Monday, July 7, 2014

Greater Richmond Chamber Plans Trip to Cuba

Posted: Jul 07, 2014 6:07 PM EDTUpdated: Jul 07, 2014 6:28 PM EDT

By WRIC Newsroom

Cuba is only about 100 miles from Florida, but most Americans have only seen pictures of it. The Greater Richmond Chamber is offering a chance to travel there in January.

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -

Cuba: Even though it's fewer than one hundred miles from the Florida coast, most Americans have only seen http://www.wric.com/story/25959154/greater-richmond-chamber-plans-trip-to-cubapictures of the colorful country.

This is due to the fact that the United States government banned travel to Cuba more than 50 years ago. Now, there's an opportunity to visit the island nation, legitimately, through the Greater Richmond Chamber.

Christy Schneider McCurdy with the Greater Richmond Chamber says, "I think there's always been an interest in checking out Cuba and we just thought that this would be a great way to offer it to the public."

The Chamber is partnering with a California company licensed by the U.S. government to take travel groups to Cuba. The trip is slated for next January, and is open to anyone with a curiosity for Cuba...and $3,600.

According to McCurdy, “It's not a beach vacation. You'll be very busy on the trip. You'll be scheduled from in the morning through the evenings and you'll get to meet a lot of really interesting people and see a lot of things that most Americans don't have the chance to see."

The trip is considered a "people to people" excursion, meaning participants will meet one-on-one with people who live there. That is the only legitimate way for most Americans to visit Cuba.

So the busy itinerary isn't a choice--it's required of everyone traveling in the group.

The Chamber emphasizes that this will not be a visit to drum up business or commerce.

McCurdy adds, “It's more about see this part of the world, learn about the culture learn, about the history, learn about the relationship between the US and Cuba."

For more information on how to register for the trip, please click here.

http://www.wric.com/story/25959154/greater-richmond-chamber-plans-trip-to-cuba

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

New Jersey Photography Trip

Berkeley Heights photographer to hold workshop in Cuba, Feb. 17-25, 2015
Print Independent Press

By Independent Press
on July 02, 2014 at 10:45 AM, updated July 02, 2014 at 10:47 AM

Nancy J. Ori of Berkeley Heights, well-known New Jersey artist, photographer and educator, is offering a photography workshop in Cuba from Feb. 17-25, 2015.

Americans are now able to travel through a new 'people-to-people' program, which includes daily activities, immersing you into the heart and soul of Cuba. Designed as a cultural and historical program, it will also provide dramatic photographic opportunities each day. From the hustle and bustle of Old Havana, to the slower paced countryside and coastal areas, including an overnight stay on the southern coast beach on the Bay of Pigs.

Visualize the photographic appeal of this country that has been closed off to Americans for decades. Allow Nancy Ori to assist you in capturing the allure of this amazing place and its people. You will find so many wonderful faces to photograph in the cities and the countryside. And explore with Nancy through Havana's colonial architecture, while watching the antique vehicles pass you by. The cost of the workshop is $4,195 which includes Miami to Havana airfare, travel visa fees, most meals, lodging, guide and transportation during the workshop.

There will be daily educational programs given by your local guide, where you will learn about the arts, traditional music, dance, and artistry. Visit a rum factory, local families of diverse neighborhoods, and the sugar and tobacco farmers of the countryside while photographing these experiences.

The workshop is designed to help discover and fine-tune each participant's reactions to light and color. From the quaint towns with small white churches to the panoramas of cities and seascapes, tobacco farms and tropical gardens, participants will follow the vibrant colors along the country roads to find the secrets of this culture.

This unique workshop is being offered to any level of photographer who is excited to find new inspiration and experience the fun and camaraderie of a workshop designed by a master photographer specifically for capturing lots of great images.

There is a structured schedule to the workshop with a balance of teaching, shooting, critiques and discussions. Shooting opportunities will be taking advantage of early morning and late day light. Subjects include musical sessions, environmental portraits of local faces, home interiors, gardens and of course the great American cars of the 40"s and 50"s surrounded by modern and historic architecture.

