Cuba: How A Small Communist Country Changed the World

Sonali Kolhatkar speaks with Margaret Randall, author of dozens of books of poetry and prose, including Haydee Santamaria, Cuban Revolutionary: She Led By Transgression, and Che on My Mind. She is also the editor of Only the Road/Solo El Camino: Eight Decades of Cuban Poetry.

Her new book is called Exporting Revolution: Cuba's Global Solidarity

Thousands of Cuban citizens have been protesting their government over shortages and on-going economic pain. The protests have been hailed by diaspora Cubans, especially in the U.S. state of Florida, as a turning point against the communist government. Right wing American media outlets, eager to capitalize on such fissures, are having a field day condemning any defense of the Cuban government as antithetical to “freedom” and capitalism. Liberal media are covering the protests with no mention of decades-long U.S. efforts to destabilize Cuba.

Today we air an archival interview with author Margaret Randall from several years ago.

Margaret Randall is an American-born writer, photographer, activist and academic. Born in New York City, she lived for many years in Spain, Mexico, Cuba, and Nicaragua, and spent time in North Vietnam during the last months of the U.S. war in that country.

Rising Up with Sonali is a radio and television show that brings progressive news coverage rooted in gender and racial justice to a wide audience. Rising Up With Sonali was built on the foundation of Sonali Kolhatkar's earlier show, Uprising, which became the longest-running drive-time radio show on KPFK in Los Angeles hosted by a woman. RUS airs on Free Speech TV every weekday.

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