When the decorations were set and doors
opened to the conference hall of the Vancouver
Public Library, more than two hundred
and fifty people made their way in to hear
from Cuban revolutionary hero and former
Cuban 5 political prisoner Gerardo Hernandez.
The packed room was filled with energy and
anticipation as participants walked through
an exhibit of artwork made by Cuban 5 hero
Gerardo Hernandez while he spent more
than 16 years unjustly held in U.S. prison. So
many people wanted signed copies of his artwork
that the beginning of the event program
had to be delayed to ensure people could get
their opportunity and even at that some had
to wait till after the event.
Tamara Hansen, coordinator of Vancouver
Communities in Solidarity with Cuba
(VCSC) opened the evening as the MC,
welcoming everyone and explaining what an
honour it is for Vancouver to receive a visit
from Javier Domokos, Cuban Consul General
in Toronto and one of our 5 Cuban heroes,
Gerardo Hernandez. She then got the
program started by inviting to the stage Coast
Salish indigenous elder, Kelly White who
sang the Women’s Warrior Song before performing
an aboriginal blanketing ceremony
to welcome Gerardo to the unceeded Coast
Salish Territory.
Bob Chamberlin, elected Chief Councillor of
the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation
& Vice President of the Union of BC
Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) spoke next bringing
warm greetings to the event and explained
many of the struggles facing Indigenous people
in BC and Canada today.
Following Chief Chamberlin there was a cultural
interlude in the program as 3 Poets from
Proyecto Cultural Sur, Lucy Ortiz, Alejandro
Mujica-Olea and Frida Marzolina read poems
dedicated to the Cuban 5 and other social
justice struggles.
Many organizations were involved in helping
to organize and support Gerardo’s talk
in Vancouver. These groups were given the
opportunity to give greetings ahead of the
main event. Greetings were brought from:
ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War & End
Racism) – Seattle, Charles Boylan on behalf
of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-
Leninist), Katy LeRougetel on behalf of the
Communist League in Vancouver, Thomas
Davies on behalf of Fire This Time Newspaper,
Cindy Domingo on behalf U.S. Women
& Cuba Collaboration in Seattle, Garry Owens
on behalf of LELO - Legacy of Equality,
Leadership & Organizing in Seattle, Colleen
Glynn on behalf of Richmond-Centre Federal
New Democratic Party (NDP), Azza Rojbi
& Noah Fine on behalf of Friends of Cuba
Against the U.S. Blockade – Vancouver.
A very special and warm greeting was given
by long-time supporter of Cuba and the Cuban
5, lawyer and former Vancouver City
Counsellor, Tim Louis. Tim spoke about the
inspiration he felt from the 5 Cuban Heroes
to fight on in the struggle for a better world.
Wilfredo Perez Bianco, Venezuelan Consul
General in Vancouver spoke about the importance
of the Cuban 5 heroes for the people
of Venezuela, Cuba’s sister nation which since
the beginning of its’ revolution has defended
Cuba against U.S. hostility especially in the
case of the 5 Cuban Heroes. Consul General
Bianco also took the opportunity to thank the
5 Cuban Heroes and the people of Cuba for
their ongoing and unwavering support of the
Venezuelan Bolivarian Revolution.
Gerardo’s speech, which is printed in its entirety
in this issue of Fire This Time, brought
all of the more than 250 participants to their
feet with huge emotion, applause and chants
of “Viva los 5!” and “Viva Cuba!” Gerardo
told stories of his time in prison and told
how he was encouraged daily to continue the
struggle for his freedom as he surrounded
himself with photos of the international campaign,
especially in Vancouver, demanding his
freedom. The ovation continued as Tamara
invited to the stage Nino Pagliccia, editor of
the book “Cuba Solidarity in Canada: 5 decades
of people to people foreign relations” to
give a gift to Gerardo, a sweatshirt of a photo
of Gerardo and his baby daughter Gema.
Tamara closed the event inviting everyone to
get involved in Vancouver Communities in
Solidarity with Cuba (VCSC) and the campaign
to end the U.S. blockade against Cuba
and return Guantanamo Bay to Cuba, two of
the main highlights from Gerardo’s talk to
Vancouver participants.
Gerardo made his difficult passage through
the crowd at the event as supporters surrounded
him trying to take photos and have
their artwork signed. It was an emotional evening
for all those who participated, especially
after the great effort and campaign of many
Vancouverites who joined some or all of the
Free the Cuban 5 Committee-Vancouver’s
110 monthly protests until the 5 Cuban Heroes
were freed.
Organizers with Vancouver Communities
in Solidarity with Cuba & Friends of Cuba
Against the U.S. Blockade – Vancouver
(FCAB-Vancouver), thanked Gerardo for his
amazing visit to BC with the gift of a one of
a kind aboriginal wood carved eagle, which
represents Honour, Friendship and Peace.
Click here for Gerardo's Speech at the event in Vancouver
Click here for the reports from Gerardo Hernandez events across Canada
Follow Noah Fine on Twitter:
@noahfine
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