Let Cuba Live Coalition builds solidarity in Los Angeles

The Let Cuba Live Coalition (LCLC) in Los Angeles is gathering steam for a fall offensive to take Cuba #OFFTHELIST and end the criminal U.S. blockade of Cuba. 

The local group is organizing to get the second largest city in the U.S. to finally join dozens of cities, counties, unions and community groups, including the New York City and Washington, D.C., City Councils, and pass a resolution to take Cuba off the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT) list and end the U.S. blockade of Cuba. 

On the heels of a recent victory – the Sacramento Mayoral Proclamation that resolved to “…proclaim support for the efforts to remove Cuba from the (SSOT) list” – the LCLC is supporting efforts to get union backing while preparing to meet with local council members, county executives and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.

The LCLC has connected with Sanctuary of Hope (SOH) to join the grassroots efforts to reach local politicians and expand the community’s understanding of Cuba’s example. SOH is a youth development organization, whose primary mission is to provide a caring and identity-affirming approach to services that help young people become self-sufficient, make connections, and lead meaningful lives. In that context, SOH took a delegation of youth to Cuba.

The SOH delegates have been invited to participate in meetings with city counselors and speak about their Cuba experiences at a Sept. 24 documentary film showing at the Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice. The event begins at 2 p.m. at 5278 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles.

“Cuba in Africa” by Negash Abdurahman will be screened at the Harriet Tubman Center, with Abdurahman available via zoom to discuss the film and answer questions. The documentary is the dramatic untold story of 420,000 Cubans – soldiers and teachers, doctors and nurses – who gave everything to help end colonial rule and apartheid in southern Africa. “Cuba in Africa” is told primarily through the moving stories of Cuban survivors of the Angolan campaign, from soldiers to teachers to medical personnel to government officials.

Other Los Angeles community-building and Cuba awareness events included the important report from the Women in Struggle LGBTQ+ delegation to Cuba to learn about the progressive new Families Code. The report-back meeting stressed the urgency of fighting here in the U.S. for the recognition of all types of families, as was codified into law in Cuba. 

Melinda Butterfield, leader of the Women in Struggle delegation, encouraged everyone to go to Orlando, Florida, on Oct. 7 for the National March to Protect Trans Youth & Speakout for Trans Rights. Visit ProtectTransKidsMarch.org for info.

To get involved with LCLC, call (323) 306-6240 or email info@HarrietTubmanCenterLA.com.

Join the campaign for 1 million signatures to take Cuba #OffTheList of State Sponsors of Terrorism. Visit LetCubaLive.info.