From Cuba to freedom, featuring UOPX alumna Dr. Juana Lang

Play video of episode fifteen of the Degrees of Success podcast featuring Dr. Juana Lang.

Dr. Juana Lang | Episode 15

0:00 - No one was allowed to practice - Religion. - Correct. At that time, religion was a sin. 0:08 I was born in Cuba. I lived under the communist system of Fidel Castro 0:13 and his brother in my school years, the war started the, I remember clearly saying phrases like, Yankees, go home, 0:21 things like that, because that's what the training that we got. - Let's talk about you escaping Cuba. 0:26 - I was pregnant and I said, this is it. I cannot stay here. I either go or I'll die, 0:32 but I'm not having a baby in this country. When people sing the American anthem or pledge of allegiance to the flag, I still get that emotion. 0:41 I will get goosebumps because there was God in this is something that I could never experience in my country. 1:00 - Hello and welcome to the Degrees of Success podcast. I'm your host, Freda Richards, 1:05 and today we have an incredible guest with us. She is a University of Phoenix alum, receiving her master's 1:12 and doctorate with us. Dr. Ling's story is one of resilience, determination, 1:17 and an unwavering pursuit of knowledge from escaping communist Cuba on a makeshift raft 1:24 to becoming a respective researcher educator, and her experiences will leave you captivated and inspired. 1:31 Dr. Ling, thank you so much for joining us. - Thank you for having me. I appreciate it's an honor. 1:37 - Absolutely. Listen, you have such an incredible story. I just wanna jump right in. Let's start with how it all started, where it all began. 1:46 Tell us about your childhood and where you came from. - Okay, so evidently I was born in Cuba 1:52 and since my early memories began, and I can recall, I lived under the communist system 1:59 of Del Castro and his brother. As a little girl, I was nurtured by my parents. 2:05 I had great parents, but also we had great scarcity and, 2:10 but we never lack love and we never lack companionship. 2:16 Remember myself going to school in my very early years and wearing the uniform that you have to wear to go 2:23 to school 'cause it was mandatory and wearing the, the hat for, 2:30 they're called it pioneers. It's like these are like young people who are part 2:36 of the revolution, part of the system. People, young people who are being formed under the system. 2:41 So being formed was kind of like brainwashed. So in my early years, I, I was, I was, 2:50 I, I was a fervent believer because it was 5, 6, 7 that everything that it was 2:57 provided to me in the school and the ideology was perfect. 3:04 I, I was talking before I spoke to you and I mentioned the war in Vietnam, for example, 3:12 let me give you a concrete example. I was probably, I was born in 1965, so I, Life Under Castro’s Communist Rule 3:18 in my school years, I remember clearly, you know, going, the war was started. The word, the word was there. 3:25 And I remember clearly singing or saying phrases like Yankees, go home, things like that. 3:34 Because that's what the training that we got as a little girl. 3:40 I, and throughout my schooling, I remember the prohibition of books, for example, something 3:47 that I cherish. I love reading. And so I was only, 3:53 when I was a little girl, I didn't know that there was a prohibition of books per se. But I would read stories and story and stories. 4:00 And as I grew up and I became a woman and I started thinking of my own through college, 4:06 we were not allowed to read any other philosophy that it was not marks 4:13 and engles and, and, and new Lenny. So it was the communist thing. So basically my schooling was in that context, 4:23 a lot of prohibition. I was angry. And one of the reason why is I think it was angry is 4:29 because I was not allowed to express myself. There was an, an organization that, 4:36 it was the youth communist of Cuba, that's what it was called. And once you were a certain age, 4:43 you start teenagehood you were considered to, to be part of it. 4:49 And I never wanted to be part of it. So they questioned me. Why is it that you don't wanna be part of it? 4:55 I don't wanna be part of it. I I, I, I was so angry, I, I couldn't explain myself exactly why. 5:03 But there was something amiss. For example, you could not question a member of that, of that group. 5:09 You as a student, if you complain about a member of that group, you were sanctioned, you were dismissed. 5:16 You were, you were actually scolded for questioning a member of that group, 5:23 especially if you were an outsider. So I was so angry. I was so angry at the, at the things that they did 5:29 and that, that were, that were overlooked. And I just simply started growing angrier 5:36 and angrier in my early years. And that's how my, my child, 5:42 I remember my mother struggling in many ways. And there is a story, and I don't know if I'm jumping ahead, 5:50 but there is a story when I was a little girl, maybe, I don't know, seven, eight, maybe maximum eight, 5:59 which I remember clearly because mom was born before 1959. 6:06 So right now she's 84 years old. My mother was young at that time. I was a little girl and I used to run around 6:15 with friends in the house and that kind of thing. So I went into my mother's bedroom 6:20 and I remember my mother having a picture behind the clothes, you know, you know the closet 6:29 and then you have your clothes and behind the, the clothes, there was a picture. And I was, I never asked my mother that question. 6:37 For some reason that day I asked my mother, mom, who's that? Because my mother had the, the, the clothes slightly apart. 6:46 My mother got so angry at me. I could not fathom. I think, I don't know my face at that moment, 6:52 but I could not fathom why my mother got so angry at me. And the reason why my mother got angry at me is 6:58 because it was the picture of the Christ. So I always, when I talk to people about that, I said, mom, 7:03 do you remember the man, the man in the closet? Because that's my mother would not allow me to talk about it 7:10 because he was forbidden. One of the consequences could be either from jail to, 7:17 to not being able to go to school. They, they would not allow you to go to school. And - So, lemme make sure that I understand you. 7:25 Your mother wanted to pray to Christ. She had a photo behind in the, in the back of the closet 7:32 behind clothes because she wasn't allowed, no one was allowed to practice religion. 7:40 - Correct. At that time, religion was a sin. As a matter of fact, I overheard a stories The Harsh Reality of Cuban Oppression 7:47 that in 1959 and through the 1960s, there was a major flee of Cuban 7:54 priest who came to Miami accompanying children whose parents told them to take him 8:02 with them to be able to save him from communism. That's what I heard. 8:08 And I think that, that, that exodus was called Peter Pan. Peter Pan because there were children 8:15 that were accompanied by Christ. It was in the 1960s, somehow along those lines. 8:21 So my, my exodus was called sea signal. So there, there being different exodus throughout time. 8:28 So most definitely, I remember my mother, and, and I remembered this because my mother is not an angry person. 8:35 She's very calm, very sweet. And, and, and, and reaction really was very, 8:42 very angry reaction and really ed me. And when I asked her, I said, don't you ever, 8:48 ever talk about this with your friends, you know, I can't go to jail. So the fear was immense. I was never raised in religion. 8:57 My mother is very religious. My mother prayed every day in secret. 9:04 She never instilled that until I discovered God on my own when I was older. 9:10 But, but it, it, that was a very, it was a very marked moment of my, my childhood. 9:18 Seeing your parents so angry for something that you don't understand. And so later on I underst clearly understood. 9:25 I was just fearful that some my friends would see that picture. So I always hid it. 9:31 And I remember an incident, this is funny, but it's also tragic. 9:37 My mother, in her devotion for praying and the Catholic church 9:42 and the things that she was raised when she was a young woman before the revolution, she licked a candle in the closet, 9:50 you know, for Virgin Mary, those kind of things. And the clothes got fire on fire. 9:55 But yeah, th those things I remember, 'cause she had to hide everything. She had to hide the candles, the candles. 10:02 Unless there was no electricity, why would you have a candle burning, you know, with a picture of the Christ so, or, 10:09 or a virgin or things like that. So, - Right. But she kept that from you 10:14 because she wanted to keep you safe. - And my sister, both of us, she would never talk about God. 10:21 I didn't know that there was a God in existence, nothing like that. 10:28 It was, it was just a, a life of not religion, no books that I wanted to read. 10:35 Nothing like that. - So your, your mother sounds like, now I heard you say 10:41 that she's calm and sweet and it sounds like she was being very protective of you and your sisters. And throughout your story there's so much passion 10:50 and drive, it's inspirational. I'm curious, who was your inspiration growing up 10:57 that helped put that fire in you? - My mother, my mother and my father. Both of them. 11:04 My father would utter phrases like this about honesty and about transparency. 11:11 He was from another generation where that was valued and lying 11:19 and things like that were not my father's character, his discipline. My father was so disciplined, I remember, 11:28 but my father had no education. My father grew up in a farm with my grandpa, 11:33 and the only thing that he did was help my grandpa since he was a little child, 11:38 you know, milk the cows, that kind of stuff. But he always had this thirst for knowledge. 