Anna Mia Davidson

Since 1999 I have been photographing in Cuba, the misunderstood island nation that is just ninety miles off the coast of the United States. In 1961 the United States ban on trade and travel to Cuba, followed by a break in diplomatic relations, created a defacto embargo on information about Cuba. I have been a witness to the humble dignity of the people and the beauty of the culture. My photographic vision has been to capture the positive aspects of Cuban society and the subtleties of the Cuban spirit, as change is imminent in this volatile time. I view my images as both a historical documentation and as a testimony to the strength of the Cuban people.

Cuban government run maternity centers are one example of an institutional resource made available to Cubans. The maternity centers are a resource for Cuban women at high risk of losing their babies. The women are encouraged to live at one of the many government sponsored maternity centers for the duration of their pregnancy. Women are provided meals and are monitored by staff nurses. Most hours of the day are spent on bed rest, waiting for what the future will bring. There is the sense of the unknown mixed with a feeling of hopefulness. Within the Cuban maternity centers lies a metaphor for a nation in waiting, a country anticipating the birth of a new era. The images of the maternity centers within my larger documentary exemplify the kind of beneficial institutions that we rarely get a chance to learn about.

Over the past forty years resources such as schools in rural communities, government supplied healthcare including women’s maternity centers, organic agricultural practices, and fair distribution of food has achieved much for the Cuban people. Cuba has one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, one of the highest literacy rates and the highest per capita indices of teachers and doctors in the world. Most small children are introduced to cultural activities such as art, music, and dance at local community centers, which exist throughout the island. Despite hardship, children demonstrate perseverance in dance classes held under chandeliers surrounded by decaying walls.

I would like to thank the Blue Earth Alliance for their sponsorship and support, Kodak for their generous contributions, and the individual donors who have made this project possible.