La Pena: a Celebration of Latin American Culture

Cuban food and Latin music, poetry and politics at La Pena

Barrios Unidos, the Cuba Study Group, Three Americas, Inc., and the Watsonville Brown Berets will host a gala fund-raiser for the Santa Cruz Cuba Caravans – a contingent of the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba.

La Pena
The evening will feature a Cuban dinner cooked by Gina Val Leiva a former “Peter Pan” child - one of thousands of children exiled from Cuba after the Revolution by frightened parents who were told their children would be sent to Russia by the revolutionary government.

Gina is one of the people the dinner will benefit, enabling her to return to Cuba as a "caravanista" and re-connect with family left behind.

A highlight of the evening’s entertainment will be the Brown Beret’s hiphop and spoken word artists.

Nane Alejandrez, founder and exceutive director of Barrios Unidos will speak about their organization's international work with Venezuela and other Latin American countries.

There will be music by Los Kombucheros, greetings from Rep. Sam Farr, a political skit by Students Informing Now, presentations by former Caravanistas, and other short acts.

The evening will end with Lois and Bert Muhly leading the audience in original songs about Cuba.

Cost: Dinner suggested donation $25-$35

Theatre $10 (no-one turned away for lack of funds)
Contact for tickets and information – 427 0980

Hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Social Action Committee.

Background:
For the past five years, Santa Cruz Cuba Caravans has traveled to Cuba with the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment to Cuba as a challenge to the illegal and immoral U.S. blockade. We have sent over 20 people on the Pastors Caravan and donated four buses loaded with material aid to Cuba. This gala event will raise funds for scholarships for students and low-income adults to travel as “caravanistas” on this life-changing journey.