A decade ago I designed this stained glass family coat-of-arms to represent our mixed heritage: Cuba and the American South. It proudly hangs in our living room, providing a welcome – bienvenida – to all who visit ut.
It measures 32” x 34”. It is my design, but the actual stained glass was constructed by the artist Debbie Russell from Fulton, MD., who also provided indispensable design advice.
The piece combines the beauty and grace of our homeland, Cuba; and the serenity and majesty of the American South.
The piece intewinds the palm trees and pine trees; the mango and the magnolia; and, oh the colorful Appalachian mountains and crystal white sand and blue waters of the Cuban beaches.
There’s also that smallest of all birds, the powerful zun-zun; the sun setting (or rising?); and the hat and cigar waiting to be picked up, reclaimed, whatever – just don’t let it smother out lest hope can not be re-ignited.
Two amazing heritages, full of zest and zeal; damaged – not broken – by historical mistakes; with a people from which our familia cometh, and a people that fed us and formed us.
And so we live on. Fighting on. Protesting on. Dreaming on. As if looking through a stained glass.
Letter asking our elected officials for solidarity with Cubans in Cuba
Reemberto Rodriguez (July 20, 2021)
Dear {elected official}
Please consider making a statement about Cuba. Soon. Time is of essence.
The Cuban people in Cuba are crying out, demonstrating, and protesting for the most basic of rights: The right to peacefully gather and express their grievances without repercussion. Ultimately, it is truly that simple.
I know similar incidents are happening in many places throughout the world. Yet Cuba is by far the closest country to the U.S. where unrest have erupted recently. Cuba also has a uniquely complex historical and current ties with the U.S. We can not simply look away. Cuba’s problems are very much ‘in your face’ in the U.S.’s political and popular culture.
Today what is going on in Cuba is really not that complicated. The vast majority of the Cuban people struggle with finding the basic staples of life – food, medicine, electricity, water – and rudimentary rights are highly restricted.
On July 11, 2021 the Cuban people literally risked their lives by publicly protesting. Some of these protests continue, even in light of the repression to suppress them. They are not protesting at the American embassy in Havana asking the embargo be lifted – as important as that is. They are not protesting at the health ministry demanding a better response to Covid – as important as that is. And they are most certainly not protesting for an American intervention – no serious person inside or outside Cuba advocates for that.
The Cuban people in the island are protesting in the streets because the inability of their government to govern. The dysfunction of the Cuban government has reached levels not seen since the “special period” of the early 90s. While there may be complex reasons for this dysfunction, the fact remains: It is the government that is failing the people, not the people failing the government.
This is a grassroots revolt. The vast majority of protesters are from impoverished neighborhoods, not from the affluent areas. This is an organic response to an increasingly intolerable situation.
In the eyes and aspirations of the protesters in Cuba, what is going on has nothing to do with the politics in Florida. This has to do with the lives of the people in Cuba. This is the fight of the people in Cuba for their future. Authentic liberation will come only if it comes from within.
The Cuban government has demonstrated no capacity to handle the protests in a constructive, positive, engaging manner. Instead, they have responded with brute force – short of shooting people – and top-down measures to squelch any and all peaceful protest. The government has mobilized the worst of their police apparatus, squelched gatherings, injured many, incarcerated thousands – hundreds of which remain imprisoned.
At a loss for how to respond beyond terrorizing their own people, the Cuban government even orchestrated their own rally, enticing their ‘supporters’ to come chant pro-revolutionary slogans, generating a ‘made for tv’ propaganda moment. They have also indicated some limited willingness to respond to token minor elements of the protests and walked back some of the most inflammatory comments they made as a knee jerk response to the protests. However, people remain detained, leading to an international outcry including outcry from the United Nations – which rarely rebukes the Cuban government.
What can the U.S. Do? Continuing to keep the story alive is the simplest way to ‘do something’. We need to show solidarity and accompaniment with the Cuban people. The message needs to be clear: “To the people in Cuba, we are in solidarity with you; and we stand ready to help in a way that you deem best.”
The Cuban government must know that the international community knows that terrorizing your own citizens and instigating a lopsided civil war is definitely not the measures that will lead to a constructive way forward. It may be that the Cuban government is ready for dialogue now more than ever. It may be that China and Russia no longer see a return on investment in their support for Cuba. It may be that the Cuban government has outplayed its cards. It may be Cuba is increasingly irrelevant in the international revolutionary marketplace of ideas. Cuba is broke; and it may be Cuba is increasingly alone. The Cuban Revolution may be increasingly a legend in its own mind only. China and Russia have other interests. Venezuela is a mess. Latin America is a very different place today than in the recent past. The Cuban people in the island know this. The grassroots sense that “things are different now.”
This is a once in a generation opportunity for something to happen in Cuba that is truly transformative. The home-grown sentiment for change in Cuba is strong and evident throughout the island. This sentiment is evident throughout many sectors of the Cuban society: i.e., artists, academicians, the creative class, entrepreneurs, poor communities, and faith communities. This is a sentiment expressed not by people that want to leave their homeland, it is a sentiment by people who want to make their homeland work.
This zeal of the Cuban people to change from within must be matched by the solidarity of the international community. The Cuban people seeking change from within yearn to know that the world is with them. Please let’s not let nostalgia, biased mythology, political self-interest, and tired talking points about Cuba get in the way of imagining a better future with and for the people in Cuba today.
There is a growing consensus of people “in the middle” regarding practical and pragmatic steps the U.S. government can do to show solidarity and accompaniment with the people in Cuba. Here are 15 immediate steps that could be taken; and another four that are more complicated and may require more conversation, consultation, and dialogue.
