Let’s Unpack This

Why Domestic Support For Cuban Protests Looks Funny In The Light

It’s strange to witness politicians support Cuban protests while railing against Black Lives Matter.

Garfield Hylton
Momentum
Published in
4 min readJul 27, 2021

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U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) speaks at a Cuban freedom rally near the White House on July 26, 2021 in Washington, DC. Cuban activists and demonstrators held a rally to urge the American government to intervene in Cuba to support human rights and end Communism in Cuba. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

As an anti-racism writer, it’s striking to purview how often people push back against the cold, hard facts of how Black people are treated in this country. It’s becoming even harder to ignore as Cubans, both foreign and domestic, fight against mistreatment from Cuba’s government. Politicians like Sen. Marco Rubio and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis openly supported those protestors in a way they don’t and generally aren’t expected to do for Black people.

For those who don’t know, Cuba has been dealing with civil unrest for more than a week. Jorge Felipe Gonzalez, writing for The Atlantic, said the country’s systemic denial of rights to its people, poor material conditions, and inequality that disproportionately affects Afro-Cubans are catalysts for why protestors are taking to the streets.

Political support for local Cuban protests caused more than a few raised eyebrows amongst my Florida-based friends. Over the last few days, I’ve talked with them about the treatment of Cubans by the media and politicians. They frequently mentioned that protection that Cubans in…

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Momentum
Momentum

Published in Momentum

Momentum is a blog that captures and reflects the moment we find ourselves in, one where rampant anti-Black racism is leading to violence, trauma, protest, reflection, sorrow, and more. Momentum doesn’t look away when the news cycle shifts.

Garfield Hylton
Garfield Hylton

Written by Garfield Hylton

Medium Creator Fellow. Award-winning TV news journalist. Freelance writer. Mad question asker.

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