Heart-shaped Cuban Flag

In Cuba, my country of birth, our people are living in hard times with a government that censors and represses citizens who dissent against it. This weekend I read the sad news that several young men and women were arrested only for the crime of saying what they feel and think.

So I decided to put my frustration into something, and I started designing this little heart-shaped Cuban flag. The first print failed. Although by design all pieces should have fit perfectly, they did not, and this hobby of ours taught me another lesson: just like the pieces of a design, we people, no matter our side in the political spectrum, need to have some tolerance and be able to talk to each other. We need to have some space to respectfully challenge our ideas.

It will take some time and a lot of effort to sand down our differences, but I am hopeful that someday, our people will live in harmony and respect each other no matter their beliefs.