FIFTEEN IMMEDIATE STEPS TO TAKE (most of which have a clear ‘go’ consensus)
[1] Intensify fiercely amplifying the plight of the protesters in Cuba as they bravely seek to express their grievances in public. (Lest this becomes ‘yesterday’s news’ all too quickly.)
[2] Offer the Cuban government syringes and related medical supply to expedite their distribution of their Covid-19 vaccines. (If they say ‘no’, it’ll be on them.)
[3] Expand the numbers of Senators and Representatives that have signed on to the bipartisan resolution supporting pro-democracy voices in Cuba. (The more the better.)
[4] Facilitate the technology to make unimpeded internet access readily available in Cuba. (The technology exists; let’s deploy it.)
[5] Remove restrictions that limit remittances from individuals in the U.S. to people in Cuba. (Understanding that some of the transactional costs will go to the government; and remittances help mostly those in Cuba with relatives willing to send money in the U.S.)
[6] Be ready to encourage travelers from U.S. to Cuba to take medicine and other key staples. (After the Covid travel restrictions are lifted, of course.)
[7] Reach out to the different social sectors in Cuba to listen to their specific stories and aspirations. (Prioritize artists, entrepreneurs, and civic influencers.)
[8] Join the Catholic Church in Cuba and the diaspora in promoting – in the Bishops’ own words – “robust cultural and commercial engagement between the United States and Cuba as the means to assist the island in achieving greater prosperity and social transformation”. (In collaboration with other faith communities, including most major Protestant denominations and Jewish communities.)
[9] Accelerate sports, culture, artistic, and academic interchanges. (This is simply a tried-and-true way of strengthening ties regardless of political situations.)
[10] Coordinate all approaches with international partners. (A coalition will accomplish much more that a solo effort.)
[11] Staff up the Cuban embassy in Havana to serve the Cuban people directly. (And encourage other countries to increase their capacity as well.)
[12] Continue clearly conveying to the Cuban people that this is not the time to emigrate illegally by sea. (Nor through Mexico.)
[13] Formally establish clear communications with the Cuban diaspora. (Under consultation with the likes of Casa Blanca Cubans and the Cuban Study Group, already connected to the White House Office of Community Engagement.)
[14] Work with Amnesty International and Cuban activists to keep public the list of detainees and imprisoned Cubans. (And of course, push for their release.)
[15] Get President Biden to go to Florida to deliver a concise, strong, and firm statement in support, solidarity, and accompaniment of the people in Cuba. (And in empathy and understanding of the exiled Cuban community in the U.S.)
FOUR DIRECTIONS TO CONSIDER (some highly controversial, which may take more time to develop, discern, and activate)
[1] Join in a Congressional conversation to explore fresh consideration of alternatives to the embargo. (It will be highly advantageous to remove the embargo as a propaganda weapon for the Cuban government.)
[2] Begin process to remove Cuba from the list of ‘State Sponsored Terrorism’. (As hideous as the Cuban government actions are, they do not belong in the same list as Iran, North Korea, and Syria.)
[3] Re-imagine the U.S. Guantanamo base for the 21st Century in a way that could serve a greater good in a broader, pan-Americas peaceful world. (Certainly an aspirational journey, may not be realistic at this time.)
[4] Indicate to the Cuban government that the U.S. is ready to engage in deep diplomacy. (No pre-condition, with mutual respect.)
The sheer number of possible actions indicate that options abound. Some are more controversial than others. In some there is clear consensus; others are politically volatile. And of course, political realities – particularly regarding Florida – may dictate how/if to move on some and let others wait. Messaging will be key. It is likely that if messaged correctly, we’ll find that most Cuban Americans – and the general American public from different political persuasion – actually agree with a lot of these possibilities. All merit consideration and discourse.
Most critical is to consistently – and loudly – continue being there for/with the people in Cuba – and encourage President Biden to publicly act – and go to South Florida. Please don’t let this be a blip in a news cycle, or for it to become a protracted, long, endless diplomatic process. The people in Cuba deserve better.
A Reflection: Ocean Lakes, South Carolina (Myrtle Beach) – A trip to Trumplandia
Our first vacation after the pandemic was to Ocean Lakes, South Carolina. We originally reserved a beach house there to celebrate Geraldina’s 60th and Iggy’s 30th. The outing was delayed a full year due to the pandemic, and Iggy was unable to join us.
Before we went we discovered that we were stepping into the preferred vacation spot for Trumpistas Evangelicals. We had some serious reservations. But, we figured that this would be a good way to demonstrate to us and others that it is possible to co-exist; that we have more in common than separate us. And indeed that proved to be the case.
The experience was totally Stepford wives in reverse. Or a different version of it. It seemed like we had walked into a cult. You are around and they know if you belong or not. They just know. They seldom wave. Certainly never talk to you. They know you don’t belong. I have felt more welcomed in the South side of Chicago or in the rough neighborhoods of New Orleans. This. Is. Weird. (Towards the end of the stay we did have some rather friendly conversations with some folks. Goes to show you: First impressions are not always the best)
Having said that I also saw beautiful examples of families with children and friends hanging out. And no indiscretions. No foul language. Very much a precious family environment.
Undeniably Trump country. Christian evangelicals. And God-fearing folks. Our house is the only one with a Prius and a car with a bicycle rack. I made the mistake of wearing a shirt that is Biden blue – but no Biden text. The looks I got were telling indeed. Wear only red white and flag blue – or you don’t belong.
Having said that, there were no MAGA hats to be seen. Trump signs and flags on house, yes – particularly in the RV section. But no even t-shirts.
