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The US Women & Cuba Collaboration is an association of women and organizations working in coalition with women in Cuba to build bridges within and between our nations that foster inclusive and progressive women's movement and networks for justice, real security and women's rights.
We educate ourselves and others about legislative issues, cultural issues, and political issues relevant to the Cuba–US relationship and to ending the US blockade of Cuba.
We also work in global alliances, supporting and learning from the work of women in a variety of countries in addition to Cuba, most recently Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, and Thailand.
"Mujeres & Mojitos" NY Reception for UN/CSW 2005, hosted by the Collaboration
and the Cuba Mission at the Cuba Permanent Mission, United Nations
Events
Join the Pastors for Peace
20th Friendshipment Caravan for Cuba
July 3–August 3
(Participate for a day or all month!)
The July 2009 Friendshipment Caravan will be an act of solidarity with our Cuban brothers and sisters as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of their revolution. We will take hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid, much of it aimed at supporting the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Cuba after the devastating impact of Hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma in 2008.
We will also take a large contingent of citizens of the US and other countries, traveling in school buses, trucks and cars on 15 different routes to visit more than 130 US and Canadian cities. At every stop we will inform people about the blockade and collect building supplies and tools for hurricane reconstruction, as well as medical, educational and cultural supplies. As always, we will do this without requesting or obtaining a US treasury department license, because we do not cede the right to any government to license our conscience.
We spend nine days in Cuba, in fellowship with our Cuban brothers and sisters where we will attend cultural events and visit social projects such as organic farms, homes for the elderly and health centers including the Latin American School of Medicine. We will meet and learn from Cubans at every level about the problems caused by the blockade and how they have creatively responded, as well as how they are rebuilding after the hurricanes.
2009 Caravan Informational Brochure
2009 Cuba Caravan Friendshipment Events
IFCO–Pastors for Peace Website
GLOBAL FORUM FOR HEALTH RESEARCH 2009
"Because Health Equity is a Priority"
WHEN: NOVEMBER 16–20, 2009
WHERE: HAVANA, CUBA, International Convention Center
The Global Forum for Health Research (GFHR) is an independent international organization committed to demonstrating the essential role of research and innovation for health and health equity, benefiting poor and marginalized populations.
Under current U.S. regulations regarding international conferences, full-time professionals in fields related to conference topics are eligible to travel to Cuba for the conference under the General License for professional travel. This conference is for health equity advocates; academic research and development personnel; local and national health policy makers; and representatives of development agencies and foundations, non-governmental organizations, civil society, the private sector, and the media.
Register online at www.globalforumhealth.org.
Arrange for travel and lodging through Marazul, licensed by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the US Treasury Department as an authorized Travel Service Provider (TSP) to Cuba. For flight and hotel reservations, contact: bguild@marazul.com.
U.S. participants will be invited to a special activity hosted by the MEDICC Review journal, to meet Cuban and international researchers, health policymakers, and builders of universal health care. There will also be site visits to Cuban patient services and institutions.
Select News
A new approach to Cuba
By Barry R. McCaffrey
The Miami Herald, Jun. 23, 2009
2009 Miami Herald Media Company, All Rights Reserved
Barry R. McCaffrey is a retired Army general and an adjunct professor of international affairs at West Point; he served as U.S. drug czar from 1996 to 2001.
- Remove Cuba from the State Department list of State Sponsors of Terrorism.
- Repeal enforcement of the ''Helms-Burton'' legislation. Both Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton signed provisions allowing for waivers of the outmoded law's provision.
- End the economic embargo on Cuba. Market forces should determine the level of trade between our nations.
- End U.S. restrictions on travel by American citizens to Cuba. There are no similar restrictions to other non-democratic nations, including North Korea.
- Close the detention facility at Guantanamo and return the base to Cuban sovereignty. The place has become an international embarrassment to us.
- End the ''Wet Foot/Dry Foot immigration policy'' and treat illegal immigrants from Cuba as we do those from Mexico or any other country.
- Formalize coordination on anti-drug trafficking matters with Cuba's law enforcement and security forces.
- Provide significantly increased funds to the U.S. Agency for International Development so that we can support economic development as democratic political transition inevitably occurs in Cuba.
- End U.S. opposition to Cuban participation in the Western Hemisphere multilateral fora (lifting Cuba's suspension from the OAS was a good start) because diplomacy and engagement, not shunning, will open Cuba to liberal political ideals.
