♪ MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS, I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO, WELCOME.

HER WORK HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED NATIONS BOOK CLUB, AND SHE'S A WINNER OF THE LATINO BOOK INTO MOVIES AWARD.

TODAY, WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE AUTHOR BETTY VIAMONTES WITH US.

BETTY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME TO YOUR SHOW.

>>BETTY, I KNOW OF YOUR WORK AND I KNOW THAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU WRITE BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON A LOT OF STORIES THAT IMPACTED YOUR FAMILY IN CUBA.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT BACKGROUND AND WHAT MADE YOU GET INTO WRITING?

>>ABSOLUTELY, YES.

I WAS BORN IN HAVANA, CUBA AND WHEN I WAS THREE YEARS OLD AND THIS WAS BACK IN 1968, MY FATHER LEFT THE ISLAND TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES AND GET THE CONDITIONS READY FOR HIS FAMILY TO TRAVEL.

HOWEVER, IN 1970, A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER HE LEFT, THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT DID NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO LEAVE THE ISLAND AND MY MOTHER STAYED BEHIND WITH THREE SMALL CHILDREN.

AT THE TIME WHEN THE GOVERNMENT STOPPED ALLOWING PEOPLE TO LEAVE I WAS FIVE THEN, MY SISTER WAS AROUND FOUR AND MY BROTHER WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD.

WE WERE SEPARATED FOR A PERIOD OF 12 YEARS.

HOWEVER, WHEN I WAS SIX YEARS OLD, THIS IS ABOUT A YEAR AFTER THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED THAT NO ONE ELSE COULD LEAVE.

THE SITUATION IN CUBA KEPT DETERIORATING, NOT ONLY THE LACK OF FOOD, BUT ALSO THE LACK OF FREEDOM.

MY MOTHER USED TO GO TO THE COUNTRY TO GET FOOD FOR MY BROTHER WHO HAS SEVERE ALLERGIES.

IT WAS JUST ONE WOMAN WITH THREE SMALL CHILDREN.

AND MANY TIMES SHE HAD TO TAKE US TO THE COUNTRYSIDE.

MY GRANDMOTHER PASSED AWAY.

SO, THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING AND THIS WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WITH THREE CHILDREN WHO SAW HERSELF UNABLE TO LEAVE CUBA.

SHE WOULD GO TO THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE AND THEY WOULD TELL HER, YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE THE ISLAND AND THERE WAS A QUOTE THAT SHE USED TO REPEAT TO ME OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THEY TOLD HER, THE FROGS WOULD GROW HAIR BEFORE WE WILL ALLOW YOUR FAMILY TO LEAVE.

ALL OF THIS WOULD DEPRESS MY MOTHER.

SHE WAS SEXUALLY HARASSED AS WELL AS AT THE IMMIGRATION OFFICE.

AND ONE DAY SHE COULD NOT TOLERATE ALL THE ABUSE ANYMORE AND THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED.

I WAS SIX YEARS OLD AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WHEN I CAME HOME, I HAD...

I WAS WEARING MY UNIFORM.

I WAS SWEATING FROM SCHOOL, BUT I WAS EXCITED TO TELL HER ABOUT MY DAY.

WHEN I GOT HOME THE WINDOWS WERE CLOSED, WHICH WAS UNUSUAL BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY AIR CONDITIONER AND OF COURSE WE WERE IN CUBA.

AND AS I WALKED OVER THE REAR OF THE HOUSE, I HEARD A FAINT CRY.

I REALIZED IT WAS MY MOTHER.

I COULD ALSO SMELL STRONG ODOR IN THE AIR AS I APPROACHED THE ROOM.

THEN I SAW HER, HER CLOTHES WERE DRENCH AND I REALIZED WHAT SHE WAS ABOUT TO DO.

I RAN TO HER, GRABBED THE MATCHES AWAY THEN I WENT OUTSIDE SCREAMING TO GET HELP, KNOCKING ON EVERY DOOR UNTIL SOMEONE OPENED.

