Guest Blog — Dave Sandoval on exchanging ideas

Going outside your comfort zone and staying true to yourself
by David Sandoval

Recently, I was asked to perform in a concert in support of "CubaGO," a movement that seeks to inspire U.S. citizens to ask their congressmen and congresswomen to lift the travel restrictions on Cuba. The event is being sponsored by some NGOs whose ideals I don't necessarily agree with. However, it did seem like an interesting opportunity, so I asked some trusted friends for advice.

Ultimately, in this Cuba issue, we're all going to be faced with some decisions that challenge our most closely held beliefs. For me, I could take the opportunity for exposure and publicity for my band, Delexilio, or I could exclude myself from this event because of its association with groups that appear more sympathetic to the Cuban regime than I care to be. After all, the name of my band is Delexilio, and the whole point is to represent the Cuban exile point of view. I had to be true to my core philosophy and my beliefs and represent the people that I care about — my family, my friends, my people.

I decided to participate. And despite the risks of being associated in the wrong way (I've already gotten a few emails), I looked within and I thought that my core mission was to spread the stories of my community through music, and to share our experience to the outside world. "Preaching to the choir" only gets us so far. We need to tell our stories to those who may not have great affinity for the Cuba issue, especially from a Cuban-American point of view. We should be going out and changing minds, instead of growing increasingly isolated in our Cuban-American microcosms.

A good friend of mine said, "I'm always willing to talk to anyone, so long as my position is clear." It was good advice. I won't shy away from making my position known. So I'm diving in. I'm going to tell our stories through music, and regardless of your view on the issue of U.S. law, there is a much larger issue of travel restrictions in Cuba. And I want to highlight the greater issue of Cuban citizens having almost no right to travel outside their country whatsoever.

These are our stories and they need to get told. Not just to ourselves, but to the rest of the world. So I encourage all of you to reach out to a non-Cuban friend, or maybe someone who doesn't share your point of view. Go outside your comfort zones. Use your passion -- but use it smartly -- and tell your stories. Maybe we can win over a heart and mind, or if not, at least a little understanding.

David Sandoval was born in northern New Jersey. In addition to his work with Raíces and day job at a biotech firm, by night he is the frontman of Delexilio, a Cuban-American rock band blending elements of both cultures in a funky Cuban fashion.

East of Havana screening at Northwestern University

If you're in or near downtown Chicago, you won't want to miss this. Tonight, Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 6:00 p.m. at the Northwestern University School of Law, in room RB 140, there will be a screening of East of Havana, the acclaimed documentary about Cuban youth, rap, censorship, and pushing the limits of poetry in one of the most restrictive environments in the world.

Miki Flow, one of the rappers featured in the documentary who has since made his way to this side of the straits, will be there to discuss the film, his art, and Cuban realities.

Check out the film's trailer:

Miami Filmmaker highlights Raices in Miami Herald editorial

From The Miami Herald:

Keep our eyes on the prize

By: Joe Cardona
jccigar@aol.com
...

I participated in multiple debates before, during and after the concert and I was pleased and honored to exchange my ideas with equally creditable, integral individuals who happened to disagree with my opinions on the concert. At no point did I feel the need to question the motives of those who presented a counterpoint to mine. I was enlightened by viewpoints on both sides and I was particularly inspired to witness a group of young activists, Raices de Esperanza (Roots of Hope), who stepped to the forefront of this issue and presented their positions eloquently and effectively.

Click here for the full article.

Joe Cardona is best known for directing the documentaries Cafe con Leche I and II (1997/2003) and Celia: the Queen (2008).

Raíces featured in Key Club International's online video magazine

Key Club International has recognized Raíces and its Chairman Felice Gorordo (who is also a former Key Club International Vice President) by featuring him and the work Raíces does in its online video magazine.


Click here to check out the video.

