Peniley tells us the story of Elián after he returned to Cuba, where he studied engineering, fell in love and had a daughter. Back in his country, Elián became a favorite of Fidel Castro, much to the chagrin of Miami Cubans. Peniley reflects on Elián's journey and her own relationship with Cuba. She speaks to her children about her and Elián's Cubanismo.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos. 

Original Material Appeared In: 

Al Jazeera English

AP Archive

Belly of The Beast

CNN's "Elián: The Remarkable Story of A Cuban Boy's Journey to America"

CNN

Fidel Castro Ruz, Soldado de las Ideas

La Caja de Pandora

Peniley tells us the story of Elián after he returned to Cuba, where he studied engineering, fell in love and had a daughter. Back in his country, Elián became a favorite of Fidel Castro, much to the chagrin of Miami Cubans. Peniley reflects on Elián's journey and her own relationship with Cuba. She speaks to her children about her and Elián's Cubanismo.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos. 
Original Material Appeared In: 
Al Jazeera English
AP Archive
Belly of The Beast
CNN's "Elián: The Remarkable Story of A Cuban Boy's Journey to America"
CNN
Fidel Castro Ruz, Soldado de las Ideas
La Caja de Pandora

At the turn of the millennium, a five-year-old boy from Cuba found off the Florida coast on Thanksgiving became the most talked about child in America. Elián González had left Cuba with his mom and a dozen other migrants, trying to make it to the U.S. but on the way, the boat capsized. Elián’s mother drowned. Before she did, she tied her child to an inner tube, saving his life.

Relatives in Miami — Cuban exiles — took the boy in. His father in Cuba wanted him back. The ensuing international custody battle over Elián González became its own mini Cold War, pitting Cuban exiles in Miami against supporters of Castro’s regime on an island just 90 miles away. 

The fight over Elián’s future came down to neighbor against neighbor, family against family. Now, 25 years later — we revisit his story through the voices of people who lived it firsthand.

________________

Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro + for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on all our latest podcasts. www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

At the turn of the millennium, a five-year-old boy from Cuba found off the Florida coast on Thanksgiving became the most talked about child in America. Eli&aacute;n Gonz&aacute;lez had left Cuba with his mom and a dozen other migrants, trying to make it to the U.S. but on the way, the boat capsized. Eli&aacute;n&rsquo;s mother drowned. Before she did, she tied her child to an inner tube, saving his life.
Relatives in Miami &mdash; Cuban exiles &mdash; took the boy in. His father in Cuba wanted him back.&nbsp;The ensuing international custody battle over Eli&aacute;n Gonz&aacute;lez became its own mini Cold War, pitting Cuban exiles in Miami against supporters of Castro&rsquo;s regime on an island just 90 miles away.&nbsp;
The fight over Eli&aacute;n&rsquo;s future came down to neighbor against neighbor, family against family. Now, 25 years later &mdash; we revisit his story through the voices of people who lived it firsthand.
________________
Want to support our independent journalism? Join Futuro + for exclusive episodes, sneak peaks and behind-the-scenes chisme on all our latest podcasts.&nbsp;www.futuromediagroup.org/joinplus.

Chess Piece: The Elián González Story

Being Home

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/30e57319-b4aa-4376-ae30-b222012d21e1/transcript

Este podcast se adentra en la vida de los soldados latinoamericanos que han viajado a Ucrania para combatir en una guerra muy lejos de casa. A través de sus historias, la corresponsal  Carolina Chimoy explora qué los llevó al frente de batalla, cómo han vivido la guerra y qué han encontrado allí: violencia, miedo, pérdida, pero también pertenencia, propósito e incluso el amor. A través de la historia de Cóndor y otros soldados, este podcast plantea una pregunta central: ¿qué busca alguien cuando decide arriesgar su vida por un país que no es el suyo? Esto es Alias Cóndor, Soldados latinos en la guerra de Ucrania, una producción de DW, LA Times Studios y Futuro Studios.

 

Sigue Alias Cóndor: Soldados Latinos en la Guerra de Ucrania para escuchar más episodios.