The signs of America’s new pandemic – obesity – was rampant. I have never ever seen so many fat people in one place in my life! I know this is not unique to this demographics. I know that obesity is also rampant in black inner city neighborhoods where there are food deserts. And I don’t mean this as a comment intended to body shame. I know plenty of overweight people that wear it well. Yet, the presence of these many fat people in one place is very noticeable. And alarming, with serious public health issues implications
O and the tattoos! Cheap tattoos at that. Ugly tattoos. Christian tattoos accompanied by gun tattoos.
There were clear signs of some limited social class gentrification. There was the rare sighting of someone wearing a ‘Be kind’ T-shirt. Or the occasional black person. Very few though. There were signs of internal rebellion with their own type – particularly the young people; i.e.: racing down the road in golf carts listening to loud urban music.
Golf carts rule. Cute indeed. But walking is evidently very much discouraged. Much less cycling. Take your life into your own hands. The folks do respect the 10 mph speed limit. And generally are courteous and fine.
The houses are built literally one next to each other with no more than 10′ separating them. The street network is awkward to say the least. There is no backyard and no front yard. All alleys and streets basically go in front and the rear of all the houses. Little houses next to big houses next to trailers and RVs. Including trailers that have been given a physical addition! Amazingly it seems to work. There is clear evidence of new construction. Including the new style of black on white siding with very rectangular linear lines. And a few with elevators. (Ocean Lakes was celebrating their 50th year. Every night there were fireworks at the beach.)
I am so glad we were able to coexist with these good folks that simply happen to have a very different political view. Clearly good people. Oh, but so clearly lied to. Ugh. Not sure what if anything can be done to overcome that. But for now, we had a good time in the same place at the same time. May we learn from that baby step.
p.s.: There are many many more pictures of pigs through our lives in the ATL with friends and family, dating back to the late 70’s. We’ll work on that collection someday.
Since we moved to the DC Area (Silver Spring) in 2004, we have participated in person in the Inauguration of President Bush in 2005, and President Obama in 2009 and 2013. We opted out of participating in the Inauguration of the President voted out in the elections of 2020. And we are participating virtually in President Biden 2022 Inauguration – still under construction.
NOTE: We have an old web-site on Homestead.com which serves as an archive for these links:
2020: A Transformative Year. The Year of The Great Pause for some and The Great Pain for others
Note: This reflection is based mostly on conversations (verbal and written) with friends much more enlightened than I, and my reading – and video watching – of popular and faith media. I owe these sources lots of gratitude for helping me form my conscience on this topic since the pandemic started. Thus, there is nothing new here. This piece is a manifestation of their guidance, a collective work. Gracias & enJoy!
p.s.: This isn’t about giving anyone – including myself – a guilt trip or a call to action to overthrow earthly dominions. Rather, it is a personal, relational observation on the meaning of the Covid-19 pandemic during 2020. This is not a complete 2020 reflection. Such would have to include the deep dive into the meaning of the killing of George Floyd and the Presidential Elections…. Maybe the next blog postings?
If the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 did not transform you, you missed the memo. To say that 2020 was a year like no other is of course a massive understatement. If you have not taken the opportunity to – regardless of how busy you are – discern the meaning of Covid-19 pandemic of 2020, you may want to consider doing so.
To simply shrug off this pandemic year and say that it was bad would be missing a generational – or once in a lifetime – opportunity to truly go deep into our individual and collective psyche and reexamine our corest of core values. Indeed, it may be that 2020 was much more than a once in a lifetime year. It may very well be that 2020 will stand as a unique year when all of humanity had the opportunity to make individual and communal decisions that would transform each and every person and the planet as a whole. Take a personal pause; examine the pain of others.
When memorializing the year 2020, it would not be hyperbolic to consider this pandemic a historical, theological, humanistic, or sci-fi cataclysmic event.
Historically, never in the history of humanity has there been an event that has so touched every human being at the same time with most people being aware of its global impact.
Major catastrophes of the past – whether man made or brought upon by nature – were confined to an area or region of the planet. You’d have to go back to the ice age or when meteors hit the Earth to find a calamity that impacted all of humanity at the same time. And of course, during those calamities humans living in one corner of the world were only conscious of their immediate surrounding and had no idea what was going on at the other side of the globe. Even during the horrors of WWII some areas in the globe where spared the experience of the destruction and evil brought upon by the worst of humanity.
Theologically a lot could be said about how prophets and events provided humanity the opportunity to amend. And some may say that the events of 2020 were such message.
Of course, we all know that not everyone listens to the voices of prophecy nor do everyone pay attention to the signs and wrath brought by the gods. The theology of most every major faith is full of prophets that were dismissed and killed and of events that might have mended the way of some, but most went back to the old ways eventually, having learned little or corrupting the intended messages.
Humanists would say that we brought this upon ourselves. And unfortunately, in a year that could be interpreted to have meant to have brought us perfect 2020 vision instead it seems to have blurred and confused our capacity to see clearly.
The verdict is still out regarding the possibility that this virus was unleashed as a result of humans encroaching upon landscapes that were balanced. (Some say that had we left those bats alone in the cave everything would have been ok.) Regardless, the virus has unleased and made glaringly obvious the ugliest side of human consumerism and materialism – and capacity for environmental destruction. From a purely humanist perspective, the economy is a mess, and the means and models of production we’ve come to rely on have been seriously disrupted if not broken.
Sci-fi provides yet another perspective. For those of us that are sci-fi fans the year provides a bonanza of themes for movies and mythology.