11:46 And he would read, he would read history books, the ones that were allowed to read. And, you know, the, for example that was allowed, 11:54 the maes was like the, the troops or the army that rebel against the Spanish conquerors 12:02 who came to Cuba during the Independence War, the 10 years Independence war. So they, they're called the Maes 12:08 because they are a mix of maes. They were a mix of native Cubans and Spaniards. 12:16 So pretty much like, like here, you know, when the, when the United States and England got mixed together. 12:23 And so there were people who were, the parents were from England, but they were born in the country here in the United States. Making the Decision to Escape 12:30 So it's, they call him Abi, it's a group of, it's an army actually. 12:35 It's an army that rebel against this. So my father liked those, the stories. And he read about history 12:43 and he had, he had discs 12:50 and he would listen to those discs. The disks were before the revolution. He was trying to learn English. 12:57 He was trying to learn English. And I will hear my father repeat the words. And I said, this is, this is nice. 13:03 I wanna learn that he cherished those discs. They were very, very old because it was 13:08 before the revolution. And it's just, it was amazing to see him, you know, trying to learn. 13:15 So my father was definitely, my, my mother was more like, you know, sweet and protected. 13:21 He was protective too, but he was like, you have to go to school. You have to, you have to. 13:26 So he instilled all of that kind of stuff on me. And so we, they were very careful 13:33 by not revealing their thoughts about that I was able to get into school. 13:39 Because otherwise, if they found out that my mother or father had any kind of ideas against the system, 13:45 I could not go to universities. So that's why you have to leave a lie. You have to leave it. 13:51 And that makes you angry. What, - And your, your father was so against lying, 13:56 - He was very against it. But he, he could not do any other thing. 14:02 If he had revealed his true self, he would've been in deep trouble. He would've lost his job. 14:08 You know, that there were people who expressed a desire to leave the country and they were sent to work fields. 14:18 - 'cause they expressed a desire to leave. - Yes, yes. For years and years and years. 14:25 And if they received a visa, you know, they, they left, but they were everything that they had their houses, 14:32 they went in and conducted inventory, the smallest thing, like a plate, they counted it. 14:38 None of it you could take with you. People will smuggle like, you know, golden 14:45 jewelry and things like that. And sometimes when they were found with it, they had to actually give some to the guards to let them go 14:54 because they will retain them. I hear all of those stories, you know, and I, and I, and, 15:00 and now that I'm older, this is ridiculous. But, and this is something that doesn't happen in the United States. 15:06 So lemme tell you something. One of them moments where I realized 15:11 that I was in a different place was when I actually heard people, 15:16 Clinton was the president when I entered the country. When I heard people talking bad about the president, 15:22 I was like, are they crazy? They shouldn't do that. Oh my God. They're go and people talk really about the president. 15:31 And that was like an aha moment. Another aha moment for me was when I came here 15:39 and I started working in the school for the first time in the US in 1997 in Arizona, 15:46 the Pledge of Allegiance, I'll get goosebumps because there was God in it and I was wow. 15:56 Freedom. So I was so happy. You know, those, those are probably for you guys 16:03 who were born here, who were raised here, that mean that means nothing. But up to this day when people, or, or the, 16:10 or the American anthem, when people sing the American anthem 16:16 or ledge allegiance to the flag, I still get that emotion. 16:21 I get, I get that, wow, this is something that I could never experience in my country, this freedom. 16:28 And so it's just, it was just an amazing experience to come to the greatest country. 16:34 It's the greatest country in the world. I don't care what people say and experience all of that. 16:40 Being able to study and be myself and getting to travel by saying something 16:45 and discussing things with people in a, in a, in a civil way without being put 16:52 to jail or things like that. - Right? I could definitely understand how you can feel that way coming from Cuba where you literally had 16:59 to lie about who you were and what you to do. So I could definitely understand you being taken back by 17:07 the experiences that we have here in America. And I have to partner with you in saying, I get the same chills every time. 17:14 I, I hear the anthem and, and the Pledge of Allegiance because I am an army brat and a marine brat. 17:19 So married brat. My, my family fought for, fought for the freedoms of America. 17:25 So I get, I, I feel so mu, so much great honor to be able to, to be here knowing that so many men 17:32 and women died for my freedom and sacrificed. - Absolutely. Absolutely. And I absolute the great generation 17:40 and all of the generations after that, and the generation before that, who fought for the freedom 17:45 that we have in this country. I say we, I'm an American. 17:51 In 2005, I visited Cuba because my father died of lung cancer. He suffering from the disease yet, 17:59 and I sre myself that I will never set food on that. And I, not, I will not, 18:06 it's a beautiful island, but it's not a beautiful government. And, and so I have not, Risking It All for Freedom 18:13 I have no ti the only my mother is there, but I don't have, my mother has visited several times, 18:20 but I don't have any other ties that my mother, my, I have my entire family's there with me. 18:26 Here are my children and well my ex-husband and my dogs. But other than that, I do not feel, I do feel 18:33 that I am Cuban because I was born there. But that was not the country that granted me the freedom 18:39 that I needed to become who I'm, I always say that it is only under freedom that you can be everything 18:46 that you can, otherwise you're holding back because you cannot express yourself. And that's the same thing with art. 18:52 If somebody regulates your art or regulates your, your brain, you cannot be free. You cannot express, 18:58 you cannot preach your pinnacle. And so I - Completely agree. Let's talk about 19:04 - You escaping Cuba, because that story is so inspirational 19:09 and you were so brave. So take us through that story in that moment. 19:15 - So yeah, Las years, I accumulated all of that anger. I wanted to read Socrates, I wanted to read all 19:22 of these Platos philosophers, and I couldn't, I would hide magazines 19:29 that tourists will give me. And I go, wow, look at this, look at that. It's another world, right? 19:35 But anyways, when I reached, I was so angry. My mother would tell me, you'll have to leave. 19:42 I'd rather have you leave than seeing you in a, in a Cuban jail. You know, Cuban jails. You have no human rights whatsoever. 19:51 But my father, when he found out that we were building the raft, so my ex-husband 19:56 with a couple of friends decided, this is it. I, I was pregnant and I said, this is it. 20:02 I cannot stay here. I either go or I'll die, but I'm not having a baby in this country. 20:08 And so my husband and a couple of friends started building, buying inner tube, inner tubes, 20:16 tractor inner tubes. And they bought five, put 'em together, 20:23 tying them together. But then they created a structure made of iron 20:29 to make like the skeleton outside in a form of a triangle. And they accommodated those five inner tubes there tube 20:37 with a lot of styrofoam. Styrofoam, you know, styrofoam, inner tubes, 20:42 but a lot of styrofoam. And they time to get it together, welded this, 20:47 this skeleton in paddles, paddles, paddles. 20:52 No engine, no nothing. We thought it was gonna be, you know, okay, you know, 20:57 nothing would, I had no idea. I really had no idea. I just, I was just wanted to skate in my mind, I guess that you go like in a tra 21:06 when you, I mean, if that's the best way I can find to describe it, when you are resolved to do something, 21:14 you just go, I'm gonna do this. And, and I don't know how to explain the thinking process 21:19 or the psychology behind it, but you do not see, at least I didn't see myself dying. 21:25 And if I saw myself dying, I didn't care. I wanted to leave. And I remember thinking this, well, I'm pregnant, 21:33 my father is not happy. He, he was crying, he kneeled in front of me. I'm begging me not to leave. 21:40 And I said, dad, if I stay here, I'm gonna die sooner than if I go in the ocean. 21:46 Because I was very vocal. And my mother would go, stop, stop. You know? 21:51 And I, and I fell for my mother and I also said, I cannot do this anymore because I really will. I was gonna go to a Cuban jail. 21:59 So when we decided to leave, I told dad, dad said, okay, that's fine. 22:05 I will accept it. I'm gonna give you this canvas so that you build your sale. 22:11 Because in the group that we came, there was a guy who belonged to the Cuban sailing team. 22:17 So he knew how to, you know, maneuver with sales and things like that. So that's what we had a sale. 22:22 We built a sale, the raft and the paddles. And it's funny, but it is not funny, I said, he said, 22:30 but the only thing that I want you to do, he called me Juani, is that I, the day that you leave, 22:37 I want you to tell me where you are living from what area of the coast, because we live very close to the ocean. 