Cuba Personal Statement

Thirty-seven years to the date April 20th, 2017, Fidel Castro enacted the policy of the Mariel boatlift, in which he’d allow Cubans seeking to emigrate to the United States to do so by departing at Mariel. This number would eventually eclipse 125,000 people seeking asylum and refuge from Cuba, and the regime in which at one point they felt represented or directly opposed their own viewpoints. The first wave of Cuban exiles being the extremely wealthy, in direct opposition to Fidel Castro’s regime for a race-less society, and a single-class economy, government, and social order. The ultimatum being set at you’re with the revolution or you’re not, this encouraged former supporters of the now ousted Batista, to seek refuge in the United States.

Cuban history, like many other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean which have experienced colonial subjugation and imperial interference, is highlighted by tumultuous rebellions. Ever since the revolt of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes in 1868, who took up arms with his slaves to liberate Cuba from Spain’s colonial grasp, the existence of insurrectionists and adamant government opposition in Cuba has flourished. Social revolution and a strong will and practice of nationalism has indelibly characterized Cuban history. Nevertheless, the outcomes of particular movements and struggles for social justice have consistently frustrated revolutionary and radical leaders. Government regimes throughout

Castillo Bueno, Maria De Los Reyes, and Daisy Rubiera Castillo. Reyita: The Life of a Black Cuban Woman in the Twentieth Century. Durham, NC: Duke UP, 2000. Print.

From April 15 to October 31 in 1980, over 125,000 Cuban migrants arrived in the United States. Family members from America ferried relatives and institutionalized Cubans from the Cuban port of Mariel, in what was soon coined the Mariel Boatlift. Mirta Ojito, one of these ‘Marielitos’, as they soon were termed, grew up to write “Finding Mañana: A Memoir of a Cuban Exodus”. In this text, the author provides a historic account of events leading up to the Mariel Boatlift, narratives from important figures surrounding the event, and a personal narrative describing the struggle of her family to gain freedom from the socialist dictatorship of Fidel Castro. Throughout the story of the years preceding the boatlift and the influence that living in Cuba held on her life, Ojito describes the positive and negative elements of the both the political climate and personal life on the communist island which led to her eventual emigration to the United States.

economic growth comes from agriculture and exports to and from Europe. Since America has had an embargo on Cuba since 1962 neither countries trade with each other because of many disagreements about governing techniques and Fidel's unwillingness to comply with U.S. instructions. Cuba’s long history and culture has contributed to many economic and social growth through out the world, but Cuba is still struggling to try to stable their economy.

Cuba is merely one example of a society. Juan Cabrera is simply an ordinary example of an individual. What The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera by J. Joaquin Fraxedas bring to light is the extraordinary effects of stepping outside the comfort zone of following the expectations of those that lead our governments. Although the situation was unlike our own it highlights what could very well could have

The effects of the Cuban Revolution on women’s lives and gender relations in Cuba from 1959 to 1990 include that some say women have not reached equality yet with men, women gained more opportunities for themselves, economy and politics, and also how women still had responsibility for children and home, not men.

The study of race relations in contemporary Cuba indelibly requires an understanding of the dynamic history of race relations in this ethnically pervasive island of the Caribbean. Cuban society, due to its historical antecedents of European colonialism and American imperialism, has traditionally experienced anguished and even tumultuous race relations. Racial disharmony has plagued Cuban society ever since the advent of the Colonial institution of the plantation system. Thus, in order to acquire some understanding of Cuba’s dynamic race relations one must study and investigate the evolution of racial tensions and the quintessential

The Effects of the Cuban Revolution on Women’s lives and Gender relations in Cuba from 1959 to 1990

The readings for this week consisted of the second half of Conceiving Cuba by Elise Andaya (2014). This half of the book focused on abortion, gendered work and surviving through migration (Andaya, 2014). Overall, Andaya (2014) focuses less on reproductive health and women than one would expect, and instead provides more of a critique of the shortcomings of the socialist revolution in Cuba. These critiques get in the way of Andaya’s (2014) narrative and ultimately detract from the discussion of reproductive health in Cuba.

Born in Havana, Cuba in 1952, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was forced to flee the oppressive communist regime of Fidel Castro for Miami with her family when she was just eight years old. She attended local public schools including Miami-Dade Community College followed by Florida International University where she earned a Master’s Degree. She completed her education at yet another local school, although private, this time earning a Doctorate

26 | fall 2017 Just 90 miles off Florida , s eastern shores lies an island with over 11 million people who remain a mystery to most Americans. For nearly six decades, the U.S. government has restricted travel and trade to Cuba, permitting only educational exchanges—which is exactly what brought photography major Sarah Schecker, NYU, to the country in summer 2016. Studying under noted Cuban photographer Adrian Fernandez, Sarah’s project chronicles the life of 4-year-old Kevin Alejandro. “There are not many pictures of kids in Cuba,” she says. “I wanted to see life in Communist Cuba from a child’s perspective.”

In the U.S, college students have full access to Internet which makes easy the search of information. They can access to Internet from their homes, colleges, or phones. Also, every college has big libraries, which are generally open from seven A.M to ten P.M. In addition to college’s libraries, there are many local libraries always stocked with a big amount of books which are often new editions. Full access to internet and enough amount of good libraries give to students the most actual information about topics that they matter. Although the amount of assignments to accomplish is not so different for students in both countries, the facilities for accomplishing these assignments is very different. First of all, students in Cuba do not have access to Internet. Only few students can access to Internet from their parents’ works, but the time they can spend on the web is limited. Moreover, libraries in Cuba are a big problem. Colleges’ libraries are often very small, so the amount of books does not met students’ necessities and expectations, and its schedule is from eight A.M to five P.M. Also, community libraries are insufficient and poorly stocked. I was so lucky because I lived near the Cuba’s National Library. This is, at least for me, the only library where a student can find whichever he or she needs in matter of information and actualization. Therefore, college students in Cuba do not have

Around the world and across history women are not the first thing one thinks of when we think of revolution. When thinking of revolution and ensuing revolutionary wars one thinks of men with guns and all other kinds of manly things. However the reality is that across Latin America most evidently in the Cuban Revolution women played an essential role in the successes of such movements. When looking at the role of women in Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution and their new post-revolutionary roles and rights there is much to consider. The question that I will be exploring in my paper is how the history of the Cuban women and their role in the Cuban Revolution led to their new roles of equality in post-revolutionary Cuba.

The Venceremos primer contained 15 lessons, each revolving around one of Castro’s post-revolution reforms or policies. For example, the theme of the first lesson was the OEA, or the Organization of American States. This lesson simultaneously taught the student vowels while also explaining the them the reasoning behind and the significance of Cuba’s expulsion from the organization.2 Other topics covered included the National Institute of Agrarian Reform, National Institute for the Tourist Industry, racial discrimination, and housing rights.1 This effectively answered questions that adults had about Castro’s policies while also piquing their interest throughout their