By Luis David Fuentes
Guest Columnist
Luis David Fuentes
Very far from the sweltering city of Miami- the epicenter of the Cuban community in the U.S.- another vibrant community of exiles has emerged recently in Louisville, Kentucky.
During the last two decades, tens of thousands of Kentubanos (Cubans in Kentucky) have decided to change their ways, learn a new language, face a cold winter, and establish their home 1,000 miles away from their birthplace.
Attracted by a cheaper cost of living than any city in Florida and the friendliness of Kentuckians, a driving and entrepreneurial community has made Louisville their new home.
Taking advantage of the freedom and opportunities denied in their homeland, here they’ve prospered, created families, learned trades or started businesses, while quickly integrating into the new society as they redefine the local economy and customs.
“Right now, there are about 50,000 Cubans in the state of Kentucky,” says Trent Spoolstra, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council at the Jewish Federation of Louisville. “It’s estimated that over the next five years this population could double. So we want to be able to work naturally with a community that shares our values.”
Demographic history
Before 1959, about a hundred Cubans lived in Kentucky. After the 1994 Rafters Boatlift, dozens of Cuban families were relocated to Kentucky from Miami through Catholic Charities and the Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM).
By 2010, statistics showed that more than 9,300 Cubans resided in Kentucky. Ten years later that figure had doubled. According to the American Community Survey (ACS) of the United States Census Bureau, in 2019, more than 21,000 Cubans lived in the Commonwealth.
Over the last four years, more than 30,000 Cubans have arrived in Louisville via these two mentioned agencies. Thousands more have moved from other states, choosing Kentucky by virtue of its cheaper cost of living (rent, insurance, taxes, etc.), a better quality of life (traffic, crime, discipline, etc.), as well as greater job opportunities (higher wages).
Origin of the exodus
Cuba, a country that before the arrival of the communist regime in 1959 received thousands of immigrants annually, instead became a country of emigrants. Since that date, Cubans have continued to escape the island, even at the risk of their own lives.
Throughout its 66 years, the Socialist country has prompted several waves of mass exodus. Today it is estimated that, out of a population of 11.2 million at the beginning of the 21st century, nearly 30% of Cubans reside abroad – mostly in the United States.
The ongoing Cuban exodus is driven by a totalitarian system. Moreover, it’s a system that only benefits the leaders of Cuba’s Communist Party. Indeed, no other political party is legally permitted to exist.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on tourism and remittances, paired with the government’s inefficient measures, has led to the collapse of infrastructure, a decline in purchasing power, a devaluation of the currency, skyrocketing inflation, and severe shortages of food, medicine, and housing. Politically motivated persecution and the threat of prosecution and imprisonment following the July 11, 2021, crackdown on pro-democracy protests forced many to leave the country – or face imprisonment if they remained.
Positive impact of Kentubanos in Louisville’s economy and society
Despite coming from a completely different society with a different language, Cubans represent a “plus” for this state, being a prosperous and very entrepreneurial community.
This community not only enriches the culture with its music, joy and new culinary flavors, but also quickly becomes part of the new society. We bring innovative products and services to the area, pay large sums of taxes, and improve the labor market. In addition to the thousands who proudly work daily in factories and warehouses, there are many Cubans working as professionals (teachers, engineers, technicians, dentists, doctors, lawyers, etc.) in important companies and government offices.
Today there are more than 500 small Cuban-owned businesses in the city of Louisville. Among them are numerous Cuban restaurants, cafés, markets, mechanic shops, daycare facilities, real estate agents, and much more. Additionally, Kentucky’s Cuban community contributes significant cultural impact, with its dozens of accomplished artists, musicians, photographers, actors and dancers.
Connection between the Jewish-Cuban Communities
Just a couple of months ago, leaders of our community had the pleasure of meeting Trent Spoolstra, director of Louisville’s Jewish Community Relations Council, to launch what we and the local Jewish community hope is a long and successful partnership. Our Cuban community has much to learn from the Jewish community: their persistence, courage, and entrepreneurial spirit.
Like the Jewish community, we value freedom, justice, and security. We are incredibly grateful to this nation for welcoming us, and for providing every opportunity to achieve our dreams.
If you would like to learn more about the local Cuban American community and our developing partnerships, we encourage you to contact us at tinyurl.com/urnu93hw.
Luis David Fuentes, PE. is the Publisher of El Kentubano and Vice President of the Cuban American Association of Kentucky.