22:44 And I told her, no, we're gonna live in, we're gonna live in, we're gonna be leaving from this point. But no, I left from another point 22:51 because I didn't want my father to start crying, or I knew my father was gonna be heartbroken. 22:57 And I didn't want those emotions to hold me the moment when I was in. So my father, I heard that when the next morning he came 23:05 and the raft was gone. He just burst into tears. It was a disaster. Human disaster. 23:12 But then, okay, so going back to that, we built a raft. 23:17 We paid somebody with a truck, about a hundred dollars in Cuba, a hundred dollars was a lot of money back then. 23:25 And he transported us to the, to the beach. 23:31 And so we ran and the, all these man ran like seven of them and put the, the, the artifact on the, on the ocean. 23:39 So we walked and to like the water up to here, and we just climbed in 23:45 and just started paddling, paddling, paddling, paddling, paddle. And we were, I don't know, paddling all night long. Starting Over in a New Country 23:52 We did see the Cuban Coast Guard go back and forth, but from the distance. 23:58 So I don't know if they, I don't know, they didn't catch us. So the night went by. That night wasn't so bad. 24:07 But the next day, around four, five o'clock started raining. 24:15 And okay, we started to see the waves getting a little bit crazy. 24:20 And at night it was just a, it was just a, a nightmare. Like I was explaining, I explained to people 24:27 that I do remember a lot, but I have lost a lot of memory of that because it was such a bad storm. 24:34 I could see, I honestly, I don't know if it's in my, my, in my, in my imagination, 24:39 but I could see, I still have the picture. We were on a raft, right? All tied together. 24:44 Tried to hold it, hold on. We couldn't paddle because that was, we couldn't paddle because it was a storm. 24:50 So the wave, I would see a wave coming, a real tall wave coming. 24:57 It was in the middle of the night. And I don't know if the height, 25:03 but I would see that massive thing coming toward us. And we'll go like this. 25:10 And then all of a sudden, and it was just scary. It was scary. And that lasted all night long 25:17 until the next day. The next day, I don't know where we were, 25:25 but in the, in the early wee hours of the morning, the wee hours of the morning, I, we saw a, a plane 25:33 and it was not a plane from this, from Cuba. It was a plane from the United States. 25:39 And how did you know that? I'm sorry? - How did you know it was a plane from the United States? Because 25:44 - There was people, because they threw a little parachute with a message. Did, you're not gonna believe this. 25:50 There was an organization that is called, that used to be in Miami, that I was called 25:57 Cubans to the Rescue. They were an organized group of Cubans who migrated 26:03 to the United States in similar conditions. So before that. And they had a fleet of airplanes and things to spot Cubans in that, in the Florida Strait. 26:12 And they spot us and they sent a little parachute with something. So they paddle and paddle and paddle and paddle. 26:20 And what we didn't know was, and that was in that message that another huge amount 26:28 of Cubans had already left the same night, 30,000 according. 26:33 And so the US Coast Guard didn't have enough, you know, were not organized enough, whatever, to rescue all of us. 26:39 So that was the message. And they, the message said that they had already us the coordinates 26:44 to the US Coast Guard to come and rescue us. But guess what, three days passed, nothing. 26:51 We could see the light of the, sometimes we could see the light of the Coast Guard green. 26:57 Have you seen the, when you're, when you are, when you are at night in the street 27:02 and you see the green light, that, that intense green or more, I dunno, because it was darker. You could see the there. So on the third night, 27:10 after all of that ordeal, vomiting, I was vomiting. 27:15 There was a nurse in the group who said he had brought some medicines and IVs. 27:21 And he says, if you continue to vomit, because I was pregnant, I am going to give you an iv. 27:27 And I looked at him 'cause I'm scared of needles. And, and I remember looking at my husband's face 27:34 and I could see sadness in his eyes and worried I could see that. 27:40 And I was, wow, this is just something terrible. So at night there, it was very, very cold. 27:47 I was wet because of the waves and the situation that I just narrated to you. And we were all like a group of puppies together like that. 27:56 And we, we mean husband and no husband friends, God, they was my cousin. 28:02 Everybody together like this. And that's how, kind of like, I guess we survive a little bit of the cold. 28:09 It is very cold. And especially if you're wet in the ocean. So I was wearing a pair of shorts 28:15 and I lost my shoes in that storm. I don't know where they went. So it was a pair of tennis shoes. 28:22 So yeah, so on the third night we saw that light of the US Coast Guard that I mentioned. 28:28 We've seen that plenty of times. But that night, the, the sea was not as rough us. 28:37 And I told my ex-husband at the moment, we either paddle, we can also see the silhouette of the, Final Thoughts & Lessons Learned 28:45 of the, of the ship. But you know, when you're in the ocean, you don't know the distance. 28:50 It could be there, but it could be miles and miles away. So we paddled, they started paddling and paddling 28:57 and paddling and paddling. And, and we had a, a lighter, because one of the group person 29:02 that was in our group smoked, but the lighter was wet. And so it did not, you know, have that flame, 29:10 but it did have a faint spark. And I saw they're gonna see this. And the yelling and the screaming, okay, they, they, 29:18 all of a sudden we had the spotlight of that ship oof on us like that. I 29:25 - Said, what was your feeling, right? When, so the, you see the green light, there's hope, your, 29:30 your husband's looking panicked because he's thinking, my wife does not look great. The nurse is saying he, she needs an iv, 29:36 she's afraid of needles. And now you see this green light, you're trying to spark the, and then the light. 29:43 What is that feeling when this bright light comes, I cannot express, I - Cannot express in words the feeling. It was a feeling of, oh, I cried. 29:51 My mother had given me a small virgin to holding my hand 29:58 while I was in that, in, in that journey. And I just kneeled on that raft and thank that virgin. 30:08 I don't know, a thousand times I hugged my husband, we cried. Everybody healed on the script. I, I cannot describe the, the, the, the, 30:16 the we're saved we're saved. And so that's what life comes. 30:23 But they did not approach us immediately. I don't know if they were circling around us. 30:29 I, I, I don't know. The thing is that they released one of those smaller boats, 30:34 you know, that engine boats that they came to us, us I remember them clearly saying this, 30:40 does anyone speak English? I say, I do in, in my bad English. I, I understand, I understand. I'm pregnant. 30:47 I knew how to say that. So they were very, the maneuver took a few minutes. 30:53 I don't know how long I know that, that I had God right there in that God angels in that raft 30:59 that they came to rescue us. And they, they actually transferred us from the raft 31:06 to their boat. And I remember feeling relieved and at the same time, a feeling of, 31:16 I don't know, loss, a feeling of loss. 'cause I know I knew that in that raft I had left them almost my life. 31:23 I don't know. And I don't know where the raft went. I, I, one, some people said that came with us. 31:30 They said that they blew it and it went down. But I do remember Fainty when we moved to 31:39 that boat, I don't know, when we got to the ship to the US Coast Guard, 31:46 somebody grabbed me by my arms. So lift me up. And I went like, okay. 31:51 And, and I said, I'm pregnant. And then he said, how many weeks? I, I, I was three months pregnant at that time. 31:58 I couldn't communicate a lot, but I, I told him I was hungry. 32:04 I was hungry. But what I remember was that I slipped 32:09 for an enormous amount of hours because I have not slept in three days on the floor, 32:15 on the cold floor of that ship. I didn't care about where we were going. 32:21 And later on is when we found out we're going to Guantanamo Bay, I didn't care where we were going. 32:27 We thought that, you know, we're coming to the United States. I wanted to sleep. And I don't know how many hours I slept, 32:35 I I just know that I wanted to sleep. And so I'm very grateful after that, you know, they, they told us, you know, 32:42 Clinton had spoken and there were 30 or 40,000 Cubans in the process of being rescued. 32:49 And that they were gonna take us to another ship that were gonna transport us to Guantanamo Bay. 32:54 So that's when they took us to that destroyer, the American Navy store 33:00 and shoeless. And I could see people on the floor with IV almost dead. 33:06 And, you know, it was just, it was just very awakening experience. How, I don't know at that moment what to think, 33:14 but we were safe. And that was all that matter. And, and I remember being an optimistic, 33:20 because people will say, you know what, it's the now we're gonna Beano. 