It is not lost on sci-fi fans that it may very well be the organism that is Mother Earth is fed up and is taking action against a wayward son, humanity. It is as if Mother Earth has sent one of its legions – the virus – to reign in a revolting members species – humans – that have chosen to be consumed by their own selfish endeavors and simply have lost the way of communal well-being.
From whatever perspective we choose to look back at the year 2020, there is a thread that emerges:
Covid has awaken a realization that individualism can thrive only when driven by the common good.
It is of course our individual choice whether to look back at 2020 and discern transformation. We could simply take a deep sigh of relief and look forward to 2021 when things will go back to normal. But meditating on the impact of Covid-19 during 2020 really begs the question:
Is the normalcy of the past what we want in our future?
Here is a battle that cannot be won by any single historical event, a single prophetic voice, individual human endeavor, or anti-virus magic. Here is a battle that can only be won when we embed in our lives’ actions with the common good as our primary driver.
Some will choose not to read the memo. Others will jump through apologetic hoops and justify a return to the past. And yet others will knowingly refuse to subject their individual pursuits to anything but themselves, making themselves gods.
We live in a common earth. We seek the common good. In relationship we build community.
For those of us in the Christian faith it may be a matter of revisiting and looking at the cross with fresh eyes. Maybe – just maybe – we’ve focused way too much on the vertical pole of the cross, the pole that guides us to a personal relationship with God. Maybe – just maybe – it is time to give equal weight to the horizontal pole of the cross: Jesus with his bruised, bleeding arms wide open telling us to come to him together as one. Maybe – just maybe – it is time to wake up and realize that in the one prayer that Jesus left us – Our Father – there is no “I”, only “us”. (I am certain most every other major faith has a similar allegory to make. Christianity happens to be my Tradition.)
Maybe it is time to shift from “Live and let live” to “Live and let’s live.”
Are we really going to be happy with simply going back to accumulating stuff, ravaging the Earth, and caring exclusively about personal well-being?
Are we really ok with simply going back to warehousing in the elderly, hiding the lowest paying workers from our collective psyche, and investing in a system that is leading us down the road to unsustainable wealth inequalities?
Are we really going to feel comfortable continuing to – without questioning it – participate in systemic injustices, including the inherited biases of patriarchal authorities; obsession with ethnic, racial, and tribal domination; environmental destruction; and classist, wealth-determined power dynamics?
This pandemic seems to have pinned two basic primal instincts against each other.
The human species has the primal instinct to want to be with others. We also have the primal instinct for self-preservation. This pandemic is infringing on our desire for togetherness and testing our willingness to self-preserve by staying away from others. Paradoxically some want no part of the insistence that we stay away from each other for our own good and the good of others. These good folks simply don’t believe that the virus thrive on togetherness and the quickest way to terminate it is for each of us to stay away from most of us.
Complicating matters is the evident lure of the comfort of the cultural knowns and the fear of the unknown. We know how to shop, be entertained, and celebrate en masse. We seemed to have confused these cultural norms with God-given individual rights. We have elevated these economic enticements to religious rituals. “Thou must shop and dine in malls; cheer on your sports or entertainment hero with thousands of others at the forum; and, come together to praise the lord inside churches, mosques, and synagogues.” Never mind that these activities are evidently vessels of the virus. Never minds that hospitals are overrun with patients. Never minds that the elderly and people of color are disproportionately dying. Individualism is one hard habit to break. “Damn the community. It’s all about me.”
The pandemic also seems to have created a clear division among the population, across ethnic and cultural line.
There are those that seek certainty at all costs and cannot deal with ambiguity, as ambiguity shakes their foundational beliefs. Then there are those that understand ambiguity as part of life and certainty as an elusive illusion that constraints expansive thinking and science. These two camps can be simplistically bundled as those that seek “the comfort of the known” versus those that are “ok with not yet knowing it all”. Interestingly these two camps align rather well with our politics in the United States, the Conservative Republicans seeking certainty, wanting life to be set in stone; and the Liberal Democrats seeking inquire, questioning values and norms. Let’s learn from each other rather than entrench ourselves in our corner. Maybe – just maybe – we can grow and understand – even if we don’t agree – by authentically connecting with others that are wired differently.
If the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 did not transform you, please spend the time to revisit it and ask the deepest of deep questions. If it still doesn’t transform you, go even deeper and ask deeper questions. Think it through. Pray. Meditate. Contemplate. Discern.
This is more than the opportunity of a lifetime. This is more than the opportunity of a generation. This is truly a transformative Moment for us all, together and individually.
We began 2020 celebrating New Year’s Day in Cuba for the fourth year in a row, affirming our new-found connection with the Cuban people and our deep roots there. (Neither of us can identify our ancestors who evidently came from Spain. Our heritage is truly Cuban to the core.)
And then came covid. (We don’t capitalize covid because we refuse to give it that much power.) We had planned to celebrate Geraldina’s 60th at the beach, continue our international travels, and visit folks in Miami, Atlanta, New Mexico, and California. But, covid changed all of those plans – and more.
Regardless, in the midst of the most chaotic crazy year in our lives, our familia experienced two exceptional life-defining events that brought us deep joy. Our granddaughter was baptized, and our youngest son married. Both sacramental events took place in a covid way; and that will make them that much more memorable, we are sure. Mirabelle Elise baptism was a beautiful event, conducted by a family priest in the grounds of the Agrupación Católica Universitaria (ACU) in DC’s ‘Little Vatican’ (Catholic University) vicinity. Iggy and Jess wedding was to be a family and friends affair in Raleigh. Instead it was an intimate, moving moment outdoors in the gazebo of historic Carlyle House Garden in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
We did take a mini-hyper-local vacation to nearby beaches, mountains, and breweries. It was so cool to see how much there is to do so nearby. All within less than a couple of hours away. All outdoors. Gorgeous!
