Travel challengers return to U.S.

With banners in hand, the 37th Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade marched across the International Peace Bridge from Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada, into Buffalo, N.Y., on July 17. At the border, they proudly declared, “Yes! We defied the U.S. ban on travel! We went to see socialist Cuba for ourselves.”

A crowd of supporters gathered from across New York State, Ontario and Michigan, and cheered and chanted to the accompaniment of a brass band. The travel ban challengers, including a group from the César Chávez Labor Challenge of the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange, based in Detroit, could hardly wait to talk about Cuba.

Priscilla Bassett of New York City (second from right in photo) said, “I’m one of the youngest, and this was an experience young people need to have. It made me think about questions that most young people here never think about. It opened my eyes.”

—Story and photo by Ellie Dorritie