A 16-year-old prays, Cuba imprisons him — and exposes its fear of conscience | Opinion
Cuba’s youth
Something in me broke when I read the April 29 Miami Herald report, “Cuba is holding a 16-year-old in prison, targets young evangelicals in crackdown.”
For many young Cuban Americans, such reports are painful. They remind us how far the regime will go to extinguish even the quietest forms of courage. A teenager who prays, speaks, gathers, or imagines a freer country is treated as a danger. Families are made to live under suspicion. Faith is watched. Hope is punished.
The persecution of evangelicals and of religious Cubans more broadly has long been the history of the communist revolution. Yet there is something especially powerful about these young Cubans. They do not speak with hatred; rather, they speak with conscience. They are educated, brave and committed to a future in which Cuba is not governed by fear.
May their wish come true.
Cubans and Cuban Americans cannot continue to witness this assault on the moral lives of our people in silence. Cuba has lost too much already — to prison, exile, poverty and fear. It must not lose another generation for the simple act of believing in truth, faith and freedom.
Carlos Martinez,
Silver Spring, MD
Cultural icons
In his April 29 op-ed, “No one shaped South Florida’s cultural life more than Michael Tilson Thomas,” former Miami Beach Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin was right to recognize the late great “MTT” for his contributions to the cultural life of the city and elsewhere. Kasdin was also instrumental as chair of the New World Symphony Center in making that happen.
Overlooked in the op-ed were the late Ted and Lin Arison, who did so much more than just “purchasing and refurbishing” the old Lincoln Theater. The Arisons founded the New World Symphony (NWS) and its Center. Their vision and money also built and supported many South Florida cultural groups; usually anonymously.
MTT is an icon who made the NWS and its home on Miami Beach famous and he will be greatly missed. Lin Arison passed last October with little or no mention in the press. The Arison Family’s contributions to the cultural life of all of Miami-Dade and South Florida remains legendary.
John H. Schulte,
Coral Gables
Commissioner cares
One year ago, I walked into Miami-Dade County Hall with a clear promise: I would work for you, fight for you and never forget who sent me there. That promise has guided every decision I have made.
This job is personal. Daily, I think about the families trying to keep up with rising costs, the seniors worried about staying in the homes they built and the small business owners feeling squeezed by taxes and regulations. Your home is not a revenue source. Families are not an open checkbook. Government must know its limits.
As co-chair of the Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee, I have pushed for fiscal responsibility, stronger oversight and smarter spending. When contracts did not make sense, I challenged them and delivered results, including reducing a sargassum removal contract by $3 million. We also eliminated more than 120,000 property tax bills that cost more to process than they generated.
At the same time, we focused on delivering results people can actually feel. We advanced Families on the Fly at MIA, launched the Expectant Mothers Parking Permit program, partnered with Jackson Health System to provide free mammogram screenings and worked to improve emergency response coordination across our community. We also brought the government closer to residents through weekly mobile office hours, town halls and our Knocking with Natalie program (going door-to-door to solve problems block-by-block).
This year has reinforced something important: people want a government that listens, respects taxpayer dollars and delivers real results. We are just getting started.
Natalie Milian Orbis,
commissioner,
Miami-Dade County
Sunshine moms
Florida’s mothers carry a unique kind of strength shaped by our sun, storms and a deep sense of community. From the sandy shores to the inland neighborhoods, motherhood here blends resilience with warmth in ways that feel distinctly Floridian. Living in a state known for beauty and unpredictability, mothers learn early how to balance joy with preparedness.
I attended a graduation ceremony at Florida International University recently and observed the joy of many moms watching their child graduate. Mothers can look through a child’s eyes and see tomorrow, reflecting a vision stretching beyond the present moment.
Mothers don’t just respond to challenges — they offer hope, helping their children see possibilities even in uncertainty. Happy Mother’s Day!
Reed Markham,
Sorrento, Fl
End of an era
The abrupt discontinuation of Christina Mayo’s Neighbors column is distressing. For 19 years, since her mother, the legendary Bea Moss, could no longer type due to Parkinson’s disease, she has informed us of “the good in the S. Fl. Community.” As her mother wished, she has ensured that readers would not be “left out in the cold.”
For 40 years, our community has been blessed by these two women, who realized that we need to have compassion for each other. Compassion that inspires action.
Not to be forgotten is that such philanthropic and volunteer deeds benefit the giver, the doer and the recipient. Christina’s column will be sorely missed by legions of devoted readers.
Joan Kasner,
Coral Gables
Developing leaders
At a time of rapid change in South Florida’s building industry, developing the next generation of leaders is not optional; it is imperative. The Nexus program, led by the Builders Association of South Florida, is a critical investment in our region’s future.
By uniting professionals across generations, Nexus fosters a dynamic exchange where wisdom and innovation converge. Seasoned leaders serve as the industry’s institutional memory, offering invaluable experience, while emerging voices bring fresh thinking shaped by new technologies and evolving expectations. This collaboration not only enriches but also strengthens the very foundation of an industry that drives South Florida’s economic vitality.
In an era when professional journeys are increasingly complex, access to guidance and opportunity can define success. Nexus is cultivating those connections and building a pipeline of capable, forward-thinking leaders.
The impact, however, extends far beyond construction. These leaders will shape our communities, economy and civic future. To build a resilient, stable and visionary South Florida, we must champion efforts like Nexus.
This is more than a program; it is a call to strengthen the people, progress and the future we all share.
Margarita Rohaidy Delgado,
board member,
Builders Association of South Florida,
Coral Gables
Dollar doldrums
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled tariffs are illegal and $160 billion must be returned. Meanwhile, egg prices have dropped by 50% and yet not one company has announced a price reduction.
The reason is simple. We as consumers have not demanded it and companies have figured out that once we are accustomed to paying higher prices, reducing them will not result in more sales.
Companies will show record profits, CEOs will get huge bonuses and the average worker will continue to struggle. Welcome to America.
Art Young,
West Kendall
Best practice
I respectfully suggest that the world’s leaders stop using taxpayer dollars for ballrooms, food, drink, entertainment, security and the travel costs that accompany them.
How about they use that money to help feed the poor, help provide health care and child care instead of pampering themselves and their associates?
Public money should never be used for anything other than the common good and these excesses are most definitely not the common good.
These leaders can conduct business like the rest of us — over coffee and a Zoom call.
Lily Murphy,
Kendall