On March 23rd, Ana Hebra Flaster, author and journalist addressed the Rotary Club of Nashua regarding, her book Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town. Ms. Flaster is a former child refugee from Cuba. As a journalist has written for the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, NPR All things Considered. Winner of Discovery Book Award for Non-Fiction.
Her book is about the struggle of immigrants and her family’s personal story of leaving Cuba and coming to the USA. The book focuses on struggle for democracy and human rights in Cuba.
Came to Nashua in 1967 at age 6. Graduate of Nashua High School and Smith College
Much has changed in NH since then. Recently at Marshalls heard Guatemalan mother arguing with her daughter daughter. Latinos made up .3 % of NH population in 1967. 5.3% today.
In the 1950’s various rebel groups were trying to end the corrupt, military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The rebels bombed and shot their way through most of the 1950’s. When Batista’s forces caught them or their supporters, many were tortured. Some were killed. The rebels all promised to deliver what most Cubans wanted: the restoration of Cuba’s 1940 democratic constitution and the return of free and fair elections. Cubans believed the rebels’ promises. They did not want and did not expect a communist revolution. They wanted to end political corruption and the return of the democratic system they’d enjoyed in the 1940’s.
On January 1, 1959, Batista fled the country and the rebels came to power. The revolution had triumphed. But instead of working to restore democracy and hold fair elections, the new government led by Fidel Castro, turned cuban society upside down. Castro took over newspapers and television stations, businesses, banks, shops, schools. Food became scarce. There were scheduled rolling power outages, food lines, ration cards, Accusations of being anti-revolutinary could ruin your life and your family’s. When Cubans protested about losing the liberties they treasured, they lost their jobs, were harassed, imprisoned. Thousands were executed.
After six years since the Castro government came to power, Ana’s mother and aunt Tia who had been a revolutionary became increasingly disillusioned with Castro’s regime once the new government began executing people on live TV. Tia was almost taken prisoner by the revolutionaries. In 1965 the family decided to leave Cuba and obtained an exit visa. All their property (home, cars, valuables, etc.) were confiscated by the revolutionaries and they were allowed to leave with 1 suit case with 1 change of clothes They had nothing.
They wound up at a refugee center in Miami and then went to Nashua. A foreman at a rubber boot factory let them rent a apartment without a deposit. While they faced racism and prejudice people were generally curious and friendly. One Nashuan gave them an old Studebaker.
It was tough for the family. They faced racism and prejudice. They missed Cuba and the family they left behind. They listened to the Voice of America in Spanish. The family spoke daily about the barrio they left in Cuba to keep it alive. “Make Yourself Brave” was the family motto. They lived at 23 Hunt Street in Nashua. They created their own Cuba in Nashua. Independence was the desire of the younger generation. Demanding privacy was another American value they struggled with. Unlike American Cubans did not go on boy only dates without a chaperone.
The immigrant experience doesn’t end if you are an immigrant.
As the matriarch of her family Ana reminds her family of their ancestors and Cuban traditions. Ana’s husband reminds her that immigrants are the super power of America.
+Did you go back to Cuba? Yes, in the 1970’s her mother, aunt and grandmother went back. In 1990 she went back. In 2012 she went back with husband Andy and son. Cubans did not have internet access until 2018 but she now communicates with family via email.
+Are there still blackouts? Today there are blackouts for 20 hours. Misinformation about Trump cutting off oil from Venezuela causing blackouts is propaganda. There have been blackouts since the revolution. Villages have been abandoned due to no electricity. Protests every night. People scream “Libertad” and “Down with Communism”.
+If the government were to collapse would the people have the wherewithal to create a functioning Democracy? In Cuba, mothers tell their children they must learn English and leave Cuba because there is not a future or freedom in Cuba. The internet has dispelled much of the negative propaganda promoted by the communists.
CLOSING REMARKS
President Nick thanked Ana for her presentation. Her book “Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town” is available on Amazon. To those who do purchase her book Ana would be grateful if you would leave a review.