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8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS CUBA Who are the real terrorists? Cuba — the word brings many conflicting images to mind. The Bay of Pigs in 1961 and the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 are in the historical mind of America. I think you must see Cuba yourself to get a feel for this jewel of the Caribbean. Jose Marti was the poet, journalist and revolutionary who called the United States "the Other America," the colossus to the north, in contrast to America as the name for the New World on the first map made by Amerigo Vespucci which focused on South America as the new world. The amount of gold extracted there is beyond imagination. Marti, the father of the Cuban revolution, is worthy of study due to his intellectual work and participation in the second Cuban revolution. He was killed in battle in 1895 before Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders claimed victory and declared Cuba as a U.S. territory. Fidel Castro and Ernesto Che Guevara are the most famous revolutionaries of the 1959 revolution. They are heroes to many but among the worst villains in history according to the imperialist narrative. The amount of  HOUSING from page 4 WithOut Leave). The vet stressed that this was a triggering designation. The shelter claimed the AWOL designation while the buddy was addressing a warrant as planned, to eliminate a barrier to housing. When the buddy returned to the shelter, they were already discharged due to being marked AWOL — despite their ongoing efforts to work to comply with shelter, parole and chain of command issues. All this was done while still navigating daily expenses and tasks required for their bare minimum existence. Addressing their previous warrant issue was necessary in order to pass background checks for housing and proceed with maximized VA case management opportunities. While they were trying to make themselves housing-ready, they were kicked out of the shelter. I don’t know a parent who doesn’t stress about making sure childrens’ school routines are consistent. Imagine having to navigate those stressors without a home. As a child from a family of firefighters, I’m sensitive to those displaced due to fire, which happens too often. Some buddies shared they have had to resort to having leases in another person’s name; others lack leases. Both of these situations can be stressful and have risks. One buddy KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 terrorism organized from Miami by Cuban-Americans has been documented, especially the bombing of Cubana de Aviacion Flight 455, which killed everyone on board including the Cuban fencing team. The Carnegie Council has published on this including recently released JFK files. The Miami counter-revolutionaries and mafia-CIA connection is still in play as Trump cultivates deeper relations with that trio. Cuba was last accused of terrorism because they helped end the civil war in Colombia by hosting negotiations between the FARC revolutionaries and the Colombian government which was armed and supported by the CIA. The described the current housing climate for the formerly incarcerated as “a different type of slavery. Slavery isn’t just about Black people anymore, it looks different; it’s poor wages, deep state is at work. I wrote on that in Groundcover June 28, 2024. Remember Richard Werner for his excellent podcast and Substack on the central planners of the deep state. The Cubans see the era of armed struggle as finished. The call for military action to free Guantanamo from U. S. occupation was stopped by Fidel who talked of the need for patience. Every revolution must work with the call for revenge against the old regime and its crimes. The mistakes of the revolution do not negate the great progress in education, healthcare and a culture of human dignity. The struggle is much bigger than the armed struggle and it is far from over. Opportunism is a temptation for every human being. I have been going to Cuba since 1994 with Pastors for Peace caravans and the U.S.-Cuba Labor Exchange. I am going back this year on March 4. Thank you to those who helped me get a ticket; I will send reports from Cuba about Cuba today. Cuba needs computers and I will take what I can, hopefully some tablets and laptops. If you can help, please donate to Groundcover Venmo, vendor No. 490. La lucha sigue! The struggle continues! lack of opportunities. I feel like after not getting in trouble for 15 years I should have the same options and opportunities as other people.” One buddy reported becoming homeless again after getting assistance through Rapid Rehousing. This buddy explained there is now an eviction on their record after lacking adequate legal representation following multiple counts of hidden administrative fees, building issues, exploitive utility billing, and cost of rent increases. The same buddy also explained they were renting from one of the largest management properties in the community. Their voucher was revoked after police contact, and now they have to wait a year to be eligible for a voucher again. A 2024 University of Chicago study discusses the significance of what they call safety net utilization. This refers to the supports such as Medicaid, food assistance and subsidized housing which increase household resources. These benefits, according to the University of Chicago, are vital especially to the homeless, as they make the difference in if a person has resources to be housed, eat, and have access to care to keep them healthy. While published statistics, especially on the surface, should be viewed with some skepticism, a 2023 University of Chicago research brief about mortality reports non-elderly homeless have a 3.5 times higher overall mortality than their housed peers after accounting for protective factors. Some of the important protective factors present in previously published data sets and recent discussions with homeless people include: observed family connections, group demographics, income, continuing education, employment status and geography. One buddy expressed the strain surrounding the poverty lines. For a single person the monthly income limit for food assistance is $1,255, which is less than the market value of a local apartment. Also, during the eligibility evaluation process, homeless people are penalized for not having approved housing related expenses despite the fact things such as gas for heat and cooking fuel are critical for survival and should be accepted. A buddy who exited homelessness explained that being homeless was more expensive than anticipated as they were unable to store food easily, and a car still costs money. Additionally, they expected friends and family to be more supportive, which also made showering and other basics harder to access. While many do receive or may be eligible to FEBRUARY 21, 2025 6/30/2025 receive benefits, the truth remains that government agencies can’t be depended upon for timeliness, fairness or accuracy, and ultimately the most vulnerable are also most likely to fall prey to systemic flaws while doing everything in their ability to negotiate those systems. While there may be programming available through Continuums of Care (the federally-mandated county governing bodies for homeless issues) to address resource gaps, most programs are geared towards families, not single adults. Additionally, many individuals are interested in increasing income but fear losing current safety nets; or navigating systematic barriers are prohibitive. A HUD fact sheet suggests that most housing program staff lack sufficient specialized knowledge, thus potentially placing those who wish to work in a position where they fear losing stabilizing benefits. While some may struggle with benefits, some choose not to engage with governmental systems, and it is important to remember some people are excluded from benefits based on a variety of factors including legal status, income and systemic problems, even including data entry errors.

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