Cuban
natives to speak on youth
By Maritza Diaz
On-line Forty-Niner
There
is more to Cuba than Fidel Castro and cigars.
Two Cuban citizens have been invited to
speak on campus about youth in Cuba, but
a lack of traveling visas may keep them
out of the United States.
In order to educate students on the complexities
of Cuban life, the Committee for U.S.-Cuban
Academic Exchange and various other Cal
State Long Beach organizations is attempting
to bring these two Cuban youth leaders to
speak on campus this afternoon.
Estela Zulueta Valdes and Ernesto Fernandez
Sanchez will begin an 11-city tour that
is scheduled to begin today. Valdes, 35,
is a law student at the University of Havana
and has been part of various youth organizations
in Havana and nationally. Sanchez, 23, is
a member of the National Secretariat of
Students of Cuba and has a bachelor’s degree
in education. Both are scheduled to talk
about the opportunities and challenges facing
Cuban youth, Jeff Kikawa, a senior and organizer
of the event, said.
A problem with the event is that Valdes
and Sanchez have not received their visas
from the State Department yet. They have
had interviews and are still awaiting a
response.
“This is a common problem. Especially now,
the State Department has been denying visas
to Cubans and many other people,” Kikawa
said.
If Valdes and Sanchez are not approved for
a visa or receive them to late, there will
still be a meeting.
“Hopefully they’ll be able to get in. If
they don’t get their visas we will have
a protest meeting,” Frank Forrestal, member
of the US-Cuban Academic Exchange, said.
The protest meeting will involve students
and professors, and will likely include
a discussion about the current war and the
inability for people to travel freely. Currently
people are unable to travel to and from
Cuba without a permit, Kikawa said.
“We will not be silenced if the visas are
denied, but will continue with the planned
meeting to protest the denial as an attack
on the rights to travel and the freedom
of speech of all working people,” Kikawa
said.
If Valdez and Sanchez are permitted to enter
the United States, it will be the first
time for both in this country. Their appearance
will also mark the beginning of the Cuban
youth exchange program this July. They will
be addressing the similarities and differences
between Cuba and the United States and the
misconceptions about what life is like in
Cuba.
“They are not here to paint a fairy tale
about Cuba,” Forrestal said. “They are going
to tell you about the real life situations
and the hardships they face that are imposed
by the United States.”
The tour is also an educational experience
for Valdez and Sanchez.
“We want them to see and experience the
conditions of how people live and work in
the United States. About what really happens
here,” Forrestal said.
A large turnout is expected for this event
even if Valdez and Sanchez cannot be there.
Kikawa and Forrestal hope this event educates
students about the political situation in
Cuba and that people become interested.
“Everyone is holding their breath. It’s
going to come down to the wire,” Kikawa
said, “It’s going to be interesting to see
what happens.”
The discussion or protest meeting will be
held from noon to 2 p.m. in the North Campus
Center.
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