33:27 And I said, we'll get out there, we'll get out there. And that hope and that sense of that baby 33:34 that I had gave me hope, gave me hope. And I'm not trying to say this 33:40 because just to deceive you with my words, it really, the baby gave me hope. 33:47 I felt hopeful because I had accomplished something that I realized that most people do not. 33:54 I I was saved. And so we reached Guantanamo Bay on, I think it was August 22nd, 1994. 34:03 And I started a, a different journey now in those camps. 34:12 And so I remember them asking if somebody spoke English or whatever. 34:17 And with my English that I knew, I said, yes, and would you volunteer to work at the clinic at dental clinic? 34:24 And I said, absolutely. I mean, what am I gonna do here in this camp? Hearing people talking about hopeless thoughts. 34:30 So I went and I put myself to work. I remember my husband saying, I wanna go work there, 34:36 but my English is not good. I said, mine is not good either, but let's go, let's do it. And he did. And he went to work with the, 34:44 in the operating room. We help people left and right. And the days went by when my baby was born a month later, 34:52 I came here on March 3rd, 1995. So I left of 1994. 34:58 - Okay, you left in 1994. - It took six months for me to get into the country after GU Bay. So 35:04 - How long did it take from the, when when you left to get to America? 35:09 How long were you on the raft? That was three days. - Yes. But they told us, I remember that the US Coast Guard, 35:15 one of the guys was very friendly. He said we were 30 miles from Miami when they rescued us. 35:21 We were almost there. Wow. And after that, the law changed. And, you know, we could not, Cubans cannot could come 35:30 to the US in that fashion unless they difficult. 35:38 It's very difficult. I didn't, so that was, that's the story basically in a nutshell. 35:44 But it, it was a very, this experience that has marked me, listen, I had four years, I had Curring dreams 35:53 where I saw myself in the raft, in the raft, either from here to Cuba back. 36:00 And I went, no, no, no. Or from Cuba to here again. And I went, no, no, no. 36:05 So it was just like a very scary, it could anything, I was just thinking sometimes I am in the United States 36:12 and the, the raft would go back to Cuba or sometimes I was in Cuba and the rest was coming to the United States. 36:17 We had reoccurring dreams. And my ex-husband had similar dreams too. - He did. Okay. So you guys had reoccurring dreams about 36:24 either the nightmare of going back or the reminder of the journey here, which was, 36:30 - Yeah, it was tumultuous and definitely was super scary to see yourself here being sent back or go back 36:37 or, because you need to go. Yeah, it was very scary. I don't know which one is too more scary. 36:42 The one of coming here from Cuba, coming here to Cuba. I, that, that's, that was very scary. 36:49 - Both seem terrifying to me. Yet one you actually accomplished. One is your actual story. 36:55 How many people were on the raft? - Seven. Seven. - Seven people. Seven. You all were just tied together. 37:01 So when it was going up and going all the way back down, how did you guys not fall off? - No, we were holding each other. 37:07 No, we were not tied, I don't know how, I mean, talk about miracles. Do you believe in that? I believe in miracles. 37:13 I don't know how we were, I don't know how all of us survived. I cannot tell you enough about, I mean, I'm very, I'm, 37:21 I'm a believer of God, the power of God, and the power of faith, and the power of, of positive thinking. 37:28 Never in my mind I thought I was going to die. Never for a moment I thought, okay, if I die, my child dies. 37:36 We both die together. But that's it. And I, I was not like, oh my God, I'm going to die. 37:41 Oh my God, I'm going to die. No, never in my mind. So that light that I saw from the Coast Guard was the light 37:49 that I was waiting for. That was the light that I, that I was waiting for. And it paved the way. 37:55 I, I am so grateful to the United States military, not only for the rescue, the, the, you know, the, 38:03 the Coast Guard and then the people in the destroyer who treated me with dignity, 38:09 but also the military police that was in Guantanamo Bay and the people, I mean the taxpayer who fed us 38:16 because we were there with taxpayer money. And there are stories in that part. 38:21 'cause I encountered somebody who said something about that in Guantanamo Bay, and he was scolded by a superior. 38:27 So yes, he was, he said, well, you are here with taxpayer money. And so it, I I complain to a superior and golden him. 38:35 But you know, you find people and people every way. And it's true, you know? And now that I see the situation, I, I see it's true. 38:44 But, you know, we were so desperate and we wanted all, we wanted, honestly, it was a shot all we want. 38:51 I said, I don't care. I don't need your assistance. When I came to, to Miami, 38:57 because I first came to Miami, my family received me. They flew me from Guantanamo to homestead, 39:03 and my family picked me up. I think there is a, a military base in Homestead. And so they, from that base, they transported us 39:10 to my family, picked me up and, and brought me to Miami too. And so they said to me this, do not ask 39:18 for help for the government. Do not, you know, get food stamps, you don't get anything. 39:24 It will affect your citizenship. Whether that was true or not, the sense of pride was so high 39:29 that I didn't, I didn't, the only thing that my child received was healthcare, 39:37 because he was in the age of, of shots. And he was a month old when he came to this country. 39:42 But we never did the sense of pride. And I say, I don't care. I don't care about your health. I want a shot. I just want a job. Job. 39:50 And I want a different life. I want a different life. I remember also, yeah, I wanted an opportunity. 39:55 Gimme an opportunity. I don't gimme the light and I'll follow myself. So when we came to, when we were, we were in Arizona, 40:05 because that's the thing, we, we came to Miami. My uncle lived with eight other people in the house. 40:11 And I said, this is, this is, this is difficult. We wanted to make progress. 40:16 And so there was an agency that was actually allocating Cuban Cubans 40:22 who were coming from that big influx to other states. 40:27 And so I called them and I said, I would like to be relocated. And they said, okay, so the only thing 40:33 that we have is Chicago. And I said, okay. So we went, we filled out the paperwork, we were scheduled 40:40 to fly the next day. But then the lady called me and she said, you have a, you have a tiny baby, it's very cold, and I'm not sure if the conditions are right 40:49 for your baby in that cold. So I'm gonna send you to Arizona. And I said, I have you send me whatever you wanna, 40:57 I was ready to embrace my fate, and I was so happy about it. 41:04 So we came to Arizona and somebody that from a church received us 41:11 that, that experience was kind of like, you know, Hmm. He told us. I said, but oh, don't worry about it. 41:16 I remember so being so upbeat. He said, well, we'll succeed. And he said, I don't care if you'll succeed. He said that to us. 41:22 And I said, okay, I don't care if you succeed, but okay, we succeeded. 41:28 We bought, we bought a home. I, I put myself through school. People said, you'll be able to go to school, you'll have 41:35 to work and work and work and work. And I said, Hmm. My head, I went, I'll find a way. 41:41 - And when you say people, are these the same people that were at - Bot? 41:46 Yes. People came with us. People that I talked on the phone in Miami, you really have to work right now, you know, forget about school later on. 41:53 And I, I came in 1995, in two, in 1997. I put myself through school. I went to work early, early hours of the morning. 42:02 I didn't come back to the camp until very late at night. I built a lot of relationships with the military. 42:10 We, the positive talks that we had, how much they taught me. So when you get to the United States, this is what's gonna happen. 42:16 You need to know this, you need to know that you need to. So I was, I was excited. I could not, that's why I, I was blessed. 42:24 I was blessed with the idea that I was surrounded by people, the military who cared about me. 42:32 And we grew fond of each other. So when I deliver my baby, I remember 42:39 that they took me to a tent. It was the, it was aero transportable, the fifth or the seventh Aero transportable hospital. 42:48 Was it? The Air Force. The Air Force. And so these women in the military 42:55 that had grown fond of me, went to my labor and they helped me. It was very uplifting. 43:03 There was somebody, especially in the Navy, she, she was there with me. She gave me courage because it was my first baby. 43:09 The doctor who delivered my son, he said, I'm sorry, I am not as gentle as they are because I was having trouble delivering the baby turns, 43:17 you know, as a mother, you, so he said, and he had to do so maneuver that was a little bit painful. 43:23 And, and, and he said, I'm so sorry. You know, I'm not as, as, as gentle as the nurses are. But the nurses were amazing. And well, that was, 43:32 that was a different story. I remember the women, the woman who was next to me, 43:37 there were Haitians in, in, in Guantanamo Bay at that time. And they were, they were also waiting, you know, 43:45 on the process to be able to be, to come to the United States. You know, immigration will go there and process you. 43:52 And whether their faith is, I mean, your faith is in their hands. And so I remember her screaming loud. 44:00 And when I, I'm in pain, my reaction is, leave me alone, quiet. 