Winds of Solidarity for Cuba Blow from the Southern U.S.

Regardless of faith or political affiliation, a new chapter in U.S.-Cuba solidarity was launched in Jacksonville, Florida, with the formation of the city's first chapter of the U.S. Committee “Hands Off Cuba.” The group’s goal is clear: to end the U.S. blockade of Cuba.

“The Jacksonville community is coming together to break the blockade and support Cuba. This is not a one-time gathering, but the beginning of a new phase of solidarity in the Deep South,” said Hakim Jihad, the group’s coordinator, in remarks to Prensa Latina.

Held at the Yellow House Art Gallery, the inaugural meeting featured a report from a recent delegation that participated in the May Day celebrations in Havana.

“There was electricity in the room, driven by curiosity, enthusiasm, and a strong desire to understand the truth about Cuba, beyond the lies of U.S. imperialist propaganda,” Jihad noted.

Florida, often seen as a hostile environment for Cuba solidarity efforts, showed signs of change, he said.

“In a state known for some of the harshest anti-Cuba policies in the United States, this event was proof that the tide is turning,” Jihad emphasized.

The delegation’s report highlighted concrete acts of solidarity, including the delivery of $200,000 worth of medical aid to Havana’s Calixto García Hospital.

Earlier this year, the committee helped coordinate the shipment of containers valued at $517,000, which included 500,000 painkillers. The effort was supported by Not Just Tourists, Pan-American Medical Group, the Los Angeles “Hands Off Cuba” Committee, and Global Health Partners.

Participants were also briefed on the broader national movement, including support from major labor organizations like the California AFL-CIO, which represents 2.3 million workers, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union.

Plans are underway to establish a Northeast Florida chapter of the “Hands Off Cuba” Committee, building an organized base of resistance in one of the most strategically important states in the fight against the blockade. “The room was united not only in admiration for Cuba’s resilience, but in its determination to fight until the blockade ends,” Jihad said.

According to California-based activist Brenda López, the Jacksonville chapter is part of a broader national effort to expand the work of the Los Angeles Committee, which was founded in 2019.

A new chapter in New Orleans is also in the works, said fellow activist Mark Friedman, who emphasized the growing desire among Americans to see improved relations with Cuba and the lifting of sanctions. “That’s the direction of our work,” he added.

Friedman highlighted the importance of involving youth in the movement. “Solidarity with Cuba needs to include them,” he insisted.

For López, a member of the Los Angeles Committee, the Jacksonville launch comes at a time when fundamental rights are under serious attack by the current administration.

“Realistically, this is the nature of a system that prioritizes profit over people,” she said. “That’s where Cuba comes in — Cuba has demonstrated both nationally and internationally a human-centered and preventative approach to fundamental rights.”

López denounced more than 60 years of economic, commercial, and financial blockade against the island and condemned Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

“The fight to eliminate these coercive and hostile measures is a debt we owe not only to the Cuban people, who have shown immense resilience, but also to ourselves,” she concluded.