IN NO TIME, MY HOUSE WAS FULL OF NEIGHBORS AND MY MOTHER WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, MY CHILDHOOD ENDED THAT DAY AND WRITING BECAME MY ESCAPE.

ONLY WHEN I WROTE, I FELT FREE.

SO, THAT IS THE INITIAL, THE STORY OF WHY I STARTED TO WRITE.

>>SO, A LOT OF YOUR WRITING ORIGINALLY THEN WAS DONE FOR YOUR OWNSELF-HEALING AND AFTER YOU CAME TO THE UNITED STATES INITIALLY, YOU DIDN'T EMBARK ON BECOMING AN AUTHOR.

YOU WERE AN ACCOUNTANT I BELIEVE.

SO, WHEN DID WRITING BECOME SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE PERSONAL TO SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE FOR ART AND CULTURE FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO READ?

>>WRITING HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN MY LIFE FOR MANY REASONS AND MY MOTHER KNEW THAT.

AND FROM THE MOMENT WE CAME TO AMERICA IN 1980 DURING THE MARIEL BOATLIFT, WE CAME AND AFTER A NIGHT WHEN MANY PEOPLE DIED AT SEA, IT WAS A VERY STORMY NIGHT WHEN WE LEFT.

AND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT, NONE OF US DID.

AND WHEN WE ARRIVED, MY MOTHER SAW THE AMERICAN FLAG IN KEY WEST, AND SHE LOOKED AT US AND SHE SAID, THIS IS THE LAND.

THIS IS THE PLACE THAT I WANTED TO BRING YOU.

HERE, YOUR DREAMS WILL COME TRUE.

AND WE SAW MEN DROP INTO THE GROUND AND KISSING THE GROUND AND IT WAS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE.

AND AT THAT MOMENT, SHE TOLD ME ONE DAY YOU WILL TELL OUR STORY.

I DON'T WANT THE WORLD TO FORGET WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILY.

THIS HAPPENED FROM THE MOMENT THAT WE ARRIVED HERE AND I WAS 15 YEARS OLD THEN, BUT OF COURSE LIFE GETS IN THE WAY.

A LOT OF THINGS HAPPEN AFTER THAT, MY FATHER WAS NOT THE MAN WHO USED TO BE WHEN WE LIVED IN CUBA.

ALCOHOLISM TOOK THE BEST OF HIM AND ONE DAY WHEN I WAS 18, I RAN AWAY FROM HOME.

I STARTED LIFE WITH... WHO'S MY HUSBAND TODAY AND WE HAD A SON.

SO, A LOT OF THINGS WERE HAPPENING, BUT WRITING WAS ALWAYS IN MY LIFE REGARDLESS OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

IT WASN'T UNTIL MY MOTHER... MY FATHER DIED LATER, SEVERAL YEARS LATER, HE NEVER MADE IT PAST 60 AND MY MOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AFTER THAT.

AND AT THAT POINT, SHE SAID, BETTY, WE HAVE NOT FINISHED UP MY STORY.

THEY HAD GIVEN HER SIX MONTHS TO LIVE AND SHE SAYS, WE HAVE TO HURRY UP, WE HAVE TO WRITE OUR STORY.

SHE WAS MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HER STORY COMING OUT THAN SHE WAS ABOUT HER OWN DIAGNOSIS.

DUE TO A DIFFERENT STORY, WHICH I CAN TELL ANOTHER DAY, BUT SHE ENDED UP LIVING 10 YEARS, I FOUND SOME INJECTIONS IN THE INTERNET.

I WENT TO HER DOCTOR, THEY STARTED GIVING THOSE INJECTIONS.

AND THOSE INJECTIONS BECAME THE TREATMENT OF CHOICE FOR HER CONDITION, WHICH THAT ON ITSELF IS JUST ANOTHER STORY LIKE I MENTIONED, BUT SHE ENDED UP LIVING 10 YEARS AND DURING THAT TIME, SHE WOULD WRITE IN JOURNALS AND LETTERS AND I WOULD MEET WITH HER AS MUