English Translations of Cubans Writing From the Island
The songs written and performed by the young musician, David Escalona, carry the very essence of a different Cuba. Omni-Zona Franca, the alternative Havana-based art group, launched the political and social quarrels into the world, and they carry a certain magic. On the night of Saturday, November 24th, I went to go see him once … Continue reading “David Escalona, the Strength of Urban Hip-Hop / Luis Felipe Rojas”
Today the UNPACU* activist and promoter of the campaign For Another Cuba, Yosbel Ramos Suárez, has been summoned to a police station. He is being interrogated by an official named Tamayo, who is warning him that there will be no concert at Estado de Sats tomorrow, they will not allow it. The concert scheduled for … Continue reading “Note About Threat From State Security / For Another Cuba, Estado de Sats”
Today Sunday, Sept. 2, at 5 pm in SATS Literature in Liberty: With Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo and Cuban New Thought contest winners (e-Maro, Frank Correa, Orlando Freire Santana, Dimas Castellanos) Ave 1ra %46 y 60 #4606. Miramar, Playa. La Habana. This meeting is rescheduled as we could not hold it yesterday, Saturday, September 1st … Continue reading “Sunday, September 2, at 5 pm in SATS: Literature of Liberty: With Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo and the winners of the Cuban New Thought Contest / Estado de Sats, For Another Cuba”
This past Friday, September 7th, I returned to that joyful encounter among friends. I attended the presentation of the 16th edition of the Cuban Voices Magazine, dedicated this time as a tribute to Oswaldo Paya Sardinas. With a forward by Orlando Luis Pardo, the dossier is filled with signatures of essayists like Rafael Rojas, Manuel … Continue reading “Cuban Voices Magazine, The Voice / Luis Felipe Rojas”
This family is occupying an empty apartment in Alamar, a housing development east of Havana. From OmniZonaFranca website: We never received any intention from housing officials trying to resolve our case, we know that the State Security is aware of this situation. The traditional discourse of humanity and protection of the family are ever further … Continue reading “Threatened Eviction: Reporting in Real Time / Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo”
Citizen Demand for Another Cuba As Cubans, legitimate children of this land and an essential part of our nation, we feel a deep sorrow at the prolonged crisis that we are experiencing and the demonstrated inability of the current government to make fundamental changes. This obliges us, from civil society, to seek and demand our … Continue reading “Citizen Demand for Another Cuba – 536 Signatures and Counting”
One more stop against discrimination and prejudice against women The Click Festival 2012, organized by the Blogger Academy, Spanish Blog Event and State of SATS — http://festivalclick.com — was a complete success. It generated much exchange of knowledge about twitter, blogs and variegated technologies. An air of enthusiasm characterized the event in spite of threatsof … Continue reading “Actions to Help Cuban mothers with Several Children / Dora Leonor Mesa”
Citizen Demand for Another Cuba As Cubans, legitimate children of this land and an essential part of our nation, we feel a deep sorrow at the prolonged crisis that we are experiencing and the demonstrated inability of the current government to make fundamental changes. This obliges us, from civil society, to seek and demand our … Continue reading “For Another Cuba – Citizen Demand for Another Cuba”
By Yaremis Flores. On Tuesday, March 6, Iris Ruiz, wife of the Omni-Zona Franca cultural project coordinator Amaury Pacheco, received the response of local government of Alamar, a neighborhood located in Havana del Este, which confirms their status as an illegal occupier and warns her to “leave the premises of her own will.” Iris, her … Continue reading “Government Reponse to an “Occupier” / Cuban Law Association”
What can I say if I forget everything. Nothing, not even that and not the word nothing. So I carry a load of recordings of the past, what was learned. As if every atom in me, unknowingly or unwittingly, has a file in the autopilot. Everything I see or I suffer first hand I project … Continue reading “If I Forget Everything… / El Sexto – Danilo Maldonado Machado”
Yaremis Flores. On the periphery of Havana, in the Alamar district,cases of illegal squatters inunoccupied buildingsare proliferating. The Government and the Municipal Housing Division (DMV), the entities in charge of solving the problem, are simply targets for the numerous complaints and pleas of the population. “You’re not on the list of priority cases, there are … Continue reading “"Occupy" in Havana / Yaremis Flores”
A debate encounter sponsored by the Catholic digital publication Espacio Laical took place on Saturday, October 29th, 2011. The agency EFE, the leading Spanish news agency, reported the event in a very laudable manner, as published on October 30th on the digital site Cubaencuentro. The report states that “The new role that the Catholic Church … Continue reading “Between the Gun and the Cassock / Miriam Celaya”
In State of SATS, where art and thought come together, on Saturday they considered several independent artistic projects: Matraka, Talento Cubano, Puños en Alto, Omni-Zona Franca. Everyone spoke about their difficulties in bringing their projects in parallel with — or against — the Ministry of Culture. Censorship and self-censorship were words repeated over and over. … Continue reading “Islands / Regina Coyula”
This video was made yesterday at a concert organized by the group OMNI-Zona Franca in Gaia house. There was very little light and the audio is bad, but the song of Raudel shines out above any technological problem. I transcribed what I’ve managed to understand, any contribution from a reader with a better ear than … Continue reading ““We Are the Root of The Change,” by Raudel of the Patriotic Squadron”