Anti-racist icon Assata Shakur, who lived in exile in Cuba for decades, has died at the age of 78. We hear from three Afro-Cuban women who knew her and were inspired by her life and legacy.
Also:
- Watch how Cuba’s organic urban gardens feed neighborhoods
- Miami artists targeted over Cuba trip
- Inside our latest film screening in New York City
- Cuba wins second straight Youth "Baseball5" World Championship
- U.S. says blockade is a lie – while it ramps up sanctions
- Trump to send more money for regime change in Cuba?
Black Liberation Activist Assata Shakur Dies in Cuba
Political activist Assata Shakur passed away in Havana on September 25.
Assata was a member of the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. In 1977 she was convicted by an all-white jury for the murder of a state trooper in New Jersey.
She consistently maintained her innocence and said she was the target of politically motivated persecution. She escaped prison in 1979 and was eventually granted political asylum in Cuba, where she lived until her death.
Her asylum in Cuba – and that of other U.S. political exiles – has been repeatedly used by the U.S. government as a pretext for keeping Cuba on its "State Sponsors of Terrorism" list. Assata had been labeled a “terrorist” by the F.B.I. though she was never accused of any actual act of terrorism.
Her life and writings inspired generations of anti-racist activists around the world.
“Assata was my guide, my support and my engine,” said Cuban professor Norma Guillard, an LGBTQ+ and anti-racist activist. “She was an example of a fighter who was willing to sacrifice everything – even her family – for an ideal. She was a true defender of human rights worldwide.”
Cuban writer and researcher Zuleica Romay: “Assata, thank you for helping me climb my mountain, proud and unafraid.”
"Assata Shakur was a friend, a critic of my work, and an inspiration," said Gloria Rolando, a Cuban filmmaker who directed the 1997 documentary film Assata Shakur: Eyes of the Rainbow. "The true film about Assata Shakur still remains to be made. I had the opportunity and the privilege only to approach her, but I think there is much more to be told."
Check out these clips from the documentary in which Assata talks about her journey, her connection to her ancestors and her vision on liberation.
Also, if you want to know more about Assata’s life and legacy, listen to the podcast Assata’s Chant and Other Histories, by Weyland Mckenzie, on which we collaborated. Spotify - Apple Podcasts
How Cuba’s Urban Gardens Feed Entire Neighborhoods
For years, Roger and Ismar had worked in commercial agriculture in Cuba. But in 1994 they made a radical change, starting an organopónico – an organic urban farm – in their neighborhood.
On fewer than 1,300 square meters, they now grow more than 250 plant species. The farm is 100% organic, hurricane-resilient and contributes to feeding a family and community. Check out this video we filmed about Roger and Ismar.
This is the third video in our four-part series on Cuban agroecology.
Don't miss the YouTube premiere of Our Agroecology, Our Future, a documentary we produced in collaboration with the Caribbean Agroecology Institute. It goes live on October 8.
Speaking of Agroecology…
On Monday, a new law on agroecology went into effect in Cuba.
According to the Caribbean Agroecology Institute, the law could result in:
- Economic incentives for a transition to agroecology
- Improvement of local technical and cultural capacities
- Increased resilience of socio-ecological systems
- Providing a legal framework to help achieve food sovereignty
Miami Artists Targeted Over Cuba Trip
Two well-known Cuban reggaeton singers have canceled their Europe tour days after a Cuban-American politician from Florida singled them out for a trip they made to Cuba.
Dany Ome and Kevincito El 13 were born in Cuba but migrated as children to the United States. In recent years, they have become one of the most successful Cuban reggaeton groups both in Miami and on the island.
The duo traveled throughout Cuba in July and performed in several concerts. At the time, Rep. Carlos Giménez (R-FL) posted on X that artists living in the U.S. who perform in Cuba "will have to face the consequences."
Then, on September 26, Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL) sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent demanding “penalties” against the artists for violating U.S. sanctions on Cuba. He wrote that they could be "in close collaboration with the regime in Cuba" and "in a mutually beneficial commercial relationship that is channeling hard currency to a terrorist state."
There is no credible evidence that Cuba supports terrorism.
The artists announced the cancellation of their Europe tour shortly after the letter was sent.
A statement (in Spanish) from the musicians' legal team attributed the cancellation of the European performances to the “current migratory uncertainty in the U.S.” Kevincito said on Instagram that he was applying to U.S. citizenship and was not supposed to leave the country during the process. He denied that he was facing any travel restrictions imposed due to his trip to Cuba.
There is a long history of U.S. politicians and Miami-based groups pressuring artists to not perform in Cuba and to publicly criticize the Cuban government.
In November 2023, jazz singer Norah Jones cancelled a tour to Cuba following criticism from the Miami Herald and then Senator Marco Rubio.
The year before, musicians Alex Ubago, Andy y Lucas and Kalimba canceled their participation in a Havana festival.
In recent years, several of the most famous Cuban artists, including Gente de Zona and Lenier, have had performances in the U.S. cancelled due to their trips to Cuba.
“I’m Cuban and I want to sing in Cuba. I feel good there and I get to see my grandmother,” Dany Ome said in the podcast Destino Talk (in Spanish). “Many have their pain and feelings. I respect that. All I ask is that they respect mine.”
On the podcast, Dany Ome said that his mother belonged to the Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), a well-known dissident group on the island, before migrating to the United States. According to Ome, she has supported his trips to Cuba.
Our Latest Documentary Screens in New York
Last Thursday we held an exclusive screening of our latest documentary, Teresita’s Dream, in New York City.
The film follows Dr. Teresita Rodríguez, a pioneering Cuban scientist whose mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis sparked her quest for an effective treatment. Her journey unfolds in Havana amid the challenges of the U.S. embargo – a powerful story of science, care, hope and resistance.
The screening coincided with World Alzheimer’s Month and the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Following the screening, filmmaker Sisa Bueno moderated a conversation about the making of the documentary and the need for stories about inspiring scientific advancement amid seemingly insurmountable challenges. On the post-screening panel were executive producer Reed Lindsay, Professor and Director of NYU's Alzheimer's Disease Program Mary Mittelman, and the film’s director, Daniel Montero, who joined the discussion from Havana.
Learn more about how you can host a screening and follow along on the film’s journey HERE.
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In Other News
Cuba retains world dominance over Baseball5. Cuba retained its title in the Youth Baseball5 World Cup last week after defeating Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) in the final. Baseball5 is a simplified variation of baseball that is played competitively as a mixed-gender sport. Cuba is the undefeated champion in both the adult and youth versions of the game since international competitions began in 2022.
U.S. says blockade on Cuba is a lie. The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said on X that “the false narrative of a ‘blockade’ against Cuba is just one of the many lies spread by the failing dictatorship on the island.” El bloqueo is the word used in Cuba to describe the U.S. embargo. The game plan of hardliners like Secretary of State Marco Rubio has long been to deny the existence of the embargo on Cuba while simultaneously pushing to strengthen it. Corporate media outlets rarely call them out on the contradiction.
Trump to send more money to fund regime change in Cuba? The Trump administration is planning to spend $1.8 billion on “America First” initiatives, including funds to “confront the Marxist, anti-American regimes of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua,” according to a document sent to Congress that was obtained by Reuters. Trump has cut foreign aid around the world, but many recipients of regime change moneys targeting Cuba have maintained their funding. Specific details of how these new "America First" funds will be spent – and how much will be allocated to attempting to overthrow the Cuban government – are unclear.
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