Friday, February 7, 2014

Roots of Hope hosts first-ever "Hackathon for Cuba"



Our first-ever "Hackathon for Cuba" brought together over 200 people at LAB Miami with the goal of developing new and innovative means to boost the connectivity of youth in Cuba. 

A diverse group of computer programers, app developers and "techies" came together this weekend found creative ways of helping Cubans communicate and connect. For photos of the event, see our Facebook album.

Twelve teams competed and we are thrilled to announce these three winners:

Apretaste, an online marketplace - similar to Craigslist - which allows users to purchase and sell goods and services directly from one another.  Apretaste is completely functional via email, therefore making it accessible to the over 60% of Cuba's population with email access.

Cuba Direct, an email-based application which allows users to access Google searches, Wikipedia articles, Twitter updates and more, without needing a connection to the Internet, and therefore making it accesible to over 60% of Cubans.

Raspberry Pi, a credit-card-sized single-board computer, was adapted to allow Cubans on the Island to create web access points for sharing information with those in their vicinity.

We received an incredible outpouring of support for this project from the local community, as well as press coverage from ForbesNew York TimesMiami Herald and WLRN. Even more poignantly, dozens of Cuban youth currently living on the island reached out to us to lend their personal support for this initiative. 

We look forward to continuing to expand the conversation around technology in Cuba. If you are interested in participating, please email info@rootsofhope.org

Monday, February 3, 2014

Respuestas a Daniela Montano

La semana pasada, la joven cubana Daniela Montano publico una entrada en el blog Cuba+ titulado “Preguntas a Raíces de Esperanza.” Como explica Daniela, Raíces se autodefine como una organización que busca fortalecer los puentes de amistad y establecer un intercambio entre los jóvenes dentro y fuera de la isla. Es precisamente por esa razón que hoy nos enorgullecemos en responder las preguntas de Daniela, porque de esta manera estamos entablando un diálogo con jóvenes cubanos. Mediante esta respuesta también invitamos a Daniela, y a otros jóvenes cubanos, a seguir la conversación, y ser parte de este intercambio.




¿Por qué no han hecho nada en pos de que el gobierno estadounidense  elimine las restricciones que le impiden a los ciudadanos norteamericanos viajar libremente hacia Cuba?¿Por qué, ni siquiera se ha pronunciado a favor de que OFAC otorgue una licencia general para los viajes a Cuba, que no sería una solución definitiva, pero al menos no serían tan engorrosos los trámites para visitar la Isla?

Desde sus principios, hace ya más de 10 años, Raíces se reusó a caer en un tema tan debatido como lo es la política. Una de las cosas que aprendimos de nuestros padres y abuelos, es que la política tiende a ser un tema que divide a la familia cubana, no uno que nos une. Mientras más hablábamos con jóvenes cubanos - y nos referimos al cubano de a pie, no solo al cubano perteneciente al grupo que Daniela define como “la mal llamada disidencia” - nos dimos cuenta que teníamos muchas más cosas en común que la política. Es por eso que no participamos en este tipo de lobby. 

Raíces promueve el intercambio personal, cultural, académico, deportivo, y religioso, entre otros tipos.  Por ejemplo, en el 2009 apoyamos y ayudamos organizar el concierto Paz Sin Fronteras encabezado por los artistas Juanes, Olga Tañón y Miguel Bose.  Este concierto unió más de un millón de cubanos en La Habana, la gran parte de ellos jóvenes, bajo un mensaje de paz y reconciliación.  Como se mencionó en el concierto, todos los cubanos pertenecemos a la misma familia, sin importar nuestras preferencias religiosas, políticas, etc., y esto es algo que Raíces mantiene.  En el 2012, también participamos en la visita del Santo Padre, Benedicto XVI.

Además de estos dos ejemplos, en los últimos 10 años hemos apoyado cientos de viajeros con el propósito singular de conectar con jóvenes cubanos, y mejor conocer sus realidades. También hemos diseñado una guía de intercambio donde ofrecemos consejos a aquellos que quieren viajar, de forma legal, a Cuba. Así que, aunque no participemos en los eventos de lobby, aquí le va algo de referencia, y la invitamos a que acuda a nuestro sitio web para más información, a no ser que aun este bloqueado en Cuba.


¿Si raíces de Esperanza tiene el loable propósito de que la juventud cubana se conecte libremente a la red de redes, qué hace concretamente para que EEUU levante el “embargo” o al menos lo flexibilice? 