44:06 And so I remember that. And so I deliver my baby, 44:13 and I went to the couple of days later, they look at this story, to this story. 44:19 My English grew in seven months. Like, you don't have an an idea. I learned a lot. 44:25 And so I went to, I think they were gonna give my son a birth certificate. 44:34 And if you, if I show you the birth certificate of my son, it says, this certificate doesn't come from 44:40 American citizenship. And it was the reason why is because guana based at least territory. 44:47 - Well, and what a, a credible opportunity that you received. You were able to speak English, you volunteered, you didn't wanna stay. 44:53 And where everyone was staying depressed and saying, oh, they're gonna send us back. And you were like, pick me. You worked from morning to night with this, this dentist 45:02 - Until a week, a week before being in labor, because I started getting swelling in my 45:08 feet and that kind of stuff. And they said, you need to rest. But they all came uncomfort me. 45:14 They all came and say hello to me every day. I remember all of their names. 45:20 And I, I, I cherish them because they were actually the reason why I survived. 45:26 They gave me hope. You know, hope is really a beacon of light. 45:31 And I'm not using this as a metaphor. I'm using this as a real life psychology, whatever you call it. 45:39 I'm not a psychologist. But I survived because I was full of hope, full of it. 45:46 They were teaching me about how, oh, there was Vincent, I don't remember his last name, 45:51 but Vincent said to me, I just can't wait to see you in a supermarket in the United States. And, and I, when I entered a supermarket in the 45:58 United States, the first thought that I had was Vincent. He was in the Air Force. He said, one of the people that worked in the clinic, 46:05 it was an assistant. So there, there was a lot of beautiful memories 46:10 and all, there was, there were some unpleasant experiences, some people, but I can't tell you that I met 46:18 more good people than bad people. And when I met one, I just reversed it on them. 46:24 Like, your name is Rodriguez, what a name for an American. That comment was inappropriate. So I'm gonna put it back on you. Yes. 46:31 So that kind of stuff, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's what I can tell you. And up to this day, I remain upbeat 46:38 about my life in the United States. And of course, like everybody else, I've had ups and downs. 46:43 I have people who have told me on the phone, you have an accent. Are you a Mexican? And, 46:49 and it's, you know, the people who have mis have mistreated me. And I say, I'm actually from the world, how about you? 46:55 So that kind of stuff, you know, I do not get upset. And I feel that I have been given tons of opportunities 47:04 and I'm very lucky. That's all. I, I am not a multi male millionaire. 47:09 I nothing like that. But what I have conquered, it has been more than enough. 47:14 - More than yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. The fact that you have a doctorate, I'm currently in the process of getting my doctorate. 47:22 I've experienced nothing such as yourself. And it is a challenge. 47:28 So I can imagine that you don't necessarily see 47:33 that as much of a challenge as what you've gone through. Because being on a raft, coming here, 47:38 and I remember in reading your story and reading your biography, hear, hearing you say 47:46 that you heard the screams of others Oh yes. As you were, as you were traveling, and for you to stay focused, to stay steadfast, for you 47:53 to stay as positive as possible, as you had a seed in your belly Yes to, 47:59 and the goal to get to that beacon of light, to have someone lift you up by the arms 48:05 and bring you on that cold ship so that you could rest knowing that you were safe. 48:11 That that in itself is an incredible accomplishment. - Yeah. But I, but the, the incredible accomplishment, 48:17 I think it, it in itself is, it's not just me surviving. 48:23 It's the hope for survival. And I, what I, the only thing that I remember from the man that lift, I, I wish I knew 48:29 who lift me off from the arms is the silhouette. I, because it was dark at night. But it definitely, you know, talk about lifting you up. 48:37 He actually lift me up and it, it's everything, you know, leads 48:43 and signals to an a series of events that miraculously and that that's how I see my life, 48:49 and that's how I see the life of my children. - Yes. So speaking - Of your - Children, - My children 48:56 and my daughter is studying is, is a, in a PhD in, in UCF. 49:01 And my son doesn't like school as much as we do, 49:06 but he's a productive citizen. Citizen and not everybody is made for college. So we are okay with that. 49:13 I have a wonderful small family and we are blessed to be here. And I remind my children of their good luck 49:21 to be here every single day. They are absolutely. - Well, they, they're lucky. And they're also incredibly 49:29 blessed to have a mother that is so driven that knew that she wanted to raise a family in a safer place 49:35 where they had the opportunity to get a better education and live a better life 49:41 - For sure. And my father was a big, was a big support. Not only a big support, but set an example of discipline. 49:49 Dad, you took minutes ago you talked about finishing the doctorate had not been for my father's discipline. 49:55 He was, he was very disciplined. He disciplined me. This is, you know, that time you get up this 50:01 time, this you don't this time. So I was very disciplined, like my father, very disciplined. And if you start something, you don't quit. 50:07 You keep going, you keep going, you keep going. So that kind of drive, it's, I had no doubt, 50:14 look, my father would, his influence about schooling and, and and finishing projects was so strong 50:21 that I never had a doubt that it would not accomplish finishing school. That that was not the same way that I, I was not, 50:28 I had no doubt or never thought about dying. I never thought about quit school. It was not in the cards. 50:35 My father, he, so in order for me to finish my, my doctorate, I, I discipline myself 50:40 to get up at 4:00 AM in the morning and right all the way until seven, every single day, Monday, 50:46 Tuesday, Wednesday, holidays, everything. And that's how I finished my dissertation. 50:52 - You wrote from 4:00 AM to 7:00 PM the - Whole, every single day 50:58 before going to work, you know, I, I got up, this is what I'm going to do. And that's what I did. But the, the, the nice thing is that, 51:06 I don't know, I got excited every time that I discovered something in the literature, for example, oh, I discovered something in the, it was all excitement, 51:13 I promise you that I did not feel, I feel sometimes overwhelmed and tired. 51:19 But I felt excited, mostly excited. And that was the trip to the US was scary. 51:25 But at the same time, there was such a big hole behind that black curtain. And so the only thing that I have 51:31 to do is just lift the curtain and the light will come through and, and that's, that's it. That, that is it. So that's the story. But honestly, 51:40 - That's an incredible story. And I wanna dive, I wanna dive into your, like moving your, 51:45 your experience here in America and your, your education and how you have transitioned from middle school 51:52 to being a University of Phoenix instructor. So let's jump into these rapid fire questions. 51:59 We're gonna shift gears for just a bit and to jump into these rapid fire questions. Now the goal is to answer the questions 52:06 as quickly as possible. Oh God. Your competitors are the past guests. So at the end of the season we'll see who was the fastest. 52:15 - I am not very fast, so it doesn't matter. Go ahead. - It doesn't, it's all for fun. So what is, what was the last book you read? 52:24 - The, i I'm bleeding Kissinger right now, but the last book that I read about three months ago 52:29 was Tom Sawyer. I just reread it. - What do you do to relax? 52:36 - I listened to music and I dance in my house by myself. 52:41 Queen is my favorite - Queen. Okay, so what song are you dancing to in the living room from Queen? 52:48 - I can dance from any of the queen song. We are the champion to, I dance at Bachata, whatever it is 52:56 that I is in the environment. I love Franc Sinatra. I also love Franc Sinatra. 53:02 I also like opera. And sometimes I, I listen to Ava 53:09 and whatever I am in the mood for, if I wanna cry, I play a, a sad song and, and I cry. 53:15 Whatever I feel like doing at that moment. Music is always uplifting. 53:21 - It is. And there's a song for everything. So that's, that is definitely an eclectic selection there. 53:26 I love that. Tell me if, are you a morning person or a night owl? - Very morning person. Very morning person. 53:32 - 4:00 AM - Easy for me to get up at four in the morning. - If you had a superpower, what would it be? 53:39 - Superpower live to be traveling around the world. 53:44 World and get quickly to places that I need to get and avoid traffic. 53:50 - Yes, I'm with you with that. What is the one thing on your bucket list? 53:55 - In my bucket list, I travel the world. I wanna go to Greece. I wanna go to the Netherlands. I wanna go to all countries around the world. 54:02 But the most important, and I don't wanna travel the way that people travel. I wanna get a backpack and jump in a train 54:08 and travel the entire European continent and, and, and, and just visit all those places. 