RemDana also stayed close to home, using Sligo Creek as the backdrop for a pictures series that is simply beautiful. Sligo Creek trails and Rock Creek trails have become our ‘go-to’ hiking trails.
We were truly blessed to continue our professional lives working out of the house, in Silver Spring – just named the US’s most generous city by GoFundMe. Geraldina in a room overlooking the backyard; Reemberto in a room overlooking the front yard. Interestingly, our professional paths crossed for the first time ever. Geraldina’s international work on HIV/AIDS was seriously disrupted by covid, and Reemberto’s local work was similarly turned totally upside down. We’d see each other in the morning and at lunch sometimes to compare notes. Then many afternoons we’d go for a walk. Indeed, Reemberto took on the challenge of walking most streets in Silver Spring. There’s a blog for that!
We redid our backyard to do small socially distanced gatherings – but we miss the pig roast big time. And we also redid our bar area into our ‘Cuba Room’.
And then came the elections. Ay ay ay. It is impossible for us to share our lives in 2020 without referencing the elections. For those friends and family reading this that may have voted for Trump, we understand you may see this reference as inappropriate in a Holiday Letter. But to us it goes to the essence of who we are as a couple, family, and individually. You see, this President chose to disparage and demean us personally. His attacks on Latinos, science, the elections, and public servants were deeply personal attacks on us. We are both public servants by choice. We could have gone to work for private companies, yet we both chose public service; Geraldina at the international level, Reemberto at the local level. We are both proud of our Latino heritage. Geraldina is a scientist. She volunteered – literally risking her life – as an election poll worker. Reemberto’s local work took him into the depth of the most vulnerable communities affected by covid and the horrible situation faced by local restaurants and retailers. And our President dissed us? Our President did nothing to avert the massive disruption caused by covid. We shall love our enemies. And we do. And justice shall be done. So we voted. And got others to vote. And he lost. And we celebrated. We look forward to the new Biden-Harris administration with anticipation and high expectations of good governance, diplomacy, collaboration, empathy and humanity.
As we look forward to a post covid world, we realize we still have months of collective hardships to endure. We pray for each and every one of the 280,000 plus – and counting – lives lost to covid. We are approaching a daily death count similar to what was lost in 9/11. Every. Day. We pray too for all those amazing people that continue toiling day-in and day-out, working tirelessly, and literally risking their lives. We pray in particular for the workers in the food supply chain, the sanitary workers, and everyone in the health field – nurses, doctors, technicians, and administrative workers. For them – and for us – we pray that this Navidad will bring the internal peace and unique joy that only love in service and solidarity with those in need brings. In the words of Cesar Chávez’s Prayer of the Farmworkers Struggle:
Show me the suffering of the most miserable; So I will know my people’s plight.
Free me to pray for others; For you are present in every person.
Help me take responsibility for my own life; So that I can be free at last.
Grant me courage to serve others; For in service there is true life.
Give me honesty and patience; So that I can work with other workers.
Bring forth song and celebration; So that the Spirit will be alive among us.
Let the Spirit flourish and grow; So that we will never tire of the struggle.
Let us remember those who have died for justice; For they have given us life.
Help us love even those who hate us; So we can change the world.
FELIZ NAVIDAD
Reemberto Rodriguez & Geraldina Dominguez
(You are always welcome to stop by our front porch at www.Reemberto.Info )
p.s.: The ‘comment’ feature is disabled – too much trash. email us at Reemberto@gmail.com
These music videos capture Cuba for me. The sentiment expressed, their joyfulness, and their rhythm is pure Cuba. (Note: The first few are from Orishas; after that they are from various different artists; and at the end we include some documentaries.) … enJoy!
NOTE: The list on this blog posting was developed pre-J11 – before the protests of July 11, 2021. I have created a YouTube playlist that tries to capture many of the recent – and not so recent – protest songs. Please check that out also.
ORISHAS Isla Bella
Cuba no se fue de mi
Isla Bella (con otros artistas)
En colaboración con Silvestre Dangond (Colombia): Donde Naci – Cuba y Colombia
OTROS
Carlos Varela: Habaname
Omara Portuondo: Musica Vital
https://youtu.be/7ybHbBcVQuM
Sander Van Doorn: Cuba Libre
Dayme Aroséna: La Rumba Me Llamo Yo
Haydéé Milanés: Yolanda
Cimafunk: Mi Casa
Cuba Feliz: Lagrimas Negras
Zu&Nuria: Lagrimas Negras
Guantanamera por el mundo
Eliades Ochoa: El Carretero
Eliades Ochoa: El Carretero (Newer version)
El Niño y La Verdad: La Princesa de Cayo Hueso
Havana D’Primera: Al Final de la Vida
Havana D’Primera: Me Dicen Cuba (NOTE: contains propaganda clips)
What an amazing journey to Cuba. It was
wonderful to visit with companions from the States that are authentically
interested in being with the Cuban people, understanding their situation, and
offer mutual support. What a journey!
We laughed, we cried. We had fun, and we were
distraught. We danced, and we prayed… And of course we played dominoes, smoked
cigars, and drank rum.
Most important: We were with the Cuban people,
side by side, engaging and conversing about life and the universal desire to
relate with each other regardless of institutional or governmental conditions
and impositions.
… and we connected. We connected with artists,
entrepreneurs, and faith leaders. Some in the group also connected with old
friends, and relatives they had never before met.
