Looking Back to Think Forward!
by Yasser Musa
I tell my students that we Belizeans should be in Solidarity with Cuba for many reasons. Sure, Cuba was by our side in our struggle for Independence. Yes, Cuba has been there for three decades with unprecedented support and cooperation.
I say today, that no other nation has been with us and worked with us in such a human and respectful way as Cuba. 
When I was 22, in 1992, at the 500th Anniversary of the Euro-Christian invasion of the Americas it was a young Cuban curator who came to Belize to help me and Ivan Duran set up our art exhibit MINUS 8. His name is Jose Luis Rodriguez De Armas, and he had a spirit of incredible passion and force for art. He was committed to helping us realize our ideas and I remain connected to that attitude of work.
In the 1990s our Artist For Peace Andy Palacio went to Havana with Ivan Duran and worked with Cuban musicians to produce the ground breaking music album Keimoun. Around that same time the late great Cuban dance professor and choreographer Eduardo Rivero was sent to Belize to help develop our Belize Dance Company.
At the dawn of the 21th century the venerable beacon of publishing and culture Casa de las Americas opened its arms and space to new Belizean art.
And today we can look around and see our Female Volleyball teams rise in no small part thanks to Cuban coaches like Esmidio Limonta, Delio Arrvebarrena, and Juan Carlos Perdomo. We see our Belizean youth emerging on the regional stage in table tennis thanks to Cuban coaches like Wilber Tito, Zuleira Rodriguez, and Ariorkis Alvarez.
And while I am not in the daily orbit of our healthcare system, I am very aware that across our land Cuban nurses, doctors and other medical specialists wake up everyday and serve us. There are so many stories, but I feel it was my duty to point out just a few. 
Today, I re-affirm my unequivocal Solidarity with Cuba. I have had only strong and powerful encounters with the children of Cuba including current Ambassador Lissette and Orestes.
I am forever grateful to Cuba. Thank you!