Havana & Viñales, 2018

During the earlier part of my spiritual awakening, I received word that my biological mother had suddenly passed away in 2017. A year later I was slowly becoming sadder that the only thing I knew of my father was that he was Cuban, nothing else. I felt innately drawn to visit Cuba in November 2018 and see where else I come from, and the first thing I was asked anywhere I went was “Eres Cubana??" For the first time in life, it almost didnt matter that I didnt know Spanish; until this trip I had never been surrounded by people that I looked just like. I was welcomed everywhere with open arms and all of my hosts refused to take my money for any food, not only as an act of love but also as a way to rebel against the people they were required to report business they had done with “tourists” to. Many times I was invited by friendly Cubans into their personal homes and lives, learning more and more Spanish until I was able to have conversation by the end of my journey. (Still learning Spanish.) These images are glimpses of the healing immersive experiences I had while simultaneously grieving my estranged biological Cuban family. They are of peoples’ deep spiritual Santería practices , underground music rehearsals, old-people nightlife (dominoes) in Havana, and my quiet stay with a family in Viñales.