En Raíces de Esperanza, tenemos el loable propósito de que jóvenes cubanos puedan conectarse entre ellos mismos - y con el mundo de afuera - con frecuencia, sin censura, y a un precio asequible.  En estos momentos, Cuba es el país del mundo occidental con el nivel más bajo de acceso al Internet - incluso después de la instalación del cable de fibra óptica que conecta la isla con Venezuela y que supuestamente iba ofrecerle acceso al internet al pueblo cubano.

La política se la dejamos a los políticos. Preferimos encontrar una manera tangible de ayudar a los jóvenes, y no caer en el mismo discurso ideológico que por años nos ha dividido.  Por ejemplo, cuando el gobierno de Cuba decidió que los cubanos podían comprar teléfonos celulares, el precio de estos era más caro que lo que un cubano ganaba en meses. Así fue cómo surgió la idea de Celulares para Cuba, un proyecto que busca recolectar teléfonos celulares y mandarlos a jóvenes en la isla. Estos teléfonos son para cualquier cubano que lo necesita - no hay filtro político, ni ideológico.

En Raíces se encuentran muchos jóvenes que, como usted, han nacido y vivido en la isla; cubanos que han vivido bajo los efectos del bloqueo económico y el periodo especial. Raíces también cuenta con la participación de jóvenes cubanos alrededor del mundo, no solo en Miami. En estos momentos jóvenes en New York, Boston, San Francisco y Madrid, entre otras ciudades, trabajan para apoyar a sus hermanos en la isla. Parte de nuestro trabajo también consiste en mantener el nombre de Cuba en alto, y educar a otras personas en nuestras sociedades que quizás no conocen la realidad cubana. Tiene usted la razón que no vivimos bajo las mismas condiciones en estos momentos, pero eso no quiere decir que no conocemos las dificultades con las que se enfrenta el pueblo cubano.


¿Por qué Raíces de Esperanza  no formula proyectos/iniciativas que faciliten el intercambio comercial entre la Habana y Washington, posible aún bajo el estigma del bloqueo e interés además de múltiples sectores en el propio Estados Unidos?

Nuevamente, la meta de Raíces no es política. Nuestra labor no es la de facilitar relaciones entre La Habana y Washington, sino la de tender puentes entre jóvenes dentro y fuera de Cuba, fomentar un mejor entendimiento entre estos jóvenes, y apoyarlos en lo que podamos. La juventud cubana es nuestra mayor fuente de información, y el diálogo con nuestros hermanos y hermanas en la isla inspira nuestra labor.

Una vez más, le damos las gracias por sus preguntas y por la oportunidad de responderlas. La invitamos a entablar una conversación con nosotros, y anhelamos el día en que la juventud cubana, dentro y fuera de la isla, tenga más cosas en común y menos división.

Reciba usted un cordial saludo de sus hermanos cubanos desde el otro lado del Caribe.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Your Voice Counts


International Human Rights Day:
Ways to Take Action


International Human Rights Day, which commemorates the day that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted, was celebrated on Monday, December 10th. The UDHR sets out a broad range of fundamental rights and freedoms to which all people are entitled without bias or segregation. It has been accepted by almost every government and has become the foundation on which protection and advocacy of human rights is based.

Despite officially adopting the universal declaration in 1948, the Cuban regime has continuously and systematically violated the human rights, freedoms, and dignity of its population. Human Rights Watch has consistently accused the island’s government of torture, arbitrary detention, corrupt trial procedures, and extrajudicial execution, in addition to calling out the limits Cuban law imposes on freedom of expression, association, assembly, movement, and press. For more details on human rights in Cuba, visit Human Rights Watch or Amensty International.

Below are a handful of ways that you can take action this week (and always) to help defend the rights of the Cuban people!

Be a Loudspeaker for Cuban Voices
Get involved in translating the dozens of blogs coming from Cuba. Cuban bloggers are yearning or their ideas to be expressed outside of their borders and to breed dialogue inside and outside of the island. Check out TranslatingCuba.com and read this interview with its founder, Mary Jo Porter, to understand the value and promise that translating blogs holds.

Support Freedom of Expression and Access to Information
Donate cell phones or USBs for Roots of Hope to refurbish and send to Cuba. These devices are the primary way that information spreads like wildfire among young Cubans, including artists, students, bloggers, and nascent entrepreneurs. Hear how technology helps.

Use social media to make your #VoiceCount
Follow @RootsofHope on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and share your ideas for supporting youth in Cuba and promoting their freedoms and rights.