Ori is respected internationally as a corporate photographer, instructor and fine art exhibitor. She studied with Ansel Adams in 1978 and 1980 and taught at the Ansel Adams workshop series for 8 seasons. She is on the faculty of numerous museums and art centers in New Jersey and runs a workshop series annually that now extends to European destinations and throughout the U.S. Nancy's teaching style is casual and supportive but with great passion. One of her students sums it up nicely: "The workshop was wonderful, and hard and fulfilling and really fun! As usual, you were brilliant, prepared, encouraging, insightful and organized. Thanks again for your passion and for all the fun and knowledge I always find at your workshops," said Carol.

For registration and trip questions: contact Strabo Photography Tours 607-756-8676.
For photography questions, contact Nancy Ori nancyori@comcast.net.

http://www.nj.com/independentpress/index.ssf/2014/07/berkeley_heights_photographer.html

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Pew Poll on Cuban American Party Affiliation

JUNE 24, 2014

After decades of GOP support, Cubans shifting toward the Democratic Party

BY JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD 11 COMMENTS

Cubans in the U.S. have long identified with or leaned toward the Republican Party, even as Hispanics overall have tilted Democrat. But the party affiliation of Cubans has undergone a shift over the past decade, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of survey data.

Less than half (47%) of Cuban registered voters nationwide now say they identify with or lean toward the Republican Party—down from the 64% who said the same about the GOP a decade ago, according to 2013 survey data. Meanwhile, the share of Cubans who identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party has doubled from 22% to 44% over the same time period, according to the survey of Hispanics.

The Cuban population in the U.S. is centered in Florida, home to seven-in-ten of the nation’s 2 million Cuban-origin Hispanics. In the 1960s, the state’s Cuban immigrant population boomed as many left the island after Fidel Castro’s rise to power. The concentration of Cuban voters subsequently helped push the overall Hispanic vote toward the Republican Party in the Sunshine State. In 2004, for example, Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush won 78% of the Cuban vote in Florida, compared with 56% of the state’s Hispanics overall.

The shift is partly explained by the coming of age of U.S.-born Cubans, who have somewhat different political affiliations than their elders. Today, 44% of Cubans in the U.S. are native-born. Some 48% of Cubans ages 18 to 49 were born in the U.S., compared with 11% of Cubans who are 50 years and older.

The shift is also partly explained by the different waves of Cuban immigrants who have arrived in the U.S.—more than half of Cuban immigrants arrived after 1990. Between 2000 and 2010, the annual average growth of the Cuban immigrant population was 17,300, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data.

Looking at all Cubans, including those not registered to vote, only a third say they identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, according to the 2013 survey of Hispanics. On the other side of the aisle, some 48% of Cubans today say they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party.

The impact of younger Cubans is reflected in those figures. Over half (56%) of Cubans ages 18 to 49 identified with or leaned toward the Democratic Party compared with 39% of those 50 years and older. Conversely, older Cubans tend to identify with or lean toward the Republican Party more than younger Cubans, by 44% to 23%. Even so, the share of older Cubans who are Republican has declined over time. In 2002, among all Cubans, some 68% who were 50 and older said they identified with or leaned toward the Republican Party.

Among Latinos, those of Cuban origin have had some of the highest voter turnout rates. In 2012, 67% of Cuban Americans voted nationally, compared with 48% of Latinos overall. In the 2012 presidential election, the Cuban vote in Florida was split—49% supported Democrat Barack Obama while 47% supported Republican Mitt Romney, according to the national exit poll. Among all Latinos nationwide, Obama won 71% of the vote, compared with just 27% for Romney.

Jens Manuel Krogstad is a Writer/Editor at the Pew Research Center's Hispanic Trends Project.

British Company Offers Responsible Travel

Forget the mud and camping crowds - Cuba is the real festival destination this year

As Glastonbury kick-started the UK’s legendary summer festival season last weekend and brought with it the usual festival deluge of rain, responsibletravel.com argues that world-class music doesn’t need to come with muddy camping, festival toilets and thousands of people packed into a field. Instead consider Cuba, where one of the most surprising legacies of communist rule is a state of professional musicians, dancers and artists abound.

