A Cuban Portrait #1

Many of you are not aware of my Cuba experience and the profound effect it has had in my life. Starting in 1996, I began a journey that I see no end to–photographing the people of Cuba.

Children always amaze me with their vision, honesty, and ability to adapt and improvise. I have seen spinning “tops”, kickboards made with wood and skate wheels, baseball played with the leg of a chair and a ball made of “I’m not sure” There are no toy stores in Cuba…at least nothing accessible and available to the average Cuban. So as I stroll through Cuba, I see kids everywhere playing, going to school, and just being kids.

This photograph was taken on my usual walk along the “Malecon” (the fabled stretch of road that curves along the coast in La Habana) It’s like they were just waiting there with this painting in the background. But what really captures my thoughts are that the children represent a cross section of race in Cuban society.