Getting there, arrival dinner, walking around, Cathedral Plaza, Centro Varela, Museo de Arte, Capitolio, Malecón, Fabrica de Arte Cubano, Cementerio Colón, more walking around, Hotel Nacional, Ballet, Havana at night
En Facebook: La Habana. Unica. Una joven que cumplió 500 años, Abusada pero no gastada. Cansada pero no derrotada. Sufre y vive. Llora y canta. Desafío y esperanza. Recordando lo que fue; agonizando de lo que es; y soñando de lo que pudiera ser.
Stop at Aguada de Pasajeros for lunch, Cathedral, Teatro Terry, Viejo colegio Jesuita, Castillo de Jagua, stadium, walking around, Casa Valle, Dominoes, New Year’s
En Facebook: “Cienfuegos es la ciudad que más me gusta a me”, dice Benny. Belleza que trasciende el tiempo. Pobreza que no tiene por que ser.
Drive by Campiña and Perseverancia, then at Varadero: Fidelandia (Marina), Xanadu, walking Varadero, beach, sight and scenes
En Facebook: Fidelandia (aka Varadero) – Donde los poderosos lo tienen todo y los turistas viven la mentira aislado de la realidad Cubana. Pero sigue siendo una bella playa, unica en su arena, agua, y caida del sol. Mientras la pueda visitar la visitaré. Pues el sol cae para todos igual, la arena no discrimina, y el agua esconde las lágrimas.
Walking Matanzas, Riverwalk, galleries, overlook (on way back to Havana)
En Facebook: Matanzas. Una ciudad que esconde. Historicamente bella, con sus edificios y puentes clásicos, y su caminata en el río con galerías de arte. La Atena de Cuba. Pero detrás de estas bellezas está un pueblo cansado y escondido, que se le hace imposible disfrutar de las joyas de la ciudad sin pensar en las necesidades básicas de la vida, dejando poco tiempo para el lujo del arte o historia.
55 minute of vignettes of mini moments plus music performed in restaurants, bars, and more. (In process of developing directory indicating at which minute on the video different moments appear. For now, best simply browse.)
.
REFLECTION
What an amazing journey to Cuba. It was
wonderful to visit with companions from the States that are authentically
interested in being with the Cuban people, understanding their situation, and
offer mutual support. What a journey!
We laughed, we cried. We had fun, and we were
distraught. We danced, and we prayed… And of course we played dominoes, smoked
cigars, and drank rum.
Most important: We were with the Cuban people,
side by side, engaging and conversing about life and the universal desire to
relate with each other regardless of institutional or governmental conditions
and impositions.
… and we connected. We connected with artists,
entrepreneurs, and faith leaders. Some in the group also connected with old
friends, and relatives they had never before met.
The members of our group were simply the best. What
an eclectic group it was! We had folks that had taken similar journeys to Cuba
before; we had folks who were born in Cuba and had never returned; we had folks
who were born to Cuban parents and never being; and we had community activists
friends – one Catholic the other Jewish – that were simply interested in this
uniquely Cuban experience. Being led by someone that knows the Cuban people
both in the Island and in the US was critical. We also had a co-leader from
Cuba with experience in travel throughout the Island… One could not ask for a
more congenial, friendly, fun group with which to journey to Cuba.
We maximized opportunities to interact directly
with the Cuban people, including spending money as directly as we could with
them. And yes, we also took them simple essentials of life that are difficult
to find in Cuba (i.e. toothpaste, shampoo, toothpicks, aspirin, dress pants,
shoes, etc.) This was not a ‘touristry’ trip. This was a journey of encounter.
And so the journey began. Some highlights among
many – in roughly chronological order:
Havana
Havana’s ‘maqueta’ (architectural
model of the City) was an instructive way to start the journey. Walking around
– and having dinner – with a local historian helped to understand the City’s rich
history.
Havana just celebrated
its 500th birthday. And it shows. New street lights, refreshed buildings, and
celebratory signs. But, its decay cannot be masked. Much of it is still
crumbling.
The architecture of
necessity is everywhere – old homes turned into multi-family dwellings;
storefronts tucked into tiny spaces. But also of note is the five star hotels
being built. Income disparity on steroids.
The
Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) is unbelievable. An
olive oil plant transformed into an indescribable art space. Performing arts.
Visual arts. Fashion shows. All conceptualized and developed by an entrepreneur
– within a tight government framework.
Visiting the recently
renovated Capitol was awe-inspiring. Seeing the grandeur that once was coming
back to life in this exquisite space was highly instructive to understanding
Cuba’s past and present.
The Colón Cemetery is
always a treat, more so when you visit with someone that finds their ancestors’
resting place.
Attending the National
Ballet’s performance of The Nutcracker was an art experience like no other.
High art is universal.
Visiting the Felix
Varela Center was enlightening indeed. Here you gain a better understanding of
what is possible in today’s Cuba regarding training entrepreneurs to seize the
moments of opportunities, albeit limited as they may be.
When in Havana, walk.
And walk and walk. Experiencing the Plazas, walking from one to the next, stopping
to have a drink and listen to music, observing the people and the architecture
– that is the best way to be Havana. And so we were.
And of course, walking
the Malecón. Mystical.
But most insightful was
talking to the families where we stayed. Their tenacity and capacity to
‘resolver’ (make it work) given the extreme scarcity is truly amazing. True
entrepreneurs.
Cienfuegos
Then on to Cienfuegos.