Draw Attention to Jailed Activists in Cuba
Email or tweet Amnesty International to draw attention to the dozens of political prisoners in Cuba and ask for their inclusion in their letter writing and awareness campaigns. For examples, read about activists who are still jailed such as Calixto Ramon of Hablemos Press, and Marcos Máiquel Lima Cruz, or those who have been freed in recent years, such as Ricardo GonzálezIf you would like to write letters or organize a letter writing campaign for jailed activists in Cuba, email us at comms@rootsofhope.org



Thursday, December 6, 2012

Crackdown on Music in Cuba



Raices de Esperanza strongly objects to The Cuban Ministry of Culture's announcement that it is banning the production and distribution of reggaeton music as part of a larger crackdown on “vulgar, banal, and mediocre” musical expression. Citing a desire to retain the authenticity and quality of Cuban music, the president of the Cuban Institute of Music (ICM) called out the elimination of sexual and explicit lyrics as the central motivation for these actions.

Given these erratic and disproportionate actions, we can only assume that the Cuban Ministry of Culture perceives the musicians’ success as subversive of their control. We call on the Cuban government to not censor Cuban artists and allow the Cuban people to exercise their inherent human right to freedom of expression.

Although reggaetton and hip-hop musicians are not a direct threat to the Cuban government, they have amassed a large following and audience across the island. Over recent years, the music scene in Cuba has become increasingly reflective of the diversity and interests of its population and has become an outlet for their observations and for communication among its citizenry. We hope that musicians in Cuba are not discouraged, but rather emboldened to continue making and sharing music that echoes their reality, reflects their aspirations, and shapes a new generation of Cuban artists.

For questions, please contact comms@rootsofhope.org



Saturday, November 24, 2012

Running: Our Community at its Best


Come January 2013, Run4Roots participants will be running the Miami Half Marathon at the same time as youth in Cuba run a parallel race. This historical occasion will build a bridge and connect two communities who yearn to know each other and innovate together. As the reality of our counterparts on the island continues to change, this is more important than ever. 

Here is the story of Chris, who ran the Miami Half Marathon with us last year and will be hitting the pavement again next January. Check out his reason for running and step up to join her by registering here! It's time to hit the ground running for something YOU believe in. 

Running: Our Community at its Best
By Chris G.

The reasons I run for my roots are simple.

In 27 years sprinkled with moments like winning a football championship and speaking to a crowd of 5,000, I’ve lived some cool experiences.  Few, if any, compare to Run 4 Roots. 

A year ago, Run 4 Roots gave me an opportunity to honor my grandfather’s legacy (my sister and I raised money in his memory) while running the ING Miami Half Marathon. This was personally significant, but I didn’t expect to experience something more powerful too – the essence of my community.

Leading up the race I wasn’t exactly in run-13-miles shape. I’m not sure I had ever run anywhere near 10 miles! And worse, since I had barely trained, I had real doubts I could finish the race.  (If you’re wondering, yes training properly for a half-marathon is advisable.) As I ambled to the starting line in the pre-dawn darkness, the sea of people who were about to take the same journey comforted me.

The race was every bit as challenging as I imagined, but it exposed me to a side of my hometown I had never experienced.  It was pure, unbridled human spirit coming together to create the most potent and tangible feeling of community I can remember.  It was Miami, the United States, or even humanity, at its finest.

I chose to Run 4 Roots again this year because now I have a unique opportunity to share that face of my community with some (soon to be) friends from Cuba. If all works out, young people from Cuba will either be racing alongside me or figuratively tracing the same route in Cuba. Either way, I’m going to tell them all about the perfect strangers who wildly cheered me on last year.

I’ll share that it wasn’t just a couple points in the race, but throughout. And when I was ready to give up, a random smiling face would shout encouragement. Then it was my running mates pushing me to fight on.  Later it was the live bands providing a distraction down the home stretch of the race that kept me going.

The combination of overcoming a grueling challenge, overwhelming support from the community, and personal fulfillment in crossing the finish line combined to make it an incredible, uplifting experience.

It was a snapshot of what life and my community can have to offer.
  
Those are things I want Cubans to experience too. 

Register to run with us and start the year by making a tangible impact in the lives of youth just 90 miles from our shores! If you still need some convincing, check out photos from last year's race on our Facebook page.



Running for Empowerment

Come January 2013, Run4Roots participants will be running the Miami Half Marathon at the same time as youth in Cuba run a parallel race. This historical occasion will build a bridge and connect two communities who yearn to know each other and innovate together. As the reality of our counterparts on the island continues to change, this is more important than ever. 

Below is the story of Hanny, a first time Run4Roots participant. Check out her reason for running and step up to join her by registering here! It's time to hit the ground running for something YOU believe in. 

Running for Empowerment
By Hanny R.


