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news
Campus
activists march in Cuba
By Desi Molinar
On-line Forty-Niner
While the rest of the campus lined up for free hot dogs in
honor of International Worker's Day, three Cal State Long
Beach students spent the holiday on the front line of a worker's
march- alongside seven million others in Cuba.
Taking education out of the classroom, Jeff Kikawa, Jessica
Delmar and Christi Sanchez spent a week in Cuba traveling
with the Marin Interfaith Task Force on Central America. The
task force works to provide humanitarian aid to Central American
countries while educating volunteers on the political and
social structures of those countries.
Although the interfaith organization works with various religious
leaders, Frances Steadman, a member of the MITF board, said.
"Yes, we are Christian-based, but our main consideration
is not religion. Our main consideration is justice,"
said Steadman.
Kikawa, a senior majoring in political science and Spanish,
came across MITF when a representative visited campus. Kikawa
raised approximately $1300 through fund-raisers, donations
and personal savings to join 13 other activist workers for
a weeklong stay in Cuba. From April 26 to May 4, the volunteers
made daily trips to clinics and hospitals, distributing 100,000
doses of non-aspirin pain reliever. Steadman explained that
Cuba's embargo with the United States and other countries
limit its access to resources like Ibuprofen and vitamins.
Women's studies major Jessica Delmar, 20, heard about the
trip from Kikawa. Having never given a thought to anything
outside her own paradigm, Delmar went to educate herself on
the world beyond CSULB. She came back transformed.
"Participating in the march was incredible," Delmar
said. "The crowd was massive. Instead of clapping, all
you heard was the sound of flags waving. It was touching.
I was crying. I felt so proud to be there."
Delmar said she came back with a renewed sense of patriotism
and a change in priorities. As she watched down to earth doctors
treat every patient with respect, and attended seminars where
social workers made speeches about becoming friends with prostitutes
and the homeless, her concept of caring for one's fellow man
has been enlightened.
"Everybody seemed to care about everybody else, and everyone
is working for a better society. It taught me to change my
focus on life" Delmar said.
The diverse task force of students, struggling actors, lawyers
and social workers also witnessed life in the cigar factories.
Christi Sanchez, 22, was impressed with the reading of the
newspaper over the loudspeaker every morning. Everyone was
eager to listen, she said and eager to learn. Their desire
for knowledge has motivated her outlook toward her own education-an
education, it seems, that goes beyond finals and hot dogs.
"We need to focus on higher things," Delmar said.
"It is possible to not think just about ourselves."
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