Self-Directed Learning Project 

by Sue Fairchild 

As a leader who identifies as she/her and a St. Kate’s MAOL student for the last five years, I felt moved to research women leaders in Habana. But what closed the deal was interacting with my homestay mom, Natalie Roman Maiques (pictured).

One of our first learnings in Havana is how our homestays are a form of small business in Cuba. Raoul Castro passed legislation for Cubans in the late 2000s allowing small businesses to enable economic growth (Perez, 2017). Natalie and her husband developed their business to rent small rooms for guests like us, which is her full-time work. Interacting with Natalie created curiosity about how women navigate as leaders in Cuba.

To initiate my research, I gathered Cuban feminist and women leaders’ articles, which shed light on progressive feminist legislation passed starting at the turn of the 20th century. I was amazed to learn how a small island country supports and enables women to be educated, empowered, and independent more than some of the larger countries in the western hemisphere and has maintained this effort for over 120 years (Arrom, 1993; Linger, 2020; Núñez Sarmiento, 2010; Serra, 2005). Women leaders are underrepresented in Cuban politics but continue to challenge legislative policies for women, and LGBTQ+ populations (Castro, 2012).

To further my research, I interviewed three women from our coursework in Havana with various demographics and personal and professional experiences, one of whom was Natalie. Through these one-hour interviews, I learned about women leaders before the Cuban Revolution through today, how race plays into women’s leadership positions, how women lead differently than men, and how women can improve U.S. and Cuban relations. One consistent response was race does not play into women’s leadership here in Cuba, as many black female leaders hold critical positions in government, education, and politics. Another consistent response is the perception that women lead differently than men, as they have more foresight and the ability to be more present to their teams while working through challenges. Finally, through these interviews, I learned it is important for Cuban women to remain the head of the family, creating two jobs if they work outside the home.

Through these interviews, I didn’t expect to learn that ending the U.S. embargo on Cuba (some may refer to this as warfare due to the devastating impact on the Cuban economy) will enable not only Cuban and U.S. relations but also enable Cuban women to take leadership positions. Today, access to prepared food like frozen dinners, cleaning tools, and supplies is very limited, demanding more time for homemaking. This creates needed action here in the States – “Hello, Amy Klobuchar?” Are you willing to join me?

In conclusion, while interviewing Natalie for my project, I experienced cultural convergence as she shared her leadership experiences and expectations through an interpreter. We hold similar beliefs and experiences as women with leadership responsibilities, and I hope to stay in touch!

References  

Arrom, S. M. (1993). [Review of From the House to the Streets: The Cuban Woman’s Movement for Legal Reform, 1898-1940, by K. L. Stoner]. The American Historical Review, 98(4), 1354–1355. https://doi.org/10.2307/2166825

Castro, M. (2012). Revolutionizing gender: Mariela Castro MS, director, National Sex Education Center, Cuba. Interview by Gail Reed. MEDICC Review, 14(2), 6–.

Linger, Eloise. (2020). Toward a more inclusive history of the Cuban revolution of 1959. International Journal of Cuban Studies. Vol. 12(2):300-328. DOI: 10.13169/intejcubastud.12.2.030

Núñez Sarmiento, Marta (2010) Cuban Development Strategies and Gender Relations, Socialism and Democracy, 24:1, 127-145, DOI: 10.1080/08854300903533069

Perez, R. T. (2017). Updating the Cuban Economy: The First 10 Years. Social Research, 84(2), 255–275. https://doi.org/10.1353/sor.2017.0019

Sarmiento, M. N. (2003). Gender Studies in Cuba: Methodological Approaches, 1974-2001. Gender and Society, 17(1), 7–32. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3081812

Serra, A. (2005). The “New Woman” in Cuban Revolutionary Discourse: Manuel Cofiño’s The Last Woman and the Next Combat (1971). Journal of Gender Studies, 14(1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/0958923042000331470