I used to hate running, and I do mean hate. Growing up in sunny Miami – where most Physical Education classes are, for some absurd reason, held around midday – doing laps around the school field was my worse nightmare. The heat, the panting, the desperate thirst, in summary, an overall awful experience for me. I did, however, love to dance, and started on my first dance team at around age 10.

I left sunny South Florida for college and migrated North, to Boston, MA. I joined my college dance team and was absolutely loving the experience, until a few months into my freshman year, my knees started having serious issues. After lots of visits to doctors and lengthy medical-jargon-filled explanations, I had to stop dancing and let my body heal. I, unfortunately - or perhaps fortunately - am not one to sit still. Instead, I decided to start running. I am not completely sure why. Perhaps, it was the sight of all the happy joggers cruising through the scenic routes around the Charles River, or maybe it was the challenge of trying to tackle an activity for which I had always held such apprehension and disinterest.

I know you’re probably thinking that running sounds like a terrible idea for someone with knee problems, right? Well, most doctors would agree, and my own doctor was rather appalled when I mentioned it. Surprisingly, running actually helped me recover a lot quicker than expected; but perhaps more importantly, I discovered I actually liked running, maybe even love running. During a time in my life, when I felt completely powerless and unable to do what I loved most – dance – running, helped me find a way to take back some control. When I was out there was no one to disappoint, no one to impress, except myself. I came to realize that I had the ability to keep going and surpass my expectations, to push through when I started feeling tired, and to keep moving.

There are tons of overused clichés about having confidence in oneself, or the power of believing you can do something, but behind the platitudes there is a lot of truth. I will run on behalf of Run for Roots in January because I believe that running is a very effective vehicle for self-empowerment. The Roots of Hope mission is to empower youth in Cuba to be the authors of their own future. There are million ways to do this, but empowering them with a belief in themselves first, at the most basic level, that of their bodies and spirit, is the essential starting point. I am immensely excited and proud that we will have parallel runners on the island.

Register to run with us and start the year by making a tangible impact in the lives of youth just 90 miles from our shores! If you still need some convincing, check out photos from last year's race on our Facebook page.


Running for Hope

Come January 2013, Run4Roots participants will be running the Miami Half Marathon at the same time as youth in Cuba run a parallel race. This historical occasion will build a bridge and connect two communities who yearn to know each other and innovate together. As the reality of our counterparts on the island continues to change, this is more important than ever. 

Here is the story of Maritza, who ran with Run4Roots in 2012 and will be hitting the pavement again in 2013. Check out her reason for running and step up to join her by registering here! It's time to hit the ground running for something YOU believe in. 

I Run Because I Hope
By Maritza A.


It's about the rarity of one action occurring at the same time in two very close but distant countries. The politics, frustration, anger, and dejection on both sides come to a halt for a moment where we stand in parallel side by side armored in unity and love. Miami and Cuba running in parallel...doing anything in parallel is symbolic of the deeply seeded emotional and heartfelt roots that we carry for the youth in Cuba. There's this unspeakable bond where you know the heart of what's on either side longs for each other. The youth in Cuba face a world of unknowns and hardship. While they 'live it up' just like us, it's a vastly different world behind closed doors. I get to face hope everyday in its eyes. We stare each other down and see where my next big step is going to take me. Reminds me of Emily Dickinson's "Hope" below.

"Hope" by Emily Dickinson

That perches in the soul, 

And sings the tune--without the words, 
And never stops at all,
And sore must be the storm 
That could abash the little bird 
That kept so many warm.
And on the strangest sea; 
Yet, never, in extremity, 
It asked a crumb of me.

Hope is the thing with feathers 
And sweetest in the gale is heard; 
I've heard it in the chillest land, 

Those of us who have freedom of speech take some small chances at life sometimes because we take opportunity for granted. The idea of what you can accomplish tomorrow and your 'next steps' in your career is nearly a vanished thought in the daily life of a Cuban youth. We get to envision a future colored with travel, exploration, education...whatever we want. I get to dream BIG, because those dreams can come true. But if you knew they couldn't ever become true under a government that's eradicated any tolerance for freedom of speech and economic willpower, would you keep hoping? This idea of "hope" and "change" for the youth of Cuba is truncated by a volatile economic and political state. I run for the Cuban youth, and we run together because they CAN be the authors of their own futures. It's demonstrated in this half marathon. We run in parallel on one day because we stand for hope, change, and freedom of choice. This is change. This is hope staring us in the face.

Register to run with us and start the year by making a tangible impact in the lives of youth just 90 miles from our shores! If you still need some convincing, check out photos from last year's race on our Facebook page.