Message from Cuba to the Dominican Influencers Destino Tolk
By Francisco Acevedo
HAVANA TIMES – Today I’m going to attempt to reach out to some fairly famous people, even though it’s practically impossible. I don’t believe they will directly read these lines, but maybe a friend or follower—of which they have many—might at least pass the word along.
I’m talking about the Dominicans Destino Positivo and Fernando Delgado, creators of the popular platform Destino Tolk, whom I admire for their work, both individually and now that they’ve joined forces.
I’m not among those who criticize them for not fully immersing themselves in the reality of Cuba because, first of all, it’s very difficult to truly grasp for someone who has never lived it firsthand.
That’s why I continue to give them the benefit of the doubt and continue to support their efforts to give a voice to many Cuban artists who are largely forgotten, especially in Miami where they are based, but also to those who remain here on the island trying to keep Cuban culture alive.
You have to live here to understand that those who still dream of doing what they love cannot speak as openly as they’d like and must “turn a blind eye” to many things. It’s not something to award medals for, but neither should they be bashed for it, because ultimately, they aren’t harming anyone.
Could they use their voices to denounce injustice? Yes, that’s true. But it’s also true that if they do, they will lose that voice—and with it, their artistic careers, which could still accomplish a lot.
It’s a different matter with those who play into the hands of the dictatorship—and there are quite a few of them—who truly deserve condemnation, because someone with real talent doesn’t need to rub elbows with oppressors to shine. Obviously, doing so opens many doors, but dignity should come first, and it’s been proven that true talent doesn’t need that kind of compromise.
But I can’t ask Destino Tolk to think like that… at least not for now.
It turns out that the renowned platform announced their first Latin American tour, which will include Cuba as one of their most highly anticipated stops. The tour will also take them to Mexico, Venezuela, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras, according to what they’ve announced—but for us, the pollo del arroz con pollo (“the real prize”) is Cuba. And I’m sure it is for them too, because they are eager to experience firsthand what they talk about daily, sometimes rather lightly, it must be said.
This space, which has earned the respect of Cubans both here and in exile for its honest treatment of Cuban cultural and artistic issues, will have the opportunity to witness firsthand the island’s complex social and political web—if they truly set their minds to it.
The lightness with which they sometimes handle sensitive issues related to Cuba, and their apparent political neutrality, will truly be put to the test once they step foot on Cuban soil. We will then see if they are willing to promote emerging talents who remain under the media radar due to their dissident opinions.
What might seem like just another simple YouTube podcast is actually a powerful platform that could solidify efforts for Cuba’s freedom—if its creators choose to use it that way.
“We’re going to do our job. In each country, we’re going to interview important public figures. In Cuba, we’ll interview Yomil, La Cintumbare, Jorge Junior, and those guys who are doing reparto music. We’ll start in Santiago and visit all the provinces before finishing in Havana,” Destino announced when revealing the tour.
That’s great, but they’ve already spoken with those artists in Florida. My modest suggestion is that they take advantage of the trip to give a voice to those who are never heard—and there are quite a few.
“We’re not inspectors to give opinions about the country’s situation,” they said at the time, and thus it’s clear we won’t see Jose Daniel Ferrer or similar figures on their platform.
But even within the artistic realm, there are people like Luis Manuel Otero and Maikel Osorbo, for example, and it would be extremely valuable if they at least attempted to reach out to them in the prisons where they are serving sentences for opposing the dictatorship and losing valuable years of their artistic careers.
I know their relationship with other Miami influencers, who are much more openly confrontational in the fight for Cuba’s freedom, isn’t great. But I hope that won’t prevent them from fulfilling some of those influencers’ requests.
No one likes having their agenda dictated to them, but for the sake of Destino Tolk, I personally hope they will use this opportunity to break free from the traditional script—not just visiting the same old studios, but going to the little rooms where the most marginalized “demos” of this country are recorded, to the homes where writers pour their blood into their texts, or to the workshops where artists perform miracles with very few resources.
Notice that I’m not even asking them to interview ordinary Cubans. If they want to stay within the artistic scene, they still have plenty of untapped material to learn about the struggles of those who want to bring their art to life without going through official channels.
They have probably already started to feel the pressure—not from their colleagues in Miami, but from the hidden claws of the dictatorship, which will do everything it can to dictate their itinerary to whitewash its image. So, I’m warning them and encouraging them to stick to their convictions.
As they themselves made clear, they are traveling with their own money and do not need the dictatorship. So, I urge them to move around as freely as possible so they can see the true face of this country.
Prepare yourselves for all kinds of refusals, but stay firm, because I consider you honest people, and the truth will reveal itself by its own weight. Above all, don’t settle for what’s easy, which is all that’s been announced so far.