On October 30, 2024, the United States of America along with Israel were the only two United Nations members that voted against lifting the decades-long embargo against Cuba in a United Nations General Assembly. In an Explanation of Vote After the Vote on a UN General Assembly Resolution on the Cuba Embargo, Ambassador Paul Folsembee defends the vote against lifting the blockade by stating: “[The U.S.] strongly support[s] their pursuit of a future with respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.” In that same month, Brown University’s Cost of War Project reported that the U.S. had spent over $17.9 billion dollars in foreign aid in support of the genocide of the Palestinian people over the past year since October 7, 2023. The question remains, whose human rights and fundamental freedoms are valued by the U.S. government, and what role do international cooperative nonprofits play?

A week after the vote at the UN General Assembly, Cuba was hit by the devastating Hurricane Rafael. Over 25,000 homes were damaged, only 20 percent of Cubans living in Havana had recovered their water supply a week after the hurricane made landfall, and over 300,000 citizens were affected by the power grid outage. I heard news of what was happening in Cuba from my home in Los Angeles, days before I was scheduled to arrive in Havana for an “emulation tour,” a professional development opportunity I learned about through my work at Justice Funders “to learn from other cooperative organizations during a learning tour to Cuba.” Organized by Human Agenda’s Founder, Richard Hobbs, the 8-day trip was rooted in learning about how international cooperative nonprofits are sketching an alternative economy within the island and understanding the country’s current political economy, especially in the context of the ongoing U.S. embargo against Cuba.

When I stepped out of the José Martí International Airport in Havana a little past 11 p.m. on November 9th, I noticed a woman with an earnest smile and light in her eyes. I was immediately drawn to her so I walked up, a bit timid, and asked if she was part of the tour. To my surprise, she was, and she was waiting for me! When we finally got on the tour bus to the hotel, I witnessed firsthand the effects of the U.S. sanctions on the Cuban people. On top of the power blackouts, there was a mile-long line of cars waiting for gas at what seemed to be the only nearby gas station. Yani, the tour guide, shared that this is an overnight game of luck — first, they hope there’s gas at the station and then they hope it’s not too expensive.

Read the full article about international cooperative nonprofits by abdiel j. lópez at Justice Funders.