[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 60 (Thursday, April 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E958-E959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMENDING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ON ALLOWING FAMILY TRAVEL 
                                TO CUBA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 23, 2009

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the President for 
his leadership and commitment to improve the United States' 
relationship with Cuba.
  Lifting restrictions on family members' travels to the island and 
removing restrictions on remittances to Cuban families responds to both 
Cuban-American and Cubans' needs as well as it builds bridges between 
the American and the Cuban people.
  I believe that keeping the family ties alive and allowing family 
members to assist one another are essential for Cuban citizens' quest 
for reform and a critical step towards the building of a trustworthy 
relationship.
  Cuban-Americans are the best ambassadors to the Cuban people for 
democracy's core values. Diplomatic relations can begin with familial 
and cultural exchanges. This is especially true with Jazz music, which 
has always shown the sense of freedom.
  Cuba has a rich musical tradition that has many admirers throughout 
the World, particularly in America. As more Cuban-Americans travel to 
Cuba, there will be increased opportunities to access this rich 
tradition. Reaching out in an effort to expand our common interest in 
culture and the arts will deepen our understanding of one another and 
serve as a bridge builder to more substantial bilateral relations.
  In that spirit, I would like to submit this letter, from the US-Cuba 
Cultural Exchange, into the Record. This letter, written last March, 
urges the President to build a respectful and critical dialogue between 
the United States and Cuba through cultural exchange.


                                    US-Cuba Cultural Exchange,

                           Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 3, 2009.
     President Barack Obama,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Obama: We are artists, arts presenters, arts 
     educators, cultural entrepreneurs and scholars, and cultural 
     heritage and policy professionals from diverse political 
     persuasions. We have been adversely affected by the cultural 
     embargo imposed by the U.S. government against both Cuban and 
     American artists and cultural institutions. We are writing to 
     request that you make concrete changes in U.S. policy towards 
     Cuba that will allow for the uninhibited flow of art, 
     culture, information, ideas and debates, as well as travel by 
     artists, cultural workers and professionals, and arts and 
     cultural aficionados between the two countries.
       U.S. policies towards Cuba--worsened many times over by the 
     previous administration and criticized throughout the world--
     have prevented us from engaging in critical communication and 
     collaboration with our Cuban counterparts, compromising our 
     nation's cherished ideals of freedom of expression and 
     preventing cultural interchange between two societies that 
     share a historic relationship lasting over two centuries.
       In 2007 we requested policy changes from the Bush 
     Administration so that respectful, critical dialogue and 
     principled exchange could take place between the peoples of 
     Cuba and the United States and our respective governments. 
     Our petition fell on deaf ears. As citizens, artists, 
     scholars, educators and cultural workers from all artistic 
     practices and from advocacy and service organizations in the 
     arts, we now call upon your Administration to:
       1. open a respectful dialogue with the government and 
     people of Cuba in accord with established protocols supported 
     by the community of nations;
       2. end the travel ban that prevents U.S. citizens from 
     visiting Cuba, and allow for Cuban artists and scholars to 
     visit the United States, thus eliminating the censorship of 
     art and ideas, and
       3. initiate, by working with the U.S. Congress, a process 
     that can result in the development of normal, respectful 
     bilateral relations between our countries.
       The artistic and cultural communities in the United States 
     and in Cuba are catalysts of imagination and creativity. We 
     are committed to serve as bridges for our fellow citizens. 
     Now, we need our government to take leadership and re-open 
     the pathways of exchange.
       We look forward to working with you to advance the 
     interests of the United States and of Cuba.
           Sincerely,

 (Sampling of over 1,100 signatures from arts & culture as of March 2, 
                                 2009)

         Patch Adams; Michael Alexander, Exec Dir, Grand 
           Performances* & Chair, California Arts Council*; Stuart 
           A. Ashman, Cabinet Secretary, State of New Mexico 
           Cultural Affairs; Stephen Bailey, Executive Director/
           CEO, Grand Opera House; Amiri & Amina Baraka; Harry 
           Belafonte; Laura Bickford, Film Producer; Beth Boone, 
           Artistic & Executive Director, Miami Light Project; 
           Jackson Browne, Songwriter; Jimmy Cobb, NEA Jazz 
           Master, Drums; James Early, Artists & Intellectuals in 
           Defense of Humanity; Charles Fishman, Executive 
           Producer, Duke Ellington Jazz Festival; Danny Glover, 
           Activist-Actor; Charlie Haden, Educator/Musician; 
           Herbie Hancock, Musician/Chairman, Thelonious Monk 
           Institute of Jazz.*
         Donald Harrison, Musician & Composer; Louis Head, US-Cuba 
           Cultural Exchange; Oscar Hernandez, Musician/Composer; 
           Mike Kappus, President, The Rosebud Agency; Robert 
           Kraft, President, Fox Music; Vivien Lesnik Weisman, 
           Filmmaker; Sandra Levinson, Director, Cuban Art Space/
           Center for Cuban Studies; Bill Martinez, Arts Attorney 
           & Presenter, Martinez & Associates; Graham Nash; Lukas 
           Nelson, Musician; Arturo O'Farrill, Musician & Founder, 
           Afro Latin Jazz Alliance & 2009 Grammy Award Winner; 
           Michael Orlove, Senior Program Dir, Chicago Department 
           of Cultural Affairs; Eddie Palmieri; Armando Peraza, 
           Musician; Dafnis Prieto, Musician.
         Bonnie Raitt, Musician & Activist; Awilda Rivera, Radio 
           Personality, WBGO-Jazz 88; Tito Rodriguez, Jr., 
           Musician, Tito Rodriguez, Jr. Orchestra; Ann Rosenthal/
           Cathy Zimmerman, Co-Dirs, MAPP International 
           Productions; David Rubinson, Music Producer; Poncho 
           Sanchez, Musician; Carlos Santana, Musician; Pete 
           Seeger; Scott Southard, Director, International Music 
           Network; Mavis Staples and

[[Page E959]]

           Yvonne Staples, Singers; Ned Sublette, Independent 
           Scholar; Yosvany Terry, Saxophonist & Composer; Dave 
           Valentin, Latin Jazz Artist & Grammy Award Winner; 
           Jesse ``Chuy'' Varela, Broadcaster/Writer, KCSM-FM 91/
           SF Chronicle; Howard Zinn, Author & Playwright.

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