54:14 I just don't want tour guides. I don't want any of that. I want my shoes and my backpack. I love that. 54:21 - That's, that's incredible. If you can meet with a historic figure, who would it be? 54:28 - A historic figure. - If you can meet with a historic figure, dead or alive, who would it be? - Oh, Lingle, Lingle, Abraham Lingle. 54:36 - What would you ask him? - You know what, this is what I would ask him. How did you feel when so many Americans kill each other 54:43 during the Civil War? Tell me your story. I sometimes, you know, I was telling my son the other day, 54:49 we were traveling to Starbucks and we were both gonna get some nice frappuccinos 54:56 and I said, I wish there were really a portal in which I can travel time and I wish I could go back 55:02 and see the Independence War. And I see all of this history. I'm obsessed with the United States history. 55:08 I I'm not gonna deny it. And so we talk about that and, and, and, and he talked, mom, but you know, some 55:14 of these presidents in the past, blah, blah, blah, blah. I don't care. I wanna know them. I wanna meet him. 55:19 I wanna know who they were and how come they had that strength to create a new country 55:25 and to liberate themselves from the king. That is, if I could travel the past, I'll find a portal 55:31 and just go there and talk to lingo and talk to them. And especially because of the Civil War. I actually read a book to ask me about it. 55:40 It's not a biography, I don't remember, it's a few months ago about it in Costco about Teddy Roosevelt 55:48 and his wife. And you know, that she was from the south and all of the turmoil between the south and the north. 55:54 Do you know what was really striking and interesting that at that time, in order to avoid 56:01 fighting in the war, in the Civil War, you could pay people who were poor. 56:07 You were in the upper class, you could pay people who were poor to fight for you. Really? How about that? Isn't that interesting? 56:14 - I did not know that. - Yeah, I'll have to cross check that fact and see if it's true. But that's what he said in the book. 56:20 - I believe it. I believe it. Tell me what is, what is the best res, the best advice you've ever received? 56:27 - Just be resilient. I never said that you cannot do this because you feel down 56:33 because of the imposter syndrome. That's the best advice. Forget about the imposter syndrome. 56:39 That's what I would tell - You. That's very good. I struggled with imposter syndrome when I started my doctorate. 56:45 You all do. Yeah. - But now, now since I became a doctor, I go into the literature, I know how to fight it. 56:53 - That's right. That's right. Two more. What is your favorite food? - Oh, by God. Pizza. Italian food. Italian. 57:01 Really? I do like pizza a lot. Do you know why? Because one of my huge cravings being pregnant 57:08 was eating pizza. Remember I started my, my pregnancy in Cuba and it was very difficult to eat pizza there. 57:15 So the first thing that I tried when I got here was pizza and all kind of cheesy food, because I love cheese. 57:22 - You love cheese? I love cheese. That's so funny. I love Cuban food. Like I, I, I like the, the rice and pea. 57:29 My husband's Jamaican. So there's something called, there's a dish that's called rice and pea. It's very similar though to the edition Cuba. 57:37 And it's one of my favorite things. - Well, in Cuba, that's called anos. It's like the, okay, I dunno if exactly the same thing, 57:45 but it is the white rice that gets tinted with the black beans. And then you got the black beans in there, ands, 57:52 because thes are dark brown people. And the C Christians at 57:57 that time in Spain were the white people. So that's why they call it bon and Christiano. Like, it's very interesting, all the history 58:03 behind the food and that kind of stuff. - Yeah. So the dish is literally named af like in, 58:09 in the description of describing people like fair skinned dark skin - People models because they, the models were dark people from the Middle East who came 58:17 to Spain and you know, they, there was a war between Spain and the countries in the middle, especially south. 58:23 We're talking about Lucia, those places in the south. And then the, the Christians were white. 58:28 So that's the white rice that gets tainted and mixed with the black. It gets tainted. Yes. Very interesting. 58:35 Wow. Very interesting. - That was very interesting. My goodness. Last one 58:42 - Mother would say my father, whose father was my father, whose father was born in Puerto Rico, but whose mother was born in Spain. 58:49 She would say Mon and christiano. We, we call it Mos, that's what we call it, but they call it Mo Mo and Christiano. 58:56 She spoke very Spanish Spain. - Wow, that's incredible. Last one. 59:01 What, what are you most proud of in your life? - Proud of? What do you think? My children. My children. 59:09 There's no career, nothing of my children. They're the product of who I'm and the of my who my father was both of them. 59:17 I'm very proud of my children. - I can imagine. I mean, you carried Kevin in your body 59:24 during focusing on your goal, getting to America. 59:30 Like what is Kevin like? Is he very driven? Is he like, I imagine just being a seed in your belly during 59:35 that time had to actually ingrained a few characteristics in him. - Yeah, Kevin is shy. Shy. 59:42 His father has Chinese background, so his culture is kind of like, he's, he's Cuban, but you know, his family is Chinese, 59:51 Chinese people who lived in Cuba. And so he's very shy. He is not as somebody who speaks, speaks a lot, 59:59 but he, when he speaks, he's powerful. He's powerful. He's loving my son. 1:00:06 The other day, I, I have two dogs, they're both adopted. And the little girl that we just brought, she's a barker, 1:00:14 she barks and he goes, stop talking to me that way. That's not a right tone. 1:00:19 Joan, young lady and I, he mels my heart to see how nice and cool and good kid. 1:00:26 He's totally a great kid. A adorable. I love my children. Do you 1:00:31 - Have children? I do, I do. I have a 2-year-old, his name is Theo, 1:00:37 he's the boss of the house. He runs everything. And then my, my oldest is like identical to me. 1:00:43 His name is Isaac. I actually had a dream in the middle of the night. 1:00:49 My husband and I had been married for about three years, and I had a dream in the middle of the night. And I heard audibly, God tell me I was gonna have a son 1:00:56 and to name him Isaac. And I, oh boy, wake up like straight outta my dream. And I tap my husband and I'm like, 1:01:02 I tell him exactly what happened. And I was like, is this biblical? And he is like, yeah, babe. Abraham, Sarah. Oh, that's right. And 1:01:07 so then I remember going back to sleep. And in the morning my memory, I woke up and said, that's so crazy. 1:01:13 That story about Isaiah, right? And he was like, it was Isaac babe, not Isaiah. And I remember thinking like, well, that's not gonna happen 1:01:20 because I, I honestly didn't want any kids. And I was finishing my master's at the time. 1:01:25 And so the, and I, and so I was like, we're, you know, we're not gonna, we're not gonna do that anyway, so that's 1:01:31 just an interesting dream. And then next thing you know, I get a pulmonary embolism. A month later I get a pulmonary embolism. 1:01:38 And I felt, I thought I was having a heart attack. The ambulance came and took me to the hospital 1:01:44 and they were like, you have a few blood clots in your lungs, so you, you know, 1:01:49 your life is in danger and so we're gonna have to take you, put you on blood thinners and you can't be on birth control - Anymore. 1:01:55 You're so young. - I was, well I was 30, I was 33 or 30, I was 32 I believe when that happened. 1:02:01 I was 33 when Isaac was born. He's seven now. And so yeah, I had those, those blood clots. 1:02:06 And then with Theo, my, my youngest, we just didn't have a baby. Like we wanted to have another baby after Isaac, but Covid. 1:02:15 And so then, then all of a sudden, one day I was really sick, I kept fainting. 1:02:21 I'll never forget, I walked out the garage and I told my husband, I think you're gonna have to, and I was trying to say catch me. And luckily he was quick-witted and just caught me. 1:02:28 And I was, he said, we're gonna go to the hospital. I said, no, just let me sleep it off. I woke up and I couldn't see out of this eye. 1:02:34 And so they raced me to the hospital. And I remember wanting to leave so badly, I was in the emergency room 1:02:40 and I was like, pacing, I hate hospitals. And my mom and uncle came, my mom works for the va 1:02:45 and my uncle's an rn and I just remember them like, you know, getting them, like hurrying them along. 1:02:51 By the time I get into the room, I had to use the restroom and I came out to open the door to look at my mom. 1:02:58 And the next thing I remember is that I was sitting on the bed and like there were people like poking at me and doing everything. 1:03:04 And come to find out my hemoglobin was at two, which apparently like normal hemoglobin's at like 14, 13. 1:03:12 But they kept poking me because they said, we've never seen a person alive at two. 1:03:17 You have no blood in your system and you have like hours to live. - It's a miracle. - Yeah, it literally a miracle. 1:03:25 'cause I, I was also trying to go home. Like I was, I was moments away from walking home 'cause my husband left 'cause he was like, no, stay. 1:03:32 So all that to say that happened and then they gave me like three things of blood. 1:03:38 And a month later, Theo, so my husband was like, no more babies. 