But before we got there we had lunch with the good folks at Aguada de
Pasajeros, where some in the group connected with family and friends – and the
good nuns that do so much work there and nearby, including Real Campiña, my
hometown. The necessities of Cubans outside of Havana is so evident.
Transportation is so limited. Access to basic staples so difficult. Yet being
out in the more rural areas provides some opportunity for growing your own –
just don’t mess with the cows; killing one will get you a prison term of 30
years.
Cienfuegos has architectural
gems everywhere you look. Buildings, plazas, and vistas galore. And a bay.
The City recently
celebrated its 200th birthday – a relatively young City.
It’s Teatro Terry was
recently renovated. Its splendor shines.
Benny Moré’s statue in
the Paseo is always a treat to photograph.
Its Malecón may not be
as grandeur as Havana’s but walking it is still fun, with its flashing city
sign welcoming you to Punta Gorda. A beautiful place to watch the sunset.
The Morro in Cienfuegos
is Cuba’s third most prominent. You have to take a small boat ferry to it. And
we did, having lunch at a home/restaurant overlooking the entrance to the Bay –
where we saw a Panamanian oil tanker entering. Petro is tough to get in Cuba,
especially for regular folks. Distribution is tightly controlled – but the
black market still there, controlled as it is.
Dinner in the splendid
Casa de Valle was exquisite. This house built by Spaniards in the early 1800’s
was recently beautifully restored.
The Cathedral is
majestic. Beautiful. Built by Chinese. (Who knew?)
And the old Catholic
school recently ‘returned’ to the Jesuits is a gem – and a renovations
challenge as it was totally misused and abused over the last six decades, being
used literally as a dump by the government.
We spent New Year in
Cienfuegos, celebrating in an independently owned restaurant – and then
continuing the party at one of the paladares where we were staying, playing
dominoes, drinking rum, and smoking cigars, of course.
Trinidad
What can you say about
Trinidad? So much history!
Older than Havana. And a
place where the oldest profession is rampant. Sex tourism is evidently alive
and well in Cuba. It may be illegal. But it brings in hard currency.
Regardless, this World
Heritage Site is always an amazing place to visit.
Art galleries galore.
Music everywhere. Cobblestones streets. Unmatched vistas. A photographer’s
dream.
Like other major tourist
destinations throughout the world, Trinidad is struggling with the balancing
act of welcoming tourists while maintaining its authenticity. Not an easy
challenge.
There were broken water
pipes in key streets, supposedly scheduled to be replaced in the future –
necessitating the uplifting of the cobblestones… (Good luck!)
Did I say galleries
galore? We visited one that is women owned and all pieces are women-centric. At
another gallery the artists does wood carvings of campesinos. Masterful!
We also visited with a
collective of weavers who shared their techniques of the trade.
And of course we ate at
independently owned restaurants, one in particular that had exquisite food and
service. We met the owner and he was quite a character indeed.
And we played dominoes
and drank rum.
(Logistical note: We
planned to visit Camaguey, but given the new U.S. imposed regulations of having
to fly in and out of Havana we returned to Havana.)
Working our way back to
Havana we stopped to see sugar mill plantations to better understand that
indispensable aspect of Cuban history, including its complexity regarding
slavery through the 19th century, confiscation of all sugar mills in
the last ½ of the 20th century, the failed attempts to produce 10
million tons in the 70’s, and the economics of sugar today.
We also did a ‘drive by’
Real Campiña and Perseverancia, places dear to me personally.
Matanzas
We spent an afternoon in
Matanzas, where again some of the group’s participants were able to connect
with old relatives.
Matanzas – the “Athens
of Cuba” – was surprisingly alive with a new river-walk lined with artist
studios and a Plaza that rivals any other in Cuba.
As in all major cities
in Cuba, Matanzas illustrates the massive failure of the public sector’s
disregard for classic architecture since 1960. The recent attempts to restore
some of these places – while commendable – yield only token results and leaves
one yearning for what might have been.
Motorcycles everywhere.
They even have a special place to park them. (Talking to the motorcycle owners
was a special treat for one of our group’s members who is a motorcycle
enthusiast.)
Varadero
We spent one night In
Varadero – the world famous beach – where we stayed at private homes, learning
through conversations with our hosts about the challenges of running their
businesses (i.e.: lack of reliable staples needed to run a hostel – soap, eggs,
bread, towels. One day they are available, the next not so.)
We passed by publicly
owned and operated The Beatles Night Club, an outdoor music venue for rock and
roll. Particularly poignant given that listening to The Beatles was a crime
during the 60’s and 70’s in Cuba.
On our way back to
Havana for our last night in Cuba we made a quick pit-stop at one of Cuba’s
most beautiful overlooks, with the valley below and a 1950’s bridge – and the
world’s best Piña Colada, with as much rum as you’d like.
Back in Havana
Our ‘closure dinner’ in
Havana was at the same independently owned restaurant where Obama had his
dinner. There we were treated to music by one of our musician friends.
Our last gathering as a
group was in one of the homes some of us were staying where we shared about our
experience.
We laughed. We cried. We
hugged. We committed to keep journeying to Cuba to accompany the Cuban people
in their journeys.
Where
are we headed?
Under the current diplomatic approach by
the U.S. towards Cuba – “the diplomacy of fear” – it is most likely things will
get more difficult over the next few months. (Note: It just did. Charter
flights have been given the same restrictions as commercial flights. They can
only go in and out of Havana.) If the current Administration in the U.S.
continues in power, it will become catastrophic for the Cuban people. Squeezing
Cuba is hurting the people of Cuba, not the government. If you don’t believe
me, believe the Cuban people, including most dissidents. Their unanimous
opinion is that the US imposed restrictions are devastating to the regular
folks in Cuba, particularly the entrepreneurs. The Cuban government will not
buckle to the US government bullying. They just won’t. Even if they have to
repeat the ‘special period’ of the early 90’s.