Guest Blog — Carlos Centurion sobre Paz Sin Fronteras

Si fuera un concierto libre
por Carlos Centurion

Después de haber escuchado a Juanes mencionar el nombre de Silvito y Aldeanos, me quede reflexionando el ¿por qué? ¿Qué tienen que ver ellos en este concierto, si ni pudieron poner un pie en la tarima? Quizás Juanes los invitó y le negaron su petición. Quizás Juanes respeta su trabajo y su lucha contra la tiranía. ¿Qué habrá pasado?

Creo que nadie tiene una respuesta para eso, pero lo más importante: ¿Qué hubiera pasado si el concierto fuera libre? ¿Qué hubiera sucedido si esas dos palomas abstractas hubieran podido volar en libertad y no estar pegadas a un mural, atadas a lo convencional, a lo habitual, a lo no contestatario?

Yo soñaba ver a Aldo por primera vez cantar ante tantas personas, por ver a un pueblo disfrutando a un artista que no canta lo mismo, por que el mundo conociera cuál es la música alternativa cubana, la música que no es subyugada al régimen, la música que en libertad, vuela como paloma. Yo lo conozco, y sé que hubiera abierto el concierto con algo como:

“Hay que darle más partición al corazón y menos al dinero primero esta la razón, en mi nación todo sigue marchando mal… en la cual llorar es un lujo espiritual”.

Me imagino al pueblo coreando las canciones, asombrados de escuchar la verdad que viven, pues esta no es cantada por ningún artista del régimen.

Sé que todo se quedó en un sueño o en imaginaciones, nada llego a concretarse y aún me tengo que conformar escuchando a Aldo en un disco pirata diciéndome:

“Pueden privarme de la radio, de los escenarios, pero no me podrán quitar el apoyo de los barrios. Mientras más me censuras, más te odio… que ni te pase por la mente que cambiaré el repertorio.”

Aquí les dejo dos canciones que, para mí, hubieran sido las escogidas por Aldeanos para cantar en el concierto. Lástima que nunca sabremos lo que es un concierto libre en Cuba, al menos hasta que las cosas cambien y la libertad pueda volar y no estar pegada a una mural, que para mí no significa nada mientras los niños cubanos no puedan crecer sin poder expresar lo que piensan.





Carlos Centurion, o Carli C4, es un poeta. Nació en Cuba y, actualmente, vive en los Estados Unidos.

Guest blog — Carmen Peláez on Paz Sin Fronteras

Let freedom rain
by Carmen Peláez

Cubans have always seemed disproportionately afraid of the rain. Growing up in Miami the slightest April shower was reason enough to cancel all plans. Throw in a thunderstorm and it was nap time for everybody with all household appliances unplugged for the duration and don’t even think about using the phone because it means instant electrocution. So it didn’t surprise me when people reacted the same way to the elements on a trip to Havana. But it didn’t stop me from commenting on it.

“Caballero, it’s only water. We aren’t actually made of sugar.” I offered trying to neutralize their collective terror. They weren’t only staying out of the rain, they were obsessed with it. How long would it last? Would it get stronger, lighter… would there be flooding? I figured it was just something to talk about. In Cuba, people will talk for three days about the most insignificant occurrence only because it has occurred.

But then Nena, an older friend of mine said, “No ‘chacha-you don’t understand. Every time it rains in Havana buildings collapse. People never know if their building is next.” Because people have to wait on lists for the government to fix their homes, Cuba is in a general state of disrepair. Even the lightest rain shower, especially the lightest rain shower, seeps into the walls and when baked by the sun, weakens the structure bringing seemingly solid building crumbling to the ground.

This month’s Paz Sin Fronteras concert made me think of those rainy days in Havana. From a month beforehand the storm was brewing in Miami. A few old school “patriots” headed out to the streets to do things that would ironically warm a dictator’s heart like burning effigies and breaking apart CD's. But most Cuban Americans didn’t take the bait and it wasn’t as divided down generational lines as reports would lead us to believe. It seemed to be divided more down common sense lines-as many in my grandparent’s "historic exiles" generation, whether or not they liked the idea of the concert, refused to engage in such sensationalistic and misguided displays.

