Save the date & watch for more on the March 11-12 International US-Cuba Normalization Conference in NYC and the Boston-area collaborative program taking place.

click flyer and here for details

___________________________

2:00-4:00 in the Main Library (in person & virtual), preceded by the monthly Cuba Stand-Out at 1:30

Click to enlarge, click twice for larger; download flyer here.

And look for more on January 29th in Somerville: “Building Youth Friendship & Solidarity between Boston and Cuba”

An invitation from
Boston PSL, Party for Socialism and Liberation:
Fri, Jan 6, 6:30-9:30 – 194 Blue Hill Ave. Roxbury

Join us to commemorate the Haitian and Cuban Revolutions (January 1, 1804 and 1959 respectively) with food, discussion and art and culture.

These two revolutions were victories of the oppressed and inspired people around the globe. We’ll gather to learn and remember the struggles of the Haitian people against enslavement and colonization, becoming the first free Black republic, as well as affirm our support of Haiti’s continued right to self-determination. We’ll also hear from Boston organizers who recently traveled to Cuba to witness its socialist revolutionary process, which has radically transformed society, providing free housing, healthcare, jobs and education for all, despite a brutal US blockade.

Join us as we celebrate these incredible victories and express our unwavering solidarity with the people of Haiti and Cuba!

More from Calla, Sunday, Dec. 11, 11:00-noon here; Calla & other youth on Monday, Dec. 12, 8:00 pm here. Videos for Sunday here; Monday here.

US, Cuban Youth Come Together
for a Better Future

Calla Walsh, co-chair of the National Network on Cuba, attending
the US/Cuba Youth Meeting, observes local elections in Cuba.*

The featured article in the November 30th issue of Resumen-English includes the photo and caption above and covers the five-day Youth Friendship Meeting “Building Our Future Today” with a delegation of 50 from the U.S. The meeting included visits, seminars and focuses here on the wide-ranging discussions in English and Spanish at the National Botanical Garden in Havana, also covered in Juventud Rebelde/Rebellious Youth. Calla is a visible presence and quoted in another report posted on CubaNews, on the delegation visit to the one-year old Fidel Castro Center.

We’ve posted other doings by Calla, including her spring article in Multipolarista, “Abortion in Cuba vs US shows which country is truly democratic.” Calla personifies the recent outburst of youth activism and leadership in July26.org, in the development of Cuba work with Massachusetts Peace Action, Democratic Socialists of America in Boston and nationally, and with the National Network on Cuba. We look forward to the continued growth in youth involvement, activism, and leadership in US-Cuba solidarity movement. ____________________

“Observing the elections to the Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power was one of the most incredible parts of our program during the US-Cuba Youth Friendship Meeting,” Calla later said. She followed up with an article in Multipolarista: “US youth observe Cuba’s elections – and learn about real democracy” that’s reprinted in Resumen-English.

* Thursday, November 17, 6:30 pm — July26th.org supports and encourages participation at the rescheduled September program planned originally as part of CREW’s Climate Change Week: “At the Intersection of Climate Change: How Massachusetts Can Stand in Solidarity with Cuba” — with Jessica Fernandez Casañas, head of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba.

* Sunday, November 27 — last-Sunday-of-the-month Boston area Stand Out is scheduled for 2:00 pm in Harvard Square, Cambridge, next to the MBTA Red Line entrance.

* Monday, November 29 — The planned in-person / hybrid public program with Helen Yaffe and Aviva Chomsky in the evening has been postponed.

Update on Rallies and UN Vote

Rallies in NYC & Somerville at Davis Square. Photos by Diane Stradling in the July26.org NY contingent, video here; and Karen Slater.

This year’s UN vote was 185-2; for more see the Resumen-English story “The World Stands with Cuba Once Again” and more in CubaNews and the AP’s “UN Votes Overwhelmingly to Condemn US Embaego of Cuba” and more in Google News.

October 30, 2:00-3:00, Davis Square, Somerville:
For Next Week’s UN Censure of the U.S. Embargo

This month’s Stand-Out supporting Cuba will take place at Davis Square in Somerville, at College and Elm, from 2:00-3:00. The July 26th Coalition supports these standouts which are part of a series of actions across the country as well as internationally, this month’s expected to be especially emphatic, including a major “We Stand with the World” rally in New York City on the 29th and a 24-hour virtual picket starting Wednesday the 2nd, in anticipation of the 30th consecutive overwhelming condemnation of the Embargo/Blockade by the UN General Assembly scheduled for November 2 and 3.

Calls for Removal of Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism List

On September 22 the Somerville City Council unanimously passed an anti-blockade resolution calling on President Biden to remove Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list that he recently reaffirmed. The resolution was introduced by At-Large City Councilor and Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) member Willie Burnley Jr., co-sponsored by DSA member and Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen, and included input from a broad coalition including the Boston Cuba Solidarity Coalition-July 26.org and Massachusetts Peace Action. A press release is available here. The Somerville resolution is featured on the Local Campaign Update 2022 page of resolutions passed across the country.

Planning ongoing local support and this year’s UN vote action

In light of increased hostilities and sanctions by the Biden administration, two actions are currently underway, a monthly Cuba support demonstration in Boston and planning for a nationwide solidarity event to coincide with this year’s UN condemnation of the U.S. embargo blockade.

Beginning on September 25 at 2:00, July26.org is supporting and co-sponsoring a last-Sunday-of-the-month stand-out in support of Cuba at Copey Square, initiated by Mass Peace Action, along with, among others, Dorchester People for Peace, First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom, and Boston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).  More information is available here.

The date of the presentation and vote on the annual UN resolution condemning the US embargo/blockade of Cuba, introduced and overwhelmingly supported since 1992, is November 2nd and 3rd. July26.org has joined a host of organizations to support planning efforts for a major demonstration outside the UN along with solidarity protests across the country and world-wide the weekend before. This coincides with the October 30th stand-out at Copley Square. For more on this, see the edited version of the invitation to participate.

How Massachusetts Can Stand in Solidarity with Cuba
Wednesday, September 28th, 6:30-8:00 pm
Register here.

As a part of Climate Preparedness Week 2022, Jessica Fernandez Casañas, head of the Climate Change Department of Cuba’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment will discuss Cuba’s plan for climate mitigation and resilience, followed by a Q&A about how people in the United States can create cooperative relationships with the people of Cuba as the impacts of climate change are felt all around the world. Sponsored by CREW and MA Peace Action.

FBI Raids and the Fires in Matanzas

Many Cuba groups are joining in criticizing and condemning the FBI raids and attacks on the Uhuru Movement and African People’s Socialist Party offices in St. Petersburg and St. Louis (stories here). July 26.org has signed onto the IFCO/Pastors for Peace condemnation statement and more.

Most immediate are the horrific on-going fires in Matanzas that began Friday and are in the fifth day — see the Resumen story among others, the Belly of the Beast on the ground report, and the on-going reports and support options posted in Walter Lippmann’s CubaNews. CodePink, IFCO/Pastors for Peace, the International People’s Assembly, and the People’s Forum say: Sanctions Fuel the Fire — Here’s what you can do.

July 26, 1953, as Isaac Saney tells us in “Resistance, Resilience and Renewal: Cuba Commemorates Moncada,” is annually celebrated all over Cuba as the beginning of the movement that paved the way for the Cuban Revolution. Join Isaac and our comrades and colleagues in Canada for a special commemorative program at 8:00 pm today. Note that Cuba is celebrating with an on-site ceremony. And for more on July 26, see Charles McKelvey’s analysis.