La maleta siempre lista: Libertad, identidad y legado político dentro de una familia cubanoamericana
College - Author 1
College of Liberal Arts
Department - Author 1
World Languages and Cultures Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BA in Spanish
Date
6-2026
Primary Advisor
Martha Galvan-Mandujano, College of Liberal Arts World Languages and Cultures Department
Abstract/Summary
\This project explores how memories of the Cuban Exile are transmitted through generations and how these memories can influence a Cuban American family’s cultural identity and political beliefs. The documentary was based around interviews with members of my family from different generations. My investigation was mainly centered around the generation that lived through the Cuban Revolution and Exile, immigrated to the US and started a family in another country, sharing their memories, values and beliefs of Cuba with their children and grandchildren.
In addition to the interviews, the project incorporates historical research about the Cuban Revolution, the first waves of the exile, the Invasion of the Bay of Pigs, the Elian Gonzales case and many more first hand accounts of major events that heavily impacted and influenced the Cuban American population here in the United States. This investigative documentary argues that the Cuban exile is a continuous experience, not just another historical event in our past. The interviews reveal how members of the same family who share experiences of exile and displacement, can develop different definitions of freedom and cultural identity. By connecting personal anecdotes and historical events, the documentary demonstrates how memories of Cuba continue to influence how Cuban Americans view the past, navigate the present and imagine the future of the United States of America.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/mllsp/72