Perspectives from Havana in a Year of Covid and Embargo – A Series of Weekly Conversations

What has Cuba been like in the past year?
What is like now?
What have been the major challenges and achievements?

Like the rest of the world, Havana and Cuba have just completed the first full year of Covid 19.  It has done so with the full force of the U.S. embargo on its neck, including additional measures enacted by the Trump administration and so far not modified or removed by the Biden administration.  What has Havana been like the past year?  What is it like now? What have been the major challenges and achievements?

Please join us to explore these and other questions with 5 leading voices from Cuba

All events at 6pm Eastern Time

April 13:  From the Perspective of an Economist – Ricardo Torres

April 20   From the Perspective of Science & Healthcare – Luis Montero Cabrera

April 27:  From the Perspective of a Sociologist and Feminist – Marta Nuñez

May 04:  From the Perspective of a Poet and Writer – Nancy Morejón

May 11:  From the Perspective of the Next Generation — David Faya & Isabel Rodriguez

May 18:  Do Cuba-US relations have a future? — Estéban Morales

Each week will start with a short presentation, followed by plenty of time for questions and dialogue.  The discussion will be moderated by Cole Harrison (Massachusetts Peace Action), Sandra Levinson (Center for Cuban Studies), and Gloria Caballero (Latin American Solidarity Coalition of W. Mass)

Estéban Morales Domínguez is an economist, political scientist, member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences. He founded the Center for Studies on the United States at the University of Havana in 1980 and was director until 1999. He also as served as Director of the Department of Political Economy of the Faculty of Economics, Director of the School of Political Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. He has been visiting professor at universities in the United States, Europe and Japan, giving or given courses on subjects ranging from Political Economy to International Relations to Race Relations to Cuba-US relations.  He is considered a specialist on race relations in the United States and in Cuba.  He has written numerous books and articles which have been published internationally as well as in Cuba. He is a current or past member of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Economics and Scientific Council or the University of Havana, the advisory councils at the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, the Ministry of Higher Education, the Economic Society of Friends of the Country, the Commissions to Combat Racism and Discrimination at the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba and the Jose Marti National Library and the Scientific Committee of the Slave Route for UNESCO.

 (only one registration is needed for the series). At the close of each session you will be given information and options for action to lift the Sanctions and end the Embargo, as well as ways in which you can get involved with the organizations sponsoring and co-sponsoring the series, or hold events and forums in your own community, institution or organization.

Introductions:  Merri Ansara and Estéban Morales in Havana

Video of previous sessions: 

Main Sponsors:

Massachusetts Peace Action ()

Center for Cuban Studies (cubanstudies.org)

Latin American Solidarity Coalition of Western Massachusetts ()

Cosponsors: Saving Lives Campaign, US-Cuba Normalization Coalition, National Network on Cuba, Canadian Network on Cuba, Code Pink, Committees of Correspondence for Democracy & Socialism, Global Health Partners, July 26 Coalition Boston, Latin American Working Group, US Peace Council, US Women & Cuba Collaboration, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom,  Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance, Solidarity Collective, Vancouver Communities in Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC), Friends of Cuba Against the U.S. Blockade – Vancouver, Greater Hartford Cuba Solidarity Committee, IFCO/Pastors for Peace.

Other organizations are invited to co-sponsor the event and provide information on follow up actions and activities for the audience participants.