Detroit salutes Cuba’s 50 years of revolution

A three-day summer celebration of the Cuban Revolution’s 50th anniversary here in Detroit also welcomed the 20th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan. The message carried by this caravan is: “The time is now! President Barack Obama: free the Cuban Five, end the blockade of Cuba, end the travel ban and normalize relations.”

Detroit youth, with artist Tyree Guyton (center rear), painted the van behind them in honor of the Cuban Five. WW photo: Cheryl LaBash

Programs reviewing 50 years of Cuban cinema and music preceded the July 10 finale of a dinner, live salsa music and an awards presentation. Honored for their work in solidarity with the Cuban people were Detroit City Councilmember JoAnn Watson and attorneys Julie Hurwitz and Jerry Goldberg. Angeles Meneses, a student at the University of Michigan and intern at the Hurwitz-Goodman law firm, read a statement from Hurwitz, accepting the award on her behalf.

Representing Pastors for Peace, the Rev. Tom Smith accepted a very special vehicle joining the Friendshipment Caravan—a passenger van donated to the Cuban Workers Confederation by the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange. Renowned Detroit artist Tyree Guyton of the Heidelberg Project transformed the van into a mobile work of art dedicated to freeing the Cuban Five.

Ignacio Meneses of the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange reviewed the history of Cuba’s struggle for independence and self-determination and the advances in health care and literacy won by the workers of Cuba and shared with a widening circle of humanity throughout Latin America and the Caribbean—progress now threatened by the U.S.-backed military coup in Honduras.

The Hon. Claudia Morcom emceed the program, which included an appeal for renewed struggle to free the Cuban Five, Mumia Abu-Jamal and all U.S. political prisoners. Noted local photographers Jack Kenny, Kenneth Snodgrass and Frank Hammer displayed pictures from Cuba.

The caravan’s message will be heard in more than 130 cities along 14 routes as it gathers tons of humanitarian aid destined for Cuba. The caravan travels to the socialist island without U.S. government approval, along with the Venceremos Brigade, the U.S./Cuba Labor Exchange and African Awareness, in an annual challenge to the blockade. The groups are scheduled to return to the U.S. on Aug. 3 at border crossings in Texas and in Buffalo, N.Y.