The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.63/No.18           May 10, 1999 
 
 
`You've Totally Changed The Way I Look At Cuba'  

BY LAURA ANDERSON
LOS ANGELES - "Before coming here we knew nothing about the protests in New York against the murder of Amadou Diallo. We did not know about the demonstrations to stop the execution of Mumia Abu Jamal. If we had not been here when it started, we would not know the protests against the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. The world does not know about the struggles of students for affirmative action and bilingual education," said Luis Ernesto Morejón, speaking with 45 people at a reception at Occidental College April 16.

Between April 15 and 21, Cuban youth leaders Morejón and Itamys García Villar spoke to more than 450 students and others at the University California at Los Angeles (UCLA), Occidental College, Glendale Community College, California State University Los Angeles, California State University Northridge, and three smaller receptions.

In addition, workers involved in various struggles at the Los Angeles airport attended a house meeting. The Cubans visited a predominantly Black high school community center in south central Los Angeles. And they attended a reception organized by Amerindia, an organization of Cuban Americans who oppose the U.S. embargo and support normalization of relations with Cuba.

At the Occidental meeting, García expanded on what the two have learned since their speaking tour began in Atlanta in March. "We met Black farmers from the South who are fighting to keep their land. We met many immigrants in this country who are carrying out struggles to defend the rights they should have as any other citizen," she said. These fights "are what we will take back with us to share with young people in Cuba."

The UCLA meeting, attended by 110 students and others, was sponsored by the Committee on Cuban Youth and Education, the Undergraduate Student Association, Raza Women, Samahang Pilipino, and the Coalition in Solidarity with Cuba. Stacy Lee, president of the Undergraduate Students Association at UCLA, chaired the event. Professor Peter McLaren, the chair of the Committee on Cuban Youth and Education, which coordinated the seven-city speaking tour, and Cristina Gonzales and Cathy Bravo, members of Raza Women, introduced the speakers. U.S. Representative Maxine Waters sent greetings to the meeting.

Noluthando L. Williams, chair of the African Student Union, also thanked the guests, "not just for what the Cuban students are doing, but what the [Cuban] nation is doing." She contrasted revolutionary Cuba to the increased "locking of people out of access to this university" through attacks on affirmative action.

Melinda Mann, an Arts and Culture major, appealed for funds to defray tour expenses, raising more than $450 in a collection from those attending the meeting. "We know the U.S. government wants to make it hard for this kind of meeting to happen. But we won't let them stop us!" she declared.

Responding to a question "What occurs after Fidel Castro's death?" Morejón answered, "It would be kind of an insult to suggest one person represents all the gains of the revolution. There are many leaders of the Cuban revolution. This is what makes it possible for a revolution to project itself through time. More important than Fidel is the alliance of workers, peasants, and youth."

Professor Carlos Ugalde invited the Cubans to speak at Glendale College to two of his classes, which a total of 55 students attended. Some of the students said they couldn't believe that the Cuban government was any different than other governments in suppression of democratic rights. Morejón and García answered their questions point-by-point, and after the meeting one of these students told Morejón, "You've totally changed the way I look at Cuba."

At California State, García and Morejón spoke to 120 people at a meeting sponsored by the Latin American Society, Latin American Studies Program, Pan Afrikan Resource Center, Chicana/o Latina/o Resource Center, and MEChA at California State University Los Angeles. Evonne Santiago, chair of LAS, introduced the program.

Professor Donald Bray of the Latin American Studies Program welcomed the Cuban youth and spoke about an exchange program being developed between the California State University system and universities in Cuba. David Sundol, director of the Educational Opportunity Program, also welcomed the youth to CSLA. A member of the California Faculty Association reported on the fight the faculty in Cal State system are waging for a contract.

After the main presentation, a woman said she left Cuba in 1971, at age 13. While not supporting the revolution, she said she opposed Washington's 40-year economic war against Cuba. She thought few Americans supported the embargo, but a small group of Cubans with money influence the U.S. government.

Morejón responded, "We came to the U.S. with the same impression you expressed. We really thought a small number of Cubans and Cuban Americans had the weight on the U.S. government. Being here, we changed our minds. The Cuban American National Foundation is the pretext the United States government uses to maintain the blockade," reflecting the U.S. rulers' undying hatred for the fact that working people in Cuba have taken their country into their own hands.

Marjorie Bray, chair of the Latin American Studies Program, closed the meeting.

 
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home