Connecting with Cuba: A celebration and discussion in Asheville

Connecting with Cuba: A delegation of Asheville travelers recently visited Cuba and is working to build cultural bridges between the local area and the island country.

In the last six months, dozens of Asheville travelers have visited Cuba, creating growing connections between the local area and the island nation. And on April 22 members of those local delegations are hosting an event that aims to help bridge the divide between our different cultures and communities.

Featuring live Cuban music and art as well as an opportunity to speak with recent travelers, the event in downtown Asheville will raise money for the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center in Havana as well as the U.S. nonprofit Witness for Peace, which hosted a local delegation last fall. WCQS also hosted two local trips this spring.

Here’s the press release from organizers as well as two slide shows of photos from the Witness for Peace trip:

The Cold War between the United States and Cuba is melting, and now’s the time to get together, share the warmth and see where it takes us.

Do you want to travel to Cuba? Or have you been there and want to share your perspective on the experience? If so, please join us for snacks, spirits, live Cuban music and art, and a lively encounter with ideas about separating the divide between the two countries.

Part party, part travelogue, part Q&A opportunity with recent Cuba travelers, Connecting with Cuba is open to all, so plan ahead on joining us April 22.


Photos by Katie Hild

WHEN: 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, April 22

WHERE: The Capital Club of Asheville, atop the Capital Center, at 82 Patton Ave.

WHO: Hosts from a recent Witness for Peace delegation to Cuba, with other locals who traveled to the island with other nonprofits

WHY: To share stories and ideas about building bridges from Western North Carolina to Cuba

HOW: To let us know you’ll attend, or to find out more about this initiative, visit the Asheville Cuba Connections Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/pages/Asheville-Cuba-Connections/263674267147461, or email jeromylively@gmail.com

We’re asking for a suggested donation of $20, and proceeds will go to the U.S.-based nonprofit Witness for Peace, which facilitates people-to-people trips to Cuba and elsewhere in Latin America, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center in Havana, a nongovernmental organization that builds community in Cuba and religious, civic and educational ties to people from around the globe.


Photos by Jake Frankel

Full disclosure: Xpress writer Jake Frankel traveled to Cuba with one of the local delegations and is involved with organizing the Connecting with Cuba event.

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About Jake Frankel
Jake Frankel is an award-winning journalist who enjoys covering a wide range of topics, from politics and government to business, education and entertainment.

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