how beautiful the birds are
they roam freely
oh how they sing
do they know they are locked in a cage?
oh how they continue to fly with pride
singing loudly for all to hear

under the sun
that has never failed to rise
oh how the sun has seen everything
does the sun ever feel tired?
weary & worn from all the fighting

surely if the sun continues to rise
& as the birds keep on singing
so must we.
we must keep fighting
for everything worthy & just
caught between both the light from the sun & its depths in the shadows 

& one day we will sing a new song
may our eyes be open
our hands ready to work
& our hearts yearning to love
like birds singing & dancing freely
all under the same sun 

---

When I think of time spent in Cuba, birds come to mind. Seeing bee hummingbirds, the smallest bird, flying from branch to branch was incredible. Oh, how they are small but mighty. I asked Nate, our nature guy, for a fun fact about these birds. He told me that bee hummingbirds are the only type of birds that can hover on their own.

I think this represents Cuba. The blockade the U.S. has intentionally placed on Cuba is a form of genocide. Cubans have been forced to become resourceful to survive. It’s the only way. As one Cuban man said, “but you won’t see Cubans crying”. They continue to fight and resist. They carry on within themselves not waiting for an external force, the U.S. & our blockade, to change. To me, bee hummingbirds represent the strength and resilience of Cubans working together in  community. As people living in the U.S., change is needed in our country. May we love mercy, do justly & walk humbly.

-Sophia Armato