In April 2024 Ella Brubaker visited Cuba. Here she reflects on the island’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.
Cuba Vive y Respira (“Cuba Lives and Breathes”). I remember seeing this line on a billboard on one of our first nights in Cuba. The billboard stood out to me, in part because billboards are rare. While the phrase was accompanied by imagery of a doctor holding up a newborn, highlighting the medical system in Cuba, it is also a telling reminder of the overall achievements and resilience of the country.
Cuba is still living and breathing despite enduring more than 60 years of a repressive U.S.-imposed embargo. Sí, Cuba vive y respira. However, because of the economic sanctions, being put on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list (SSOT), lack of resources during the Covid pandemic, and the shut down of tourism by the U.S. government, life is not easy. Cubans are living through a major humanitarian crisis, making it difficult to access resources and basic necessities.
The worsening economic crisis and continued lack of fuel, food, and water pushed many people to flee to the United States. Just between 2022 and 2024, 850,000 Cubans have migrated to the United States. That’s roughly 8 percent of the island’s population. Due to the high amount of migration, Cubas aging population is losing economic support as youth flee in hopes of a better life.
My group grew quickly aware of the lack of resources in Cuba during our time there. We experienced the limited Wi-Fi, lack of toilet paper, and periodic power outages which are more prevalent today. One restaurant we visited could not make a dessert because they did not have enough sugar, a scarce and expensive ingredient.
Everyone in Cuba gets a certain amount of rations from the government but these are often insufficient. Groceries sold at the market are overpriced. The food that our group had access to — which included varieties of meat and beans — is not accessible to many families. Because of the U.S. embargo and the SSOT, many countries do not trade with Cuba and many food products are simply not available. One person we met highlighted that the embargo capitalizes on hunger and uses it as a tool for abuse, which encourages frustrated and desperate Cubans to migrate.
There is also a lack of secure housing in Cuba. Anywhere we visited in Cuba the aging infrastructure was visible. One of our group leaders shared that multiple generations of his family live in one house. They do not have enough space, but they have no other option. Many buildings have seen scarce repair — cracked sidewalks and rundown public spaces were common sights.
I remember taking a walk around a neighborhood near where we were staying and coming across a run-down park. It was clear that it had once been a hub of community activity, with a baseball field and outdoor pool. The pool is now dried up and the cement seats of the field are weaker. Nevertheless, a group of children were rollerblading in the old pool and a community league was playing baseball in the field. People have found ways to continue finding joy in life even when there is a constant struggle to survive. The lacking infrastructure does not stop the tight-knit community and resilience of the Cuban people.
Ella took this photo in Cuba at a skate park which was an abandoned community pool.
The immense sense of communal living and vibrant resilience has stuck with me since my time in Cuba. While staying with a host family in Cuba, I was inspired by the sense of community support. Our host mom would leave her door open and give out food or water to people who came asking. Her open door welcomed the street into her home, showing one way that people care for one another.
Another form of resistance was present through the art and music that permeated the places we visited in Cuba. The streets are filled with the sound of music, and our group had many opportunities to join the dancing we observed. At a baseball game we attended, a band was avidly dancing and playing music, adding to the audiences’ energy. We also had the opportunity to meet an artist who has dedicated his life to producing art, and running an art school to help children grow and express their creativity.
Cuba’s educational and medical systems, renowned for the quality of their services, are also struggling. Medical care in Cuba focuses on preventative treatment and works to build relationships within a community. Healthcare and education are both free in Cuba. However, there is increasingly limited access to medical supplies and with the power outages, supplies are more likely to expire. Hospitals are lacking in economic resources, which has caused some doctors to resort to other jobs, such as cab driving.
The U.S. imposed embargo is suffocating Cuba and yet there is a sense of life and liveliness that persisted in the people we met. One person we met remarked that, “If we did not choose to laugh, we would do nothing but cry.” While the perspectives of the people we met are only a snapshot of the stories of Cuba, they exuded a strong sense of care and pride in community living.
Another main takeaway from my time there: the importance of recognizing the humanity in every person you meet. I was surprised that people we encountered did not hold resentment for my group as U.S. citizens. Instead, Cubans welcomed our group with warm hospitality. One speaker we met summarized that they do not blame the people of the United States, but are frustrated with the impact of our government’s policies. In general, almost everyone we met was frustrated with the U.S. embargo and asked us what we could do to stop it.
Another one of our leaders shared that “The world is still turning around” and that upcoming generations should not be punished for the past. Likewise, we should regard the Cuban people as separate from their government. We are all just people who need their basic needs met and that is increasingly difficult to do in Cuba.
Life goes in Cuba, even with all the barriers and daily struggles. When talking with another group leader, he mentioned that having hope is complicated, but people need to keep coming to Cuba and telling others the truth of current reality. My experience is only a short snapshot of what life is like for some people there, but it was enough for me to understand the humanitarian crisis.
After my time in Cuba, I knew I had to do something about what I learned from the speakers, doctors, and artists I met. One learning I gained from Cuba was a need to raise awareness of the U.S.-Cuba relations and promote policy change for the Cuban people. My experiences in Cuba were part of the reason I was excited to join the Latin America Working Group’s team. Being with an advocacy organization has helped me to apply what I learned about resilience from Cubans and funnel it into steps for change. We need to continue standing up for more humane policies so that the people of Cuba can continue living and breathing.
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