The Gomez Family

(March 4, 2007 -- Miami, FL) Liza says Miami is a fantastic place to maintain a Latino identity, because of the number of Cuban immigrants and South American immigrants, and the heavy influence of Spanish in the school systems. Liza noted that someday it would be great to travel to both Cuba and Columbia, although the United States is unquestionably her home.

The Gomez Family

(March 4, 2007 -- Miami, FL) Canndi (right) is from Colombia, and married to a Cuban. Her daughter, Liza, who is a teacher, has two children of her own, Sevannah and Alek. Liza says she is planning on instilling a strong Cuban identity within the children, but plans to mix that with the Columbian pride.

Reginio Rodriguez

(March 4, 2007 Hialeah, FL) Reginio Rodriguez opened the 24-hour Tropical Restaurant in Hialeah 24 years ago. He described the Cuban population in Cuba as starving. His sympathizes with Cubans still on the Island, but doesn’t wish for the death of Fidel. He only hopes that he suffers the starvation that his people have suffered for years in his last moments.

Hialeah Tropical Restaurant

(March 5th, Hialeah, FL) Reginio Rodriguez has hired a variety of nationalities to work within the restaurant: Chinese, Black, White, Cuban, Mexican, and Venezuelan. He wants to offer everyone a chance to work hard in America and only hires workers who have legal papers.

Tres Palacios

(March 5, 2007--Miami, FL, Portugues Restaurant, Coimbra ) Jos?am?res Palacios (87) was originally from Cuba. His was a businessman and upon moving to Spain became a major importer of fine quality shoes. He continues the family business of shoe-importation in the United States. He also is very interested in cuisine—his son owns a Spanish restaurant in Miami called Caf?evilla.

Racies de Esperanza

(March 1, 2007 -- Miami, FL) Diane Cabrera (Girl in Red shirt), a first generation Cuban American, whose family came to the U.S. in 1980 during the Mariel boat lift. She is the head organizer of the politically active group Raices de Esperanza, a group pushing for a solidarity with Cuban youth, anti-Fidel Castro. Kelsey Vidaye and Leticia Olivera (left) are also members.

Del Exilio

(March 3, 2007 -- Miami, FL) Members of the music group Delexilio (of exiles), led by David Sandoval. Pictured left to right: Barry Rosenhouse (man with beard), Sarah Talbot, David Sandoval and Raymond "Rayboogie" Pizarro (wearing glasses and hat). Sandoval is a Cuban-American, and has infused his pop-dance music with political statements about his cultural community.

Del Exilio Concert

(March 2, 2007 -- Miami, FL) The Band Del Exilio performs in the Transit Lounge in Miami on a Friday night. The band is based in New York, but traveled to play a show supported by the political organization Raices de Esperanza that Friday and Saturday night.

Bay of Pigs Museum

(March 2, 2007 -- Miami, FL) Juan Torres, Director of the Bay of Pigs Museum shows a ring that displays his dogtag number from his time spent in the military on the inside. Brigade 2506 was a group of US backed Cuban Exiles who stormed the beaches of the Bay of Pigs on April 17th 1961 to fight against Fidel’s regime. Many of the men fighting were captured or killed.

Fishermen

(March 4, 2007, Key-Biscayne) Key-Biscayne Beach. Sunday fishing with the family. Carmen Gomez and her parents enjoy a weekend afternoon fishing in Key-Biscayne. Carmen’s father (pictured) is a Cuban American while her mother is Puerto Rican. Mr. Gomez explained that every weekend he brings his tent and his family to fish; this particular day Carmen got the largest catch.

Rafael Santamarina

(March 1, 2007 -- Miami, FL) Rafael Santamarina, the Manager of Cuban Cafe, Tinta y Cafe. The Miami Herald recently wrote a piece about the cafe, which is known for its more leftist politics. The cafe provokes conversation by playing such music as Orishas or placing a book with half of Fidel Castro's face on the front cover. Rafael embodies a different sentiment than most Cuban Americans.

Pedro Romanach and Maria Victoria

(March 3, 2007, South Miami) Maria Victoria is pictured with husband Pedro Romanach. After emigrating to the United States, Romanach was very depressed for some time due to not finding work. He soon became a teacher and a director of Buen Hogar magazine and GeoMundo. His wife worked as a teacher as well.

Exile Breakfast

(March 4, 2007 - Hialeah, FL) Once a month or so, a brunch gathering the Municipios de Cuba en el Exilio organization, joins families together to celebrate being Cuban American at the La Carreta restaurant in Hialeah. Different generations of Cubans and Cuban American attended this breakfast. Lili Soler and Augusto Sanchez embrace during the opening moments of the Brunch.

Gabriel Medina

(March 4, 2007, South Miami) Gabriel Medina fled Cuba because of the concep that Fidel was a dictator. It was hard coming to the USA because of the lack of friends, money, job opportunities. He in no way wants to return to the country of his birth. Although Cuban traditions are maintained in the household and within the familiar community, Gabriel also accepts his American identity.

Gabriel Medina

(March 4, 2007, South Miami) Gabriel Medina came to the United States from Cuba in 1967 and has lived in this apartment complex for 34 years. All of his family came to live in the USA except for his sister, who visited but never choose to remain in this country. Gabriel was a successful lawyer in Havana. Although he would have liked to practice law in the United States, the process was expensive, and he didn't have time to maintain a family and become certified. He began working as a teacher.