I still have vivid memories as a 12-year old of my first real awareness of Fidel and of the Cuban Revolution. I was with my parents and their fellow trade unionists in their post office workplace in San Francisco, California excitedly watching televised visual projections and running commentary about the progressive insurgent victory Fidel led against the Batista dictatorship.

The televised visual dialogue between Fidel and the multitude of Cuban faces and voices was electric and inspiring. For my parents, Civil Rights generation and for my emerging generation of Black Power, progressive multicultural, social justice, and trade union solidarity movements, the commanding images of Fidel and the sincere persuasive pitch of his voice, loomed bold, courageous, and ethical.

On this first remembrance of Fidel’s physical death it is highly relevant and above all beneficial to recall and to emphasize his earnest and optimistic approach to living and to dying. I think foremost about his direct contributions to the conquered grounds on which progressive and transformative humanity in Cuba and our culturally diverse world exist today.

Fidel was a catalytic leader. He was unwavering in convening Cuban citizens, progressive social movements and governments across the world to proactively confront and resolve oligarchy-class rule, unjust national debt, pervasive poverty and disease, intensified racial and gender discrimination, and unjust wars. He led with critical self-reflection around new, radical perspectives and approaches, and charted governance and public policies to harness knowledge, culture, and science benefiting the whole of humanity.

We commemorate Fidel’s life as a living-spirit among us that still inspires and guides millions among progressive and revolutionary citizens, social movements and governments to continue to step forward and advance humanity in social and cultural justice, economic welfare, environmental stability, and peace.

- Danny Glover Citizen-Artist

Source:  Cuba Network in Defense of Humanity