Imagining a New Path Forward

A reflection on the July 2019 convening on Othering + Belonging

So much of what we discussed in Cuba centered on the value of connecting and being in relationship, and as Olivia put it - “creating a bigger we.” We heard from Tania about the science behind empathy and compassion, from john about defining the self in relationship; and we were reminded by Marcus of the importance of including in that “bigger we” our connection to our inner selves, our ancestors, and the earth itself.

This convening kicked off an ambitious, multi-year initiative for the Cuba Platform, and you have embarked on this grand experiment with us. Thank you. In previous decades, we helped bring about significant changes in US-Cuba relations by taking highly curated groups of participants to Cuba to simply listen and learn. As calcified thinking cracked open and new relationships developed, our delegations successfully fought for changes in policies and regulations, which in turn affected day-to-day lives in Cuba and the US.  Now with this new initiative, a key question we are asking is: what can be gained by going even deeper into conversation about shared themes and challenges? Our Cuban counterparts wanted to answer this question, too.  So, we took the leap.  

Our sights are now set further upstream than policy change alone. Our aim is to help shift the narratives that undergird system change. This requires deeper inquiry. On this delegation, in addition to facilitating (and wrestling alongside) participants making sense of incoming information and impressions of Cuba, many of which are messy and contradictory –– we also aimed to articulate and share these impressions and ideas together with our Cuban counterparts.

Then, on top of that deeper conversation and sharing, we wanted to try to collectively imagine a way forward, despite all the obstacles and challenges, building on our conversations with each other.

This type of deeper engagement, which you helped us drive, was new.  We co-created this plan with a variety of collaborators in Cuba.  They welcomed the concept of “othering and belonging” as the frame for this convening because it allowed a wide-ranging group of people, of different backgrounds, identities, and expertise, from different parts of the world and in Cuba, to find common ground and learn from each other.  

As happens with venturing into the unknown, it didn’t all go smoothly, and some things were lost in translation—among the many languages and lexicons present in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary, and multi-movement constellation of people.  Many of you helped us think about how to make the process better.  But despite challenges, some potential new ways forward did surface. Cross-pollination did happen – maybe most importantly between Cubans themselves. New thinking about potential updated narratives did begin to take shape. Through future delegations and communications efforts, we will build upon this initial progress to create a bigger we.

I want to express my gratitude for what each of you contributed to shaping this deeper experiment through your participation in this first of five convenings in Cuba. It is a great gift and we at the Platform thank you.  We thank you for your generous spirit, your patience, your tenacity, and the love you brought to the work and all of us each day. 

Floating in the ocean on our last day at Varadero, feeling the tide pull in and out and watching the sun rise, I was overwhelmed with the sense of connectedness we shared and a new and greater awareness that together all of us are doing something important.  It was as if I’d come full circle from day one when Marcus talked about the full moon and its pull and how it also connects us.

My first trip to Cuba took place on 9/11.  It was an experience I will never forget.  Our delegation had left the hotel minutes after seeing the images on CNN of the towers and the smoke and the fire. When we arrived for our first meeting, our Cuban host greeted us by saying how sorry he was to hear about the attack.  He then quoted Cuba’s national hero, Jose Marti, who said: “The world can be divided into two kinds of men: those who love and build, and those who hate and destroy.” And he said, I am glad that the Cuban people and your people both belong to the first group.

Again and again, this is the kind of deep solidarity that I’ve experienced in Cuba. It’s all about the bigger we. I know that you felt it too and recognized it as the best of who we are, reflected in some of our own communities. I always leave Cuba humbled and inspired. This time, not just by the Cubans but by each of you as well.

Sarah Stephens, Director, Cuba Platform
August 5, 2019