The Cuban Migration

I was born in the United States, but my family migrated to the U.S. during the Mariel Boatlift in the 1980. On April 6th, 1980, my grandparents Luis and Lucia along with my mother Ivis, joined thousands of other Cubans in the Peruvian Embassy. There they demanded political asylum. They were in the open- air, without food or water, and, nowhere to stand or sit, for days that felt like years. Finally, an immigration plan was worked out amongst numerous governments, and on April 20, 1980, Fidel Castro, broadcasted that all Cubans who yearned to leave were freed.
On May 9, 1980, my grandparents and mother, made their way to “El Mosquito”, the final holding camp in Mariel, Cuba. They were held there for 5 days. Throughout their stay, crowds that
supported the Castro regime would throw eggs and persecute all the innocent people pursuing freedom. At last, on May 14 at 3 A.M., my family and 150 other Cubans embarked the Saint Isabel, a 50 foot Catamaran. They were at sea for approximately 12 hours.
At 3 P.M. on May 15th, the Saint Isabel docked in Key West, Florida. After all the hardships and agony, they had reached the land of opportunity. The vast happiness that surrounded the group had men, women and children crying. My grandmother Lucia, fell on her knees and kissed the ground. She took in a deep breath, because in that moment she knew it was all worth it.