she ends up taking him up on his offer]]

* CondescendingCompassion: Dick starts out being offended by Olga's rant in the morning show, since she had made plenty money off of him. But after he learns more from her background ("being raised and then abandoned by a radical lunatic", losing her father to AIDS), he starts admiring her more— and even her brother. It actually makes him feel patriotic, like the American dream could happen. He remains oblivious to all her trauma and in the end, his goodwill toward her doesn't last.

* TheMafiya: Olga gets involved with them, starting by simply planning a wedding for a rich Russian family. They provide her with [[FellOffTheBackOfATruck champagne for her to resell]]. She moved on to ordering extra supplies for a client, then reselling that to another. Igor eventually offers her the opportunity to do money laundering. She declines [[spoiler:at first but after she loses almost all her clients after her rant on TV, she ends up taking him up on his offer]]
* [[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou Mami Had A Good Reason For Abandoning You]] Blanca, Olga and Pedro's mom, left when Olga was 13 and he was 16 to kill work on her "causes". She was affiliated to the Young Lords and when that organization dissolved, she ended joining Los Macheteros ("The Machete Wielders"). Prieto has ''some'' idea of his mother Blanca's location. For the sake of PlausibleDeniability, Olga does not ask her brother.

%%*WhyCantIHateYou

* VillainousGentrification: What happens to the neighborhood Prieto represents as councilman. He tries to preserve his neighborhood, but the Selby brothers threaten to [[ClosetGay out him]] him to ensure they are not stopped.

** For Prieto, Olga hits it when she tells him about Jan, who was HIV-positive, killing himself and his partner Christian needing a place. She shares the tale about how half of Jan's family didn't "know" about him being gay (meaning they knew but did not talk about it).

%%* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist:

* TheMafiya: Olga gets involved with them, starting by simply planning a wedding for a rich Russian family. They provide her with [[FellOffTheBackOfATruck champagne for her to resell]]. She moved on to ordering extra supplies for a client, then reselling that to another. Igor eventually offers her the opportunity to do MoneyLaundering. She declines [[spoiler:at first but after she loses almost all her clients after her rant on TV, she ends up taking him up on his offer]]

* TheMafiya: Olga gets involved with them. It all starts at a very low level, just planning a wedding for a rich Russian family. It’s where she learns a few shady business practices. Igor eventually offers her the opportunity to do money laundering. She declines [[spoiler:at first but after she loses almost all her clients, she ends up taking him up on his offer]]

* TheMafiya: Olga gets involved with them. It all starts at a very low level but Igor eventually offers her the opportunity to do money laundering. She declines [[spoiler:at first but after she loses almost all her clients, she ends up taking him up on his offer]]