Mayra Herrera

Connected Dots Mayra Herrera

Jose Luis Fernandez fought an underground war against the dictator of Cuba, Fulgencio Batista, late 1950s. Jose was imprisoned and tortured twice, but he never stopped believing in the cause, he never stopped believing in the revolution, he never stopped believing in their leader, Comandante Fidel Castro. After succeeding against Batista, Jose found himself close enough to Fidel Castro to realize his life had changed, but it was not for what he had fought for.



This is where I come in. I was about a year old when Jose Luis Fernandez, my father, had to change his life fast, not only for himself but for his family. I was almost twelve when we left Cuba with experiences that no one should carry through their life. As a young woman, I realized there was an incredible story and secrets that my dad had carried with him for years. It took him a long time to tell me piece by piece, and now I understand why. It took me a while, but connecting dots, I got our story.