'cause you like to try to die right before we have a kid. 1:03:45 So we just have those two. - Did they know why you had that embolism, but why? 1:03:50 What, what happened? Why did you have that? - The pulmonary embolism, they said came because of the birth control. 1:03:57 So they just, they had me take, they just had me off of that. And then the, the other was 1:04:03 because I'm anemic, my mom's anemic. So she coincidentally, you know how that works out, coincidentally just happened to be coming from Tucson 1:04:11 to see my grandma with my uncle and was, my husband called her and she detoured to come to the hospital 1:04:17 and she's also anemic. And so she was able to, to tell the doctors our family history 1:04:23 and they ended up just putting the blood back in me. But yeah, so because, because of my anemia, I was just essentially running out 1:04:29 of blood faster than I was able to create it. - So your son's name is Isaiah 1:04:34 because he was supposed to be born and that's how he was supposed to be named. So I believe it, you know, people's, there are crazy things 1:04:43 that happen in our lives and people will question you, your sanity. And I said, well, tell me who is saying, 1:04:49 nobody is saying a hundred percent. So okay, call me that. I call me that crazy, whatever you wanna call me. 1:04:56 But there are things like that that happened and we don't understand and we first, we doubted ourselves and then we wind up finding out 1:05:02 why those things happen. So, - Oh, I walked, I walked in faith the whole time. As soon as I knew that he was in my belly, 1:05:07 I wasn't surprised. And then I didn't have another name. So we named him Isaac Kai, my husband's name's Kalama, 1:05:14 my middle name's Aena and his, his name's obviously Isaac. And so Kai is his middle name. 1:05:19 And so people would ask me like, well what if it's a girl? And I was like, it's not a girl, it's a boy and his name is Isaac. There was, there was no option for it to be anything else. 1:05:26 Like I know what I heard, I know what's happening. He told me. So that's how my little one girl, 1:05:31 - That is an amazing story. Yeah, but you know what, sometimes when you act on faith, things go well. Right, 1:05:39 - Right. - Things go well. I sometimes I don't have certainty and I am not a sage or anything like that. 1:05:46 I'm a no more human being. But sometimes when I act on faith, like let me, like for example, when I decided 1:05:51 to jump from K 12 to higher education, there are years 1:05:56 and years in, in, in, in, in K 12, all grade levels, you know, loved it. 1:06:01 First grade 10 years. And that's the, I can tell you with a high, high percent 1:06:08 of certainty that the first greatest in my life taught me how to be a teacher. 1:06:14 And I do have an accent as you can see, but I was able to teach 'em how to read 1:06:21 because of, I said, okay, I need to learn how to pronounce the, these sounds as close as I can 1:06:27 to the English so that they don't get confused. And I'll get an American friend teacher show me, 1:06:34 tell me how you pronounce. Because the, I for example, the I in Spanish sounds E 1:06:39 but the E is in English. And, and so she says, nah, this is it. 1:06:45 And I go move your mouth like this, move it like that. And so I, I love, love teaching. 1:06:52 So I became a reading specialist. And so with faith, with faith, asking the lord 1:06:59 give me the power, gimme the knowledge. With faith, I was able to accomplish that. And faith will really, this is the phrase 1:07:08 that everybody said, they move, move mountains. Yes, it does. He moves mountains and, and so yeah, I believe 1:07:14 - No, you're absolutely right. - I believe if I told you that he was gonna be Isaiah, there is a purpose for that. Boy. 1:07:20 - It is. It's Isaac. And it's funny because he's such a lighthearted person. He is, he is me, but a little boy. 1:07:27 And so he's so, he's so fun. And I, Isaac means to laugh because Sarah laughed at the angel when she said she was 1:07:33 gonna have a baby at like 99. So she said to name him Isaac. And my son is the most joyful little human. 1:07:40 And he's always laughing, always giggling. So I, I love that about him in his story. But I wanted, speaking of story, I wanna get back to yours 1:07:47 and talk about you. You received your bachelor's from your bachelor's. Is that when you started to teach? 1:07:55 - Well, talking about God. So I was working in Phoenix. 1:08:02 There's a, there's a street called McDowell. I don't know if it still exists, but there was, there was a a, that's where I used 1:08:10 to work in a, in a cashing place. You know, it was cashing checks. And, and I was always longing for, you know, 1:08:17 teaching and teaching. I wanna teach. 'cause that's what I did in Cuba. And so one time there was this lady who came 1:08:26 from the Creighton Elementary School district with a check at that time, you know, debit cards 1:08:33 and things like that were a direct deposit since they weren't like a hundred percent now, but that time was in 1997. 1:08:40 And she said to me, I will come, I wanna cash the check. So I looked as a school district and I said, oh my God, you, you work in school. 1:08:47 I wanna be a teacher. And I says, you really wanna be a teacher? I said, I wanna be a teacher. I was a teacher in my country. 1:08:53 And she says, you know what, this is the right moment. Because they're looking for bilingual teachers in Phoenix 1:09:00 to work with the population of immigrants that are coming. They need, at that time, before the Lola passed, where it was English only at 1:09:08 that time, they were looking actually for bilingual teachers. So she said, here's the phone number, go see 1:09:15 and call this lady, his name was Marilyn, and call her and tell her. 1:09:20 So I called her and she says, okay, come onto the district, let's talk. 1:09:26 So they come into a program where they would hire teachers from other countries to teach 1:09:33 while they were working on their certificate. So I told mom, mom, send me all my, 1:09:38 my credits from the university, blah, blah, blah. So they run all the paperwork. They had another lady work with me, my fingerprints, 1:09:47 my fingerprints cleared, they let me, but because I was, I hadn't, I didn't have the certificate yet. 1:09:54 It was in the process of being, you know, issued. 1:10:00 So she stayed with me in the classroom. I looked up in the internet and I learned she passed away 1:10:05 because she was in the, her eighties when she was with me in the classroom. She was a retired teacher who got calls from the principal 1:10:13 to sit there with me. And so she spent an entire half a year around until my paperwork was in order. 1:10:20 And then they, the, the, the principal says, now you need to take some other courses in order 1:10:27 to just validate your certificate a hundred percent. Because I wasn't a provisional. So I, I needed a permit. 1:10:34 And she started paying, the district started paying for my classes. I was lucky. And so one day she said to me, look, I I, 1:10:42 I know that you're interested in teaching reading. I'm, I'm, I'm, I have some budget to pay for courses 1:10:49 to be a reading specialist. Do you want, and I said, are you even asking me? Come on. I want in. So every opportunity that I had. 1:10:57 And so when I finished all of that and I had my permanent certificates, I decided that I wanted 1:11:03 to go my master's degree. And that's when I went to Phoenix. I did, I started in 2008. 1:11:10 Finish in, no, sorry, that's yes. 2008. Graduated in 2010. 1:11:16 And so when I was in that stage looking at these people, I put a spot, couple 1:11:24 of ladies with the, the cape and the medieval hats. 1:11:29 And so I learned they were doctors who work. I said, I want that. And I spotted and like a trust Atlantic, I went at it. 1:11:40 And so it took me a few years to get my ABCs together. 1:11:45 And I graduated in 2022 after hiatus, 1:11:50 because unfortunately my ex-husband and I divorced. And that divorce was rocky, especially when you go 1:11:59 through those experiences together. Together, right? So, so then I said, okay, so it's time for me to 1:12:08 retake the course of my shift, and I am going to graduate every time that I turn in something great job. 1:12:13 And I went, okay, I'm doing this. And so the next day I woke up 1:12:19 and I'm gonna go on, I'm gonna fix my feedback and yeah, mountains and mountains of feedback. But I saw that, oh, this makes sense, 1:12:26 this makes sense and this makes sense. One of the things that I have to tell you as a doctoral student is, 1:12:31 do I tackle my feedback from the easiest to the hardest? So you know that you go through all those comments. 1:12:39 So this one is a little bit hard. I don't, I'm not sure if I, I understand this. Let me go to the ones that are easier. 1:12:44 So by the time I got to that one, all the feedback that he had given me led me 1:12:49 to understand this big piece here that I did not understand. And that was every time I did it. So that was my strategy. 1:12:56 And I finished during that defense, he said to me, when I, when they, when they say Dr. Lang, you know 1:13:02 that they call you Dr. Lang after you finished, he says, you look in shock. I was in shock. I was in shock. 1:13:09 And, and guess what happened when I finished? I was so disciplined to get up at four in the morning 1:13:17 and research that I kept on writing and writing and writing and writing and publishing and writing and publishing and writing and publishing. 1:13:23 And as it became my, my hobby, apart from my, my wonderful curiosity, I have a career curiosity 1:13:32 to learn about stuff. And, and so especially educational research. 