Moreover, many of us passionately defended Juanes’ freedom of expression, without knowing if we’d be sorry for extending our jugular for a Latin American rocker not particularly known for his politics. But inaction was not an option no matter how heated the debate got. It was time for courage and risk, on our terms but it didn’t make it any less frightening. As the clouds rolled in and the concert began, I was afraid to answer my phone not knowing if I’d get electrocuted.

I was as emotional as the next exile seeing the million plus Cubans fill the Plaza on their own volition. But overall, I didn’t find the concert particularly entertaining or moving and even though some very strong statements were sprinkled throughout the concert, I was left a little empty. It wasn’t until the next day that I realized what happened.

I found myself thinking about the actual audience reactions to the concert. They didn’t applaud or even pay much attention to the regime supported/supporting artists. Young Cubans cheered wildly for the foreign acts most of whose songs they’d never heard before, not because they had to but because they represented something different. They looked happy and loose and free, something that, on my trips to Cuba, I had never seen in person.

I thought of all the exiles updating their Facebook profiles and calling each other to confirm what was said and what wasn’t said and whether they were able to see the concert on TV or on their computers.

And it hit me. Cubans on the island and Cubans in exile spent an afternoon together without fear, repercussions or any visible limitations on how they could take it all in — a wonderful moment in our painful and divided modern history.

That’s when I realized that the Cuban government has taken on the qualities of those old Havana buildings fighting to stay standing. Tired and hopeless they give some semblance of shelter, of the devil you know, of what you’ve grown up with but little else. Our momentary unity showed us that we can be the rain that makes its way deep into those thick but compromised walls. Slowly, we can trickle over Cuba; an evolved exile community and a resolved Cuban populace determined to close the book on the boorish revolution. And together we will watch the sun bring a new day forward in a unified Cuba libre.

Carmen Peláez was born in Miami to Cuban parents. She is a playwright and actor currently residing in Brooklyn, New York.

Handcuffed poetry

Penúltimos Días is reporting that, according to Claudia Cadelo de Nevi of Octavo Cerco, a member of the famous underground rap group Los Aldeanos (whose album Poesía Esposada or "Handcuffed Poetry" is available on iTunes) has been detained by Cuban authorities for the illegal possession of a computer(s).

If you find more information on this case please email us at raicesblog@gmail.com or leave the information in the comments section of this post.
————

El blog Penúltimos Días reporta que (según Claudia Cadelo de Nevi del blog Octavo Cerco) Aldo, el miembro del grupo de rap cubano subterráneo Los Aldeanos, "está detenido bajo los cargos de tenencia ilegal de computadoras en la estación de Zapata y C, desde hoy a las 11 de la mañana."

Si usted tiene mas información acerca de este caso, por favor mándenoslo por e-mail (raicesblog@gmail.com) o deje la información como comentario bajo este post.
————

UPDATE (6:57 p.m.):
Via Twitter from @yoanisanchez

Aldo no estaba en la estación de policía de 21 y C. Había sido detenido en la de Zapata y C. Allí nos dijeron que habría sido liberado
y que le habrían devuelto las computadoras. Vamos a su casa para verificar estas informaciones.

Will keep you up to date on this as new information becomes available.

UPDATE (7:23 p.m.)
Via Twitter from @yoanisanchez

Vimos a Aldo en su casa. Fue liberado hace un par de horas y le devolvieron la computadora.
Un elemento importanbte de su liberación, según Aldo, fue el testimonio de Silvio Rodríguez.

————

So in conclusion... Aldo was detained from 11 a.m. to about 5:30 p.m. ... for having a computer ... and as released thanks to testimony from Cuban singer Silvio Rodríguez.

Feel free to discuss in the comments section.

¿Qué opinan?