A Personal Account on Cuba's Rapidly Changing Political Climate

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - March 15, 2017) - - - Columbia State Community College will host Alina Fernandez, Fidel Castro's daughter, to talk about her childhood and Cuba's political environment from the 1960s through today on March 21 at 7 p.m. in the Cherry Theater.

"We are excited to host Alina Fernandez at Columbia State," said Weston Dulaney, Columbia State director of international education and assistant professor of biology. "Her lecture will be an incredible opportunity for our students and extended community to get first-person insights into Cuban history, politics and culture."

Fernandez grew up in both privilege and hardship - she will share snapshots of Cuban society, her inside perception of Cuban politics and her perspective of her father. Her talk will be filled with personal accounts, stories from the people of Cuba that she grew to know over 40 years and infused with her unique sense of style and humor.

In the 1980s, Fernandez grew rebellious to her father and joined a political dissident movement on the island. By 1993, she was forced to flee Cuba under disguise - today Fernandez lives in the United States. Fernandez will discuss Cuba's changing climate due to politics, social and political reforms and the potential Cuba has for the future.

The Cherry Theater is located in the Waymon L. Hickman Building on the Columbia Campus located at 1665 Hampshire Pike. The event is free and open to the public.


Photo Caption: Alina Fernandez.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.