1:13:37 And so I, I devoted my energy during that time to just write. And because I didn't know what to do with my time, I was, 1:13:46 so, imagine you're an Olympic, you're an Olympic person, 1:13:51 but you know, what do you call that? A sports woman? And, and you an athlete. An athlete. An athlete. That's the word. Thank you. 1:13:58 So if you, if you're training and training and training for a year, and all of a sudden the Olympics end, what do you do? 1:14:05 So that's what happened to me. That's what happened to me. - Well, so what's going on with you right now? 1:14:11 Because you've accomplished so much, what could possibly be next? 1:14:17 - Look, those are, that's a good question. But my main goal is to go into work at the College 1:14:24 of Doctoral studies because I wanna help other people with the dissertation. 1:14:29 But there are some steps that I need to go through. But that will be the ultimate goal. 1:14:34 And if I discover another goal, I'll go for that one. But for the time being, but I'm in the college 1:14:40 of general studies fulfilling my mission. And my mission is to help those undergrad get 1:14:46 where they need to be because they need me. And I feel so accomplished and I feel so, I, I feel by, by the stories that I hear 1:14:56 from my students, I feel a sense of reverence and respect. These are people who work very hard. 1:15:03 A lot of them don't even have a computer to work with, or they have, you know, the, the things 1:15:09 that they have are not optimum too. And, and they're still, they're trying and they're trying and they're trying. 1:15:15 And that level of persistence motivates me to be the best I can be for them. 1:15:20 And in some cases, I'm, I'm, I'm very happy when I see that they, they go, oh my gosh, I did it. 1:15:27 Thank you, Dr. Lan. And I said, thank you. Because I get very nervous if I look at my roster 1:15:35 and I see students are dropping, and I go, why, why are you dropping in the game? 1:15:41 And so maybe other circumstances are, you know, variables that are there. 1:15:47 But it really hurts me when I see my student dropping, because I always say, there's another way rather than dropping. 1:15:53 There is another way. Try to inspire them. Yeah, you 1:15:59 - Use your incredible story to inspire them and to stay focused on making sure 1:16:05 that others are reaching their goal. As you've said several times, you see that light and you head towards it, just like you did on that raft. 1:16:13 - Even if you see a glimpse, even if you see a glimpse, even if you see a glimpse. 1:16:18 So just to kind of like talk metaphorically, the, the, the US Coast Guard light showed up 1:16:27 and disappeared at times and showed up and disappeared at times. And I knew it was somewhere that I was gonna find it. 1:16:34 I already saw you. So there is no way that I am to desist. 1:16:40 So, and that's the thing, just to let them see a little bit of that glittering light, that g glimpse, that small 1:16:48 spark that they need to see in order to be able to graduate and follow that spark. That's all. 1:16:54 - If there was someone listening or watching right now that needed that spark that needed 1:16:59 to see the light, whether it be in their current situation, at their job, if it was their current situation at school 1:17:06 or just in their life, what, what advice would you give them? - You know, rather than staying stuck in the, 1:17:14 in the drastic moment of either danger or negativity, they're always, 1:17:21 God always gives us fine signals. And when I say God, I say, any God that you profess 1:17:27 or know God, but they're always signals, signals. If you remain focused on your goal, 1:17:35 you'll see the glimmer in light. The problem is when you become pessimistic 1:17:42 and then you start getting diverted from that light, you move further and further away. 1:17:48 In order to get close to that, you need to look for it. Lemme see. You keep on looking. 1:17:55 And even if you don't see it, because it's a very dark night and the waves are this high, you keep on looking 1:18:01 for the light because it'll show up and it'll present to you even if it's for a second. 1:18:06 And once you see it, you'll fall in love with it and you'll follow it. That's the end of the story. That's 1:18:12 how I can put it in words. And, and if there is, if there is a God letting speak 1:18:18 through me the truth, because that's how I have experienced my life in every single moment, 1:18:24 including my divorce. That was pretty rough. I always knew that there was light and there was, 1:18:31 - I know that people that are listening and that are watching are gonna be inspired by what you just said and your incredible story. 1:18:39 Lastly, I just wanna know, as a woman who has had such an elaborate experience from 1:18:46 Cuba to Guantanamo Bay, all the coming here to Arizona 1:18:53 and experiencing teaching children, and then now at University of Phoenix, 1:18:59 you were a student, now you're on the other side teaching. What's the difference? 1:19:05 What is that like for you being, knowing that you've had this experience all the way up to your doctorate and now you're actually giving 1:19:12 back to the students? What would you say the, the vast difference is? 1:19:17 - The really the, the, it's, it's, I mean, all and in gratefulness, that's the only thing that I can say. 1:19:22 But it also, as a student, my, I still view myself as a student. I'm always in the shoes of a student, always. 1:19:29 Because once you lose those shoes, get out of the game of teaching, you gotta wear those shoes in order 1:19:35 to be productive. And you know that a doctor, no, Uhuh, you're a student. 1:19:41 Because not only you are teaching, but you are learning from these people. And every batch of students 1:19:47 that you get is different with different needs. So what it's is, it has given me a tremendous sense 1:19:53 of empathy and a tremendous sense of pride. Like, I accomplished this, and now I can give you, you know, 1:20:02 and I'm gonna give you, no matter what you give me, my mission is to give you and move. 1:20:10 Can you imagine what it is to have somebody change his or her life because you were there 1:20:16 for a fraction of five weeks, - Right? - I mean, that person is gonna move into another course 1:20:22 and another course, and that person is gonna graduate that person's financial situation. Who knows where, where this past person is now, 1:20:30 and then five years from now where this person is gonna be just because you were there for a fraction of five weeks, 1:20:35 because this is the class that I'm teaching is five weeks long. - That, that has to be transformative for those people. 1:20:40 And I know that simply based off of your story, because you've mentioned several people by name 1:20:46 that you remember who were instrumental in helping you accomplish your, 1:20:53 your journey thus far. And it what a journey it has been. And we are so, so grateful that you took the opportunity 1:21:01 to share that story with us. I know that all of the listeners and all the viewers are so grateful. 1:21:07 If you were to walk away with a last note for anyone listening, anyone watching, what would that be? 1:21:16 - The only thing that I can tell you is have faith in yourself. And then I know this sounds empty, everybody says 1:21:22 that I have faith in yourself. And do not let the demons inside you take you to 1:21:28 that dark place. Always rise to the light. And let's say be positive. 1:21:34 You'll always find an angel, whether it's an angel, you wanna call it an angel, you wanna call it whatever you wanna call. 1:21:41 You'll always find someone. My mother told me this when I was in the base in Gu Bay, 1:21:47 in Guantanamo Bay Base. She said, I prayed for you so much that you would find good people 1:21:53 that I knew it was impossible, that you wouldn't. And I, not only one, many, many, 1:21:59 my first Thanksgiving in the I I Cuba doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving. 1:22:05 So the general at the time of the base invited my husband 1:22:11 and myself to his place. I was in a camp, but he invited me to experience Thanksgiving. 1:22:17 People gave me those experiences. People are good. Most of the people that we meet are really, really good. 1:22:25 And if you focus on that, they'll give you their good. Now, if you focus on the bad, the dark, they'll give you their dark. 1:22:32 We have a dark side. But if you look again, focus on the light 1:22:37 that you find in people and keep on trying to find that light. And you'll see the light not only in people, 1:22:44 but the light that you need. That is it. - You heard it here first. Dr. Lane said it. 1:22:49 Focus on the light, focus on positivity, and it will help you accomplish your goals. 1:22:54 Dr. Lane, thank you so much for joining us somehow. This is the end of this episode of Degrees of Success. 1:23:02 What an incredible episode it has been. Thank you so much for joining us. I'm your host, Frida Richards, reminding you 1:23:09 that this chapter, this very next one, might just be the best one yet. 1:23:15 See you soon.

Listen to the podcast episode featuring alumna Dr. Juana Lang

From Cuba to freedom: One woman’s journey

Show Notes
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Show Notes

University of Phoenix alumna Dr. Juana Lang is an educator and research fellow with the University’s Center for Leadership Studies and Organizational Research. In this episode of the Degrees of Success podcast opens in new window , Dr. Lang recounts how she escaped from Cuba on a makeshift raft while pregnant, and went on to build a life and career in the U.S.

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