Our Declaration of Independence states that it is the duty of the government to protect “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” However, what happens when the government that is supposed to protect these “unalienable rights” robs them from her people? This is the question that the Cuban people had to answer in the year 1953, when their government did just that. Their response to this question would forever change the history of Florida. This series of events began in 1959, when a seemingly charismatic man by the name of Fidel Castro rose to power. He captured the hearts of the people and promised a better tomorrow. As time went on, people soon realized this was not his true intention. The government became more oppressive, and infiltrated …show more content…
Of course, Cubans cannot go anywhere without leaving a mark. Loud Spanish filled every street corner and it was impossible to get away from the smell of café con leche y tostada con mantequilla. However, most of the effects of their arrival were intangible. Here in Florida, a new culture arose. There is not a day that passes by in which Cubans forget the pain of the revolution. These Cubans had become Floridians, embracing American values while retaining their Cuban identities. They created a culture that valued freedom above all else and sought to preserve that freedom at all cost. These people would later go on to influence Florida by becoming CEOs, doctors, lawyers, artists, and politicians. The most poignant effect that Cuban immigrants had on Florida was their children. We are the new Floridians. We have seen our families suffer over what they have lost, and we have seen them rejoice over what they have been given. Not a day passes by in our lives in which we are not reminded of the struggle of our parents and our grandparents. We are compelled to create a better tomorrow, because we cannot destroy what our parents have worked so hard to give