High court won't review 'Cuban 5' espionage case
June 15, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP)— The Supreme Court on Monday refused to review the convictions of five Cuban intelligence agents who say they did not receive a fair trial because of strong anti-Castro sentiment in Miami.
The justices left in place the convictions of the so-called "Cuban Five," despite calls from Nobel Prize winners and international legal groups to review the case.
Declaration by the Presidency of Cuba's National Assembly
June 15, 2009
The U.S. Supreme Court announced today, without explanation, its decision not to review the case of our Five comrades who are unjustly imprisoned in that country for struggling against anti-Cuban terrorism that is sponsored by the U.S. rulers. The judges did what the Obama administration requested of it.
CUBAN NATIONAL UNION OF WRITERS & ARTISTS (UNEAC)
Havana, 19 June 2009
LETTER TO AMERICAN INTELLECTUALS AND ARTISTS
On June 15, the US Supreme Court refused to review the case of the five Cuban anti-terrorist activists unjustly imprisoned in your country. This is another chapter in a long series of injustices that have resulted in over 10 years' loss of liberty for Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero y Fernando Gonzalez.
Thus, a unanimous call from numerous voices in the world at large and the United States itself has fallen on deaf ears. The appeal the lawyers submitted to the Court was endorsed by ten Nobel prize-winners, hundreds of parliamentarians in Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, jurists, professional bodies and a large number of religious, academic, cultural and human rights institutions all over the world.
The five Cubans were convicted in Miami, following a trial that was manipulated by the Cuban-American extreme right wing. The South Florida-based groups, organized and carried out acts of terrorism against Cuba that cost innocent lives, with the connivance and support of US authorities.
The five men never posed a threat to US national security, or acted against a single American citizen. Their aim was to prevent terrorists, operating with impunity on American soil, from carrying out their plans.
President Barack Obama has the power to free these five Cubans. Doing so would be an act of pure justice and would be consistent with his speech on May 21 last in Washington, in which he spoke of restoring legality in the fight against terrorism.
We are convinced that if the American people knew the truth about these five men, they would spare no effort in getting them released and returned to their families.
We appeal to you again, dear colleagues, to publicize the truth about this case, by whatever means you have at your disposal.
Cuba to provide free sex-change operations
Cuba has authorised sex-change operations and will offer them free to qualifying citizens, officials say.
The move is the latest in a series of policy changes implemented by President Raul Castro since he succeeded his elder brother, Fidel, in February.
Raul Castro's daughter, who heads the National Centre for Sex Education, spearheaded the changes in a country renowned for sexual conservatism.
So far 28 transsexuals in the country have requested the operation.
Published: 2008/06/07
Story from BBC NEWS
Jean Colman, Who Fought for the Rights of
Low-Income Women, Dies at 59
by Kristyn Joy, Contributing Writer
Real Change
May 20, 2009
Vol 16 No 24
Jean Colman, a longtime leader in the national movement for dignity and fair treatment for low-
income women, died early May 8, after a nine-year
battle with breast cancer. She was 59.
Jean Colman's Cuba Travel Reflections
I have always wanted to go to Cuba, but the timing and money had not previously worked out. While I did not relish going to the Caribbean in July—heat, humidity, and hurricanes came to mind—July 2005 was my time to go. I admit I was concerned that this trip was a travel challenge and therefore not covered by the legal protections of a travel license, but this fact really did not enter into my final decision to join the delegation. Having been a leftist for most of my adult life, I wondered what the Cuban revolution would look like up close. I had followed, after the fact, the Algerian revolution. I saw too how China was backsliding on its revolutionary principles soon after "Nixon opened China up" to global capitalism. In considering Cuba's revolution, I was concerned on my visit that I would see backsliding on issues of gender, race, and class. I was pleasantly surprised. There are problems, and the country is not perfect, but Cubans are actively struggling with the contradictions of being a socialist country in a capitalist world. And they are at least asking the right questions about gender, race and class oppression.
My favorite visit was to the Senior Center. The women were so excited about us being there that they were talking over one other. At one point, our translator, Tatiana, had to ask them to speak one at a time. They told us about their Senior University, which all of them had attended and from which each had graduated from classes. They explained to us that in each class they form a "family," and each family member acknowledges the uneven educational and literacy level still apparent in their generation. Classes are made up of people with different educational and literacy levels and life experiences, and each family member works to ensure that everyone teaches and everyone learns.