Music in Old Havana. Credit: Vicki Brown

What has resulted is almost a year round festival of world-class music, arts and culture played out on the streets of Old Havana

(PRWEB UK) 30 June 2014

Five decades of self-sufficiency, rejection of capitalism and socialist welfare state has resulted in a virtually classless society in Cuba, with unsurpassed healthcare, free education and access to culture for all. The revolutionary authorities encouraged, sponsored and employed artists, dancers and musicians, and while international headline acts such as Dolly Parton and Metallica may not yet be performing, what has resulted is almost a year round festival of world-class music, arts and culture played out on the streets of Old Havana and in daily shows in Cuba’s National Theatre, Casa de la Musica, Gran Teatro, Casa de la Amistad, the legendary El Floridita and more. It’s a cultural wealth available to all Cubans regardless of background or status for practically nothing and there for tourists to share for a mere fraction of the price of a festival ticket back home.

It is however, easy to idealise. As responsibletravel.com’s new 2 minute travel guide to Cuba (http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/cuba) highlights, despite cultivating huge cultural wealth, communist rule has stripped the country of its material wealth. Almost all Cubans are employed on meagre state salaries, subsidised by state rations, and trade embargos leave most shops standing empty. As tourists enjoying Cuba’s cultural riches it then becomes very important that in doing so we ensure we are also supporting its struggling population.

Here are responsibletravel.com’s tips for connecting with real culture in Cuba, and how to ensure your visit supports local Cubans:

Consider travelling during April to catch "City in Motion" in Old Havana – dancers from across Cuba converge on the city’s streets, plazas and colonial buildings to showcase an incredible array of creative, high-quality traditional and modern dance.

Go with the flow. With art openings on every street corner, and impromptu concerts, book stalls, poetry readings, streetside salsa and theatre performances across the city, Havana begs you to abandon your plans and enjoy whatever you stumble upon as you wander.

Take a salsa class run by professional dancers and follow their recommendations on where to dance the night away. Don’t forget to tip in tourist currency, worth far more than local currency and a welcome boost to meagre state salaries.

Avoid overrated Varadero – Cuba’s beauty lies in its culture and people, and there’s scant chance to encounter either in this enclave of all-inclusives. A stay here will also not contribute to the wellbeing of struggling local Cubans.

Support the casas particulars – local homestays which offer local Cubans the opportunity to own their own business and access valuable tourist currency. Hosts are often highly educated, friendly, open and eager to show you a slice of their daily life. And will be full of great tips on where to go for the best music, art and dance.

Notes to editors:

About responsibletravel.com
responsibletravel.com is the world's leading online travel agent for responsible holidays and a pioneer of responsible tourism. Started in 2001 with backing from Dame Anita Roddick of The Body Shop the site's mantra is 'travel like a local'. It sells holidays that are about more than just a brief stay somewhere - instead it is travel that offers a real connection with the people, the landscape, the culture, the food and the environment. It offers over 7,500 responsible holidays from over 3,000 holiday providers which all support communities and conservation. Handpicked local specialists provide authentic holidays for those seeking adventure, culture, or luxury whether travelling with family, joining a small group or looking for tailor-made experiences worldwide, in destinations as diverse as Costa Rica- http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/costa-rica, Cambodia-http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/cambodia and Catalonia-http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/catalonia.

In addition responsibletravel.com:

founded and organises The World Responsible Tourism Awards, celebrating 11 years at World Travel Market this year.
campaigns for positive change in the travel and tourism industry.

CEO Justin Francis has been included in Courvoisiers The Future 500, Thames and Hudsons 60 Innovators Shaping Our Creative Future and taken his place on the Advisory Board of The International Centre for Responsible Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The company is based in Brighton's North Laine district, England.

Contact:
Sarah Bareham
press(at)responsibletravel(dot)com
01273 829 269 (UK)

For multiple tour options, go to http://www.responsibletravel.com/holidays/cuba

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Americas Media Initiative Delegation

Americas Media Initiative (AMI) is organizing a special delegation in collaboration with OFAC licensed Anthropologie Consulting that will focus on contemporary filmmaking in Cuba from November 23-27, 2014.