If there is a change in U.S.
administration and the clock is reset to 2015 to pick up where Obama left it,
then it will be possible to continue on a path of mutual respect that could
lead to a betterment of the Cuban people.
Mutual respect does not mean agreeing on
everything. Mutual respect does not mean accepting your governance model as
‘good’. Mutual respect does not mean forgetting the past or sweeping injustices
under the rug.
Forgiving does not mean forgetting.
Reconciliation does not mean capitulating.
Mutual respect means that while there
are aspects of your behavior I want to see changed, I know you can’t turn on a
dime – and I am willing to compromise. Mutual respect most importantly means
that I will engage you as equal, honoring your dignity, and negotiating in good
faith. I will not shame you. I will not bully you even if I am more powerful
than you. The Cuban people deserve no less. The American people deserve no
less.
Getting ready for that wishful moment
when we sit down again to grow our diplomatic relationship under the banner of
mutual respect, here’s one possible framework:
US TO-DO
1. Lift embargo
2. Reopen Havana Embassy to full operation
3. Extend financial credit for business and
corporate transaction
4. Allow personal use of American credit cards
in Cuba
5. Increase remittance allowances
6. Permit cruise ships to go to all Cuban ports
7. Permit flights to cities other than Havana
8. Increase legal immigration
9. Stop pursuing land and corporate claims
10. Return Guantanamo
CUBA
TO-DO
1. Remove restrictions on NGOs and civic
associations
2. Allow independent labor unions
3. Loosen restrictions on entrepreneurship
4. Allow second home and small business
ownership by US Cubans
5. Permit assemblies without repression
6. Diversify media options and voices beyond
public control
7. Open education system to faith communities
8. Expand political discourse beyond the One
Party system
9. Eliminate two currency system
10. Join the World Bank and the IMF
In conclusion:
To travel to Cuba is to journey through an experience of
your own making. You get out of it what you put into it.
It is not just about
seeing. It is more about sensing.
It is not just about the
food. It is more about who harvest and cooks.
It is not just about the
music. It is more about the musicians.
It is not just about the
rum. It is more about the conversation.
It is not just about
relating. It is more about relationships.
It is not just about
necessities. It is more about the ingenuity of survival.
It is not just about how to
help. It is more about how to engage.
It is not just about its
people. It is more about the Island’s soul, salsa, and spirit.
It is not just about the
history. It is as much about the future.
It is not just about Cuba.
It is as much about the USA.
Lest we get too riled up
about ‘we are better than them’, I ask:
… Could the self-imposed censorship in the USA be as damaging and difficult to overcome for the soul as Cuba’s State sponsored censorship?
… Could rampant, uncontrollable consumerism in the USA be as damaging for the psyche as Cuba’s State sponsored scarcity?
… Could the ambition to keep up with the Joneses and ‘get ahead’ attitude in the USA be as damaging for the spirit as the complacency and fatalism required to survive in Cuba’s State sponsored totaliarism?
Ultimately neither system works for – nor is either system interested in – the wholeness of the person. In the USA power is in the hands of the vintage capitalist mafia, seeking to stay in power and benefitting the 10% – mostly corporations – where most of the county’s wealth is hoarded. In Cuba power is in the hands of the vintage communist mafia, seeking to stay in power and benefitting the 10% – mostly the military – where most of the county’s wealth is hoarded. In both systems the individual is consistently pressured to conform; in both the individual has limited options to break out of class. No doubt that in today’s USA the options are infinitely more available, penalties are less draconian, and opportunities more plentiful. Yet in both peoples – less so in the governments – you find individuals that are sincere, value driven, and authentic. In both peoples you find individuals that have clearly found – or continue their search for – inner peace and personal, individual fulfillment… It is with those people – there and here – with which we seek to connect, regardless of ‘systems’.
If you have not visited, we invite you to our virtual front porch to meander through our adventures this last year. www.Reemberto.Info
It is truly impossible to recap the amazing blessings sprinkled – no, showered! – on us this year. Maribelle – our first granddaughter – is born. Berto – her brother and our first grandson – is in pre pre K at Sacred Heart School in DC. RemDana – our first born and his wife – keep running and more. Iggy – our second son – and Jessica are engaged. Geraldina is following her passion in Africa – and yoga back home. Reemberto is still all about Silver Spring – and Cuba.
This year we were fortunate to visit London, Bordeaux, Paris – and DiggerLand in NJ. And we began and will end the year in Cuba, our fifth New Years there connecting with the people, regardless of the governments.
We also focused lots of energy and attention in affirming the goodness around us through the support of the work of the amazing organizations, government agencies, and the countless individuals that work with immigrants, refugees, the homeless, children, the isolated elderly, the HIV/AIDS community, and the poor in our own neighborhood and abroad. Their work continue to provide a shining example of what can be when decency, empathy, and authentic love drives your actions… No time to get discouraged; no time to let the bad vibes, reckless leaders, or mean-spirits sour our enthusiasm for positive change and social justice.
May the core message of NAVIDAD* stay with you this Season and throughout 2020.
*If you need a reminder of the Navidad message, watch Linus (Charlie Brown’s friend) remind us.
If you need a little “perk me up” Christmas music/video, watch this amateurish video accompanying the album “A Cuban Christmas”.
And, if you have not visited, we invite you to our virtual front porch to meander through our adventures this last year. www.Reemberto.Info
