I wrote the article above last year, covering Havana’s Sundown town history. Unfortunately, in this update I am not only here to inform you that despite this status being loosely held today - marginalized individuals and their families are treated with great malice, harassment and intimidation.
After talking with former residents, that have also fled the city, they recalled in their youth seeing and hearing of cross burning’s in the lawns of any black families that attempted to move into town in the 1970’s-1980’s.
In recent decades migrant workers have often come to the area for work in the fields during the summers, yet the number of black families in Havana have been very low.
Anti-LGBTQ sentiment is rising in the city, and is making it a hostile place to live for many queer people.
Open displays of conservative and outright fascist propaganda (III%, Proud Boys, etc.) in Havana deems the city unsafe for any minority or marginalized person.
I'm from a town very close to Havana and can attest that this behavior is still practiced in a lot of municipalities around there. :/ I actually ended up writing a few pieces on my hometown's racist history, if only to help shed some light on the persistent issue. great write up, Ali!