(Jean Colman traveled to Cuba in 2005 for the Women's Travel Challenge sponsored by the US Women and Cuba Collaboration.)Obama's Cuba Moves Do Little to End the Economic War on Havana
By Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports
Posted on April 7, 2009, Printed on April 14, 2009
A group of U.S. lawmakers visiting Cuba has called on the Obama administration to join every other country in the Western hemisphere in normalizing relations with Cuba. "Most of the members of our delegation believe we need to actually normalize relations and then the details of what that means would follow," said Representative Barbara Lee, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, which is leading the Congressional delegation. Most recently, El Salvador's new president, Mauricio Funes, broke with the U.S. position, saying he would reopen ties in June when he officially takes over. Costa Rica has pledged the same, leaving Washington alone in its half-century-long policy.
Obama's Cuba Moves Do Little to End the Economic War on Havana
Ongoing Hurricane Relief
News from Sandra Levinson,
Center for Cuban Studies and Cuban Art Space, NY
Dear Hurricane Relief Contributors,
Last week, thanks to you, the Center's first two containers of materials arrived in Cuba for delivery to hospitals terribly damaged by the three hurricanes that hit Cuba in 2008. The containers contained 30 hospital beds and mattresses, 40 operating tables, and 15 sterilizers, Within the next couple of months we will continue to send materials because we were able to get all of these materials DONATED and only had to pay for the shipping of the containers! With luck we can continue to do this, though of course we cannot count on it, in this economy. We realize that this cannot be a one time only shipment, because the needs are so great and hurricanes happen every year, so we will continue to raise money for hurricane relief and put the money into these kinds of shipments. Thank you so much for your support.
Sandra
Feb 4, 2009
For information about making Hurricane Relief donations:
Dear Friends,
The effects of Hurricanes Gustav, Ike, and Paloma, had grievous effects on Cuba and their effects persist even when news coverage does not. According to the Cuban government, the hurricanes have caused more than $5 billion in damage across the island, and 444,000 houses have been impacted with 63,000 completely destroyed. Every resource in Cuba has suffered damage. There have been incapacitating losses of food crops and farm animals, electricity and water services, as well as destruction of institutional structures including schools and hospitals.
The Cuban people are known worldwide for their international solidarity with other peoples in their times of need. Today, the Cuban people are in need of our solidarity both in terms of humanitarian aid and a change in U.S. policy to Cuba. Please take action immediately in both of these areas.
The U.S. Women and Cuba Collaboration works closely with the following organizations and particularly encourages your support of their humanitarian aid drives.
US Women and Cuba Collaboration
MEDICC (Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba)
This Page
New on Website
From US Legislators:
Toward New Rules About Cuba
From Orbitz:
Open Cuba Petition"Connecting Americans & Cubans Through the Freedom to Travel"
From LAWG:
"We're soooo close!"
From the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five:
See Also
Mission Statement
Our mission is to build a strong US women's movement dedicated to ending the US government blockade of Cuba and to creating mutually beneficial US–Cuba relations; our work is rooted in the concept of universal human rights, racial and economic justice, and women's rights.
Campaigns
- Right to Travel: Help us work to end all travel bans on US citizens for travel to Cuba, and on Cubans who cannot secure US visas to visit the US. This campaign works broadly through education, legislative advocacy, and collaboration with global allies to support travel freedoms and to increase opportunities for people to people exchanges in Cuba that are educational and inspiring to the local and global visions of everyone involved.
- Reality of Cuban Women's Lives: Learn about impressive public policy advances of Cuban women, and also about the harsh impacts of the US blockade on the lives of Cuban women and children. This campaign organizes and makes presentations at local, national and international events, and expands the role and involvement of Cuban and Cuban American women in our work.
- Advancing Global Feminisms: Join us as we learn how to share the lessons of global women's networks to advance the status of women globally and to build a strong US women's movement. This campaign works to develop the infrastructures of women's movements, furthering relationships and collaborations with women globally around issues of women's human rights, racial and economic justice, real security, and peace.
Donate Now
US Women & Cuba Collaboration
P.O. Box 15202
Seattle, WA 98115
Contact Us
Join the US Women & Cuba Collaboration. Contact us to be added to our mailing list, and you will automatically receive notices of news, action items, and upcoming delegation opportunities by email (not more than one mailing a month).
info@womenandcuba.orgProject Co-Chairs:
Cindy Domingo
yoson66@hotmail.com
Jan Strout
peacewomen4ever@yahoo.com
US Women & Cuba Collaboration
P.O. Box 15202
Seattle, WA 98115
Photo Archive
(Under Development)