Brian discover so it difficult as he made an effort to equilibrium senior high school relationships and his awesome brotherly exposure to the brand new Cubans his nearest and dearest sponsored. He was often stuck between when there are fights between Sparta locals and you can Cuban exiles during the taverns.

People was tossed in the prison for being homosexual

Brian told you Erne have coached him a great deal in life. Not just how to create otherwise tips say certain claim terms inside Foreign language, but exactly how becoming way more open-minded. Erne’s upbeat heart in addition to taught Brian how to remain things light, he told you.

Ernesto Rodriguez which includes of their household members. Of kept to best: Rodriguez’s grandchild Olivia, child Kristina, Rodriguez and you will child Jazmen. Images using Omar Granados

And you can in the place of really e due to Fort McCoy, Rodriguez did not relax into the Florida otherwise go on to an enormous city. They have stayed in top of the Midwest for the last four ages. He could be spent some time working within Hormel Items bush from inside the Austin, Minnesota. During the La Crosse, he could be spent some time working about food business so when an effective handyman.

The guy and become his personal loved ones. Erne keeps around three college students – a few women and a child. And he could be a daddy. He calls his granddaughter “his Australia trans dating princess.”

Those who paid Cuban refugees out of Fort McCoy weren’t only simply for southwest Wisconsin. They certainly were and within the towns and cities eg Milwaukee and you will Madison.

Gonzalez’s nearest and dearest left Cuba throughout the 1960s pursuing the trend. The guy sooner or later ended up when you look at the Wisconsin to possess a position. Gonzalez fell in love with Madison, in which he unsealed the fresh iconic Cardinal Pub and you will Rick’s Havana Pub.

Since Mariel Boatlift is underway in 1980, Gonzalez try exec manager of one’s Madison-centered Spanish-american Company. Whenever refugees have been provided for Wisconsin, Gonzalez go off in order to Fort McCoy to help their fellow Cubans come across sponsors.

“Once we had there, and i also saw all of these Cuban(s), mainly boys, simply loitering having little – whenever i watched you to definitely, I damage, directly. I considered damage you to too many out of my countrymen was indeed within the you to condition. And that i believe, ‘This isn’t proper this particular is occurring, and you will what are we likely to create about any of it?'” Gonzalez said.

But Gonzalez failed to mentor folks in the Fort McCoy. The guy and his awesome company ilies. Nonetheless they backed the tiny level of solitary girls in the Fort McCoy, as well as people in the newest LGBTQ+ society.

Just like the the guy owned dance clubs and you may adored audio, it gave your a thought

“Since the I was thinking most people was in fact thrown during the jail from inside the Cuba if you are gay. A separate laws had only become recognized in the Cuba a couple of out of years before titled la ley de los angeles peligrosidad – what the law states out of dangerousness. Better, you to to help you all of us wasn’t a criminal offense,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez and also the Spanish american Business found sponsors doing Madison having the new refugees, though he states several left Wisconsin pretty quickly.

Whenever Gonzalez try and make men and women typical check outs so you’re able to Fort McCoy during summer time, he stuck breeze you to several musicians got designed a great band.

“I loaned them specific products and so they played good results show during the Madison. Then they was required to go back to Fort McCoy. That is once i made a decision to buy them structured because a ring and mentor her or him while the a team. Which is what we did. I backed all of the 12 of those,” Gonzalez told you.

This group off several artists turned into referred to as Cuban Salsa Band. Gonzalez hired a flat in their mind into the the downtown area Madison. A community church taken care of the new tools and a sound system with the ring.

“We gave her or him a demonstration how songs is the code you to definitely breaks down this new barriers. (It’s an enthusiastic) global code. It’s not necessary to cam they. You simply listen to they, you then become it. Plus one to build is really what I imagined brand new Cuban musicians of one’s Cuban Salsa Ring do assist generate, goodwill into the refugees,” Gonzalez said.