T-shirts for Democracy

By Julio C. Zangroniz

One table at CubaNostalgia was busy virtually every moment that the event was open to the public --and even before the public was allowed through the gates-- yet the people in charge of it never made a profit. Or, at least, its staff didn't make any profit for themselves, or for any commercial business enterprise. They were collecting donations, for which they gave out souvenir t-shirts about the Assembly to Promote Civil Society in Cuba, a historical 2-day meeting that took place simultaneously, in the city of Havana, on May 20-21.

Jose Roiz, secretary of press and information for the exile organization Cuba Independiente y Democratica (CID), together with his wife Julia and their daughter, Sonia, put in a marathonic effort --each of them working the three full days of CubaNostalgia, lasting as much as 12 hours each-- plus about 3-4 hours on Thursday, in preparation for the arrival of the public. The trio, which wouldn't get to enjoy much of the rest of CubaNostalgia because "we simply didn't have time," used floor space donated to them by the Association of Former Employees of El Encanto.

Roiz, who came up with the idea of producing the colorful souvenir t-shirts, emphasized that every penny of profit from his family's efforts will go to help pay for the estimated $130,000 in expenses of the two-day conclave in Cuba.
Referring to the Assembly organizers in Cuba, he noted: "As of right now, they have raised only about $30,000," as CubaNostalgia began its 3-day run.

"They are in dire need of funds in Cuba, due to the expenses of the assembly," Roiz said. "I had a recent telephone conversation with Marta Beatriz Roque," one of the main organizers of the Assembly in Cuba that attracted hundreds of delegates from some 350 dissident organizations, added Roiz. "[In Cuba] they have no way to get funds, because they are not employed and they are unable to establish their own business enterprises. The Cuban government just won't allow it," he explained.

And what did the dissidents in Cuba need for the Assembly? he was asked. "They need to buy building materials and equipment such as folding chairs. When I last spoke with them, they told me they had managed to find about 105 of the 700 chairs they estimated they would need," he replied.
In an economy so tightly controlled by its totalitarian regime, in Cuba it is a near impossibility to accomplish even those simple tasks.

Once the assembly ended, Roiz said, the organizers will continue their peaceful dissident efforts, for instance, to recruit more members.

Their fundamental objective, explained Roiz, "is the rebirth of civil society: what are they going to do, how are they going to work to re-establish democracy in the country."

Other organizations outside of Cuba working to help carry out the Assembly --deemed very successful by virtually everyone who witnessed the events of May 20-21 in Havana-- include the Consejo por la Libertad de Cuba (Committee for Cuba's Freedom) and Mothers Against Repression (MAR).

"They (the Assembly organizers in Cuba) are all vitally interested that the American government is not funding this project. It's the Cuban exiles," emphasized Roiz.

All told, the CID table collected a total of around $3,000 in donations, of which at least $2,000 --after production expenses are paid-- will go to Cuba within the next week or so, declared Roiz.

Anyone wishing to make a donation --for which they will receive one of the commemorative t-shirts if the donation is for at least $10-- can do so by sending a check to Cuba Independiente y Democratica at 10020 SW 37 Terr., Miami, FL 33165, or by calling 305-560-2260.

For more information about CID, visit their website (which is only in the Spanish language) at www.cubacid.com.

Editor's note: My wife and I were actually the first to purchase tshirts the night prior to the convention. We immediately bought two shirts the minute we met Mr. Roiz and he explained what they were doing. After a brief conversation about how Babalu had been following and promoting the Assembly to Promote Civil Society in Cuba, we immediately became good friends.

All weekend long they were sending folks interested in the going on during the unprecedented meeting in Cuba over to our exhibit so they could see the photographs and articles almost live through the blog and the internet. - Val Prieto -

Posted by Val Prieto at May 31, 2005 12:43 PM

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