AMI has brought new tools to the cultural and policy landscapes that have defined U.S. – Cuba relations for decades. AMI is organizing groundbreaking Cuban film programs in the U.S. that use the power of film to forge landmark cultural exchange between U.S. and Cuban citizens.

In addition to its innovative work in the U.S, AMI has brought important U.S. films and filmmakers to the Cuban provinces for the first time, collaborating with key cultural institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the PBS documentary series, POV.

This will be the first delegation that AMI has organized to Cuba and will provide insight and access that is rarely available for U.S. visitors interested in contemporary Cuban film and its shifting landscape. Due to the close working relationship AMI has with many young filmmakers, delegates will meet with independent documentary and fiction filmmakers and animators. AMI will also visit the offices of independent film production houses such as 5ta Avenida and Central Productions.

Delegates will meet with staff of the Muestra Joven (Young Directors Film Festival). During the event, delegates will engage in conversations with filmmakers in a variety of settings about their push to legalize independent production in the context of the new economic reforms that are taking place in Cuba and how they see their role in the future of Cuban film.

This delegation is geared for filmmakers and film business professionals. All events will have English interpretation. AMI Director, Alexandra Halkin will be present for the entire visit and will share her insights and analysis.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/sydneylevine/latinobuzz-film-delegation-to-havana-nov-23-27-international-film-business

Thursday, June 12, 2014

45th Venceremos Brigade Invites Applicants

The 45th contingent of the Venceremos Brigade is getting ready to
travel to Cuba from July 20th to August 2nd. The group will visit
places of interests and will get a first had look at the current
economic transformations underway across the island. The Venceremos
Brigade will receive lectures on the Cuban reality and will be able to
exchange with the people and also participate in the July 26th
commemorations.

In 1969, a coalition of young people formed the Venceremos (We Shall
Overcome) Brigade, as a means of showing solidarity with the Cuban
Revolution by working side by side with Cuban workers and challenging
U.S. policies towards Cuba, including the economic blockade and our
government's ban on travel to the island. The first Brigades
participated in sugar harvests and subsequent Brigades have done
agricultural and construction work in many parts of the island.

It is the perfect moment to come to Cuba with the group as a number of
growing Americans are in favor of lifting the unjust economic blockade
and are calling for normalizing ties between both countries and the
release of the remaining 3 members of the Cuban Five.

If you are interested in joining this year´s Brigade to Cuba please
email to vbrigade@gmail.com

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Cuba: A chance to meet people and enjoy the arts in Havana

MARY FORGIONE, DAILY DEAL AND TRAVEL BLOGGER

Havana (Cuba)Cuba Trips and Vacations Travel Ernest Hemingway

Micro tour of Havana highlights music, classic cars and Ernest Hemingway

Travelers who want to see the cultural side of Havana might look to a short "micro" tour offered by Classic Journeys. The tour allows visitors to mix with Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba performers during the troupe's rehearsal and meet members of a 1950s classic car club to become more immersed in day-to-day life on the island nation.

For decades, Cuba was out of the reach of American travelers. But people-to-people exchange tours are allowed, and the Obama administration has eased regulations on these types of trips. The company, based in La Jolla, has expanded its number of trips to Cuba and created this new five-day cultural itinerary.

The accent of this five-day tour is on meeting the locals, such as artist Jose Fuster and musicians of all kinds. During the five days, participants visit a private jazz club, Ernest Hemingway's home museum, the country's oldest cigar factory and Havana's Malecon promenade. The group spends three nights in Havana and one in Miami.

When: Trips are available from October through April.

Price: $3,995 per person, double occupancy. It includes accommodations, most meals, authorization letter for visa, guide and ground transportation. Participants also pay $549 to $649 per person for charter airfare from Miami to Havana; airfare to and from Miami is extra.

Info: Classic Journeys, (800) 200-3887

http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-cuba-walking-tour-20140605-story.html