Este podcast se adentra en la vida de los soldados latinoamericanos que han viajado a Ucrania para combatir en una guerra muy lejos de casa. A trav&eacute;s de sus historias, la corresponsal&nbsp; Carolina Chimoy explora qu&eacute; los llev&oacute; al frente de batalla, c&oacute;mo han vivido la guerra y qu&eacute; han encontrado all&iacute;: violencia, miedo, p&eacute;rdida, pero tambi&eacute;n pertenencia, prop&oacute;sito e incluso el amor. A trav&eacute;s de la historia de C&oacute;ndor y otros soldados, este podcast plantea una pregunta central: &iquest;qu&eacute; busca alguien cuando decide arriesgar su vida por un pa&iacute;s que no es el suyo? Esto es Alias C&oacute;ndor, Soldados latinos en la guerra de Ucrania, una producci&oacute;n de DW, LA Times Studios y Futuro Studios.
&nbsp;
Sigue <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alias-c%C3%B3ndor-soldados-latinos-en-la-guerra-de-ucrania/id6808384868" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/alias-c%25C3%25B3ndor-soldados-latinos-en-la-guerra-de-ucrania/id6808384868&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1792263418565000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2eWfXlpFVaTEvdba7Ad-JD">Alias C&oacute;ndor: Soldados Latinos en la Guerra de Ucrania</a> para escuchar m&aacute;s episodios.

Introducing - Alias Cóndor: Soldados Latinos en la Guerra de Ucrania

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c586ac7c-fb20-4257-9ad3-b4e501385369/transcript

In the final episode this season, Peniley reflects on the throughline of the Elián story: family separation.

In an extended interview with Cuban American historian Ada Ferrer, we share her family’s story of separation and reunification. Her mom left Cuba when she was pregnant with Ada in 1963, soon after the revolution. They left behind her 9-year old brother, Poly, or Hipólito, playing in the yard without telling him they wouldn’t be returning. She tells us how years later he would eventually come to the U.S. too, and be reunited, but that the wound of abandonment would prove deep.

To read Ada's family story, here is her New Yorker article, My Brother's Keeper.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.

In the final episode this season, Peniley reflects on the throughline of the Elián story: family separation.
In an extended interview with Cuban American historian Ada Ferrer, we share her family’s story of separation and reunification. Her mom left Cuba when she was pregnant with Ada in 1963, soon after the revolution. They left behind her 9-year old brother, Poly, or Hipólito, playing in the yard without telling him they wouldn’t be returning. She tells us how years later he would eventually come to the U.S. too, and be reunited, but that the wound of abandonment would prove deep.
To read Ada's family story, <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/03/01/my-brothers-keeper">here is her New Yorker article, My Brother's Keeper</a>.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.

Through Each Other’s Eyes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/de082c26-14ce-483d-8373-b22900ed9016/transcript

After taking you through the Elián González story, we’re sharing some reporting and interview content that didn’t make it into our narrative series.

This week, Peniley and producer, Tasha Sandoval, sit down to reflect on their experiences reporting on this project, particularly through their perspectives as Cubans: Peniley, a Cuban who grew up in Cuba, and Tasha, a second-generation Cuban-American.

During the Elian saga, the Cuban American community in Miami gained a negative reputation as “crazy,” something that came up in several interviews. We hear from writer Vanessa Garcia and former Executive Director of the Cuban American National foundation, Joe Garcia, to reflect on how this perception of “Crazy Cubans” and that the community lost the narrative, may have reverberations to this day.



This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.

After taking you through the Elián González story, we’re sharing some reporting and interview content that didn’t make it into our narrative series.
This week, Peniley and producer, Tasha Sandoval, sit down to reflect on their experiences reporting on this project, particularly through their perspectives as Cubans: Peniley, a Cuban who grew up in Cuba, and Tasha, a second-generation Cuban-American.
During the Elian saga, the Cuban American community in Miami gained a negative reputation as “crazy,” something that came up in several interviews. We hear from writer Vanessa Garcia and former Executive Director of the Cuban American National foundation, Joe Garcia, to reflect on how this perception of “Crazy Cubans” and that the community lost the narrative, may have reverberations to this day.
 
This season's cover art by Ranfis Suárez Ramos.

"Crazy Cubans"

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c2f42f30-1caa-4d7d-9582-b22900e86e70/transcript

Being Home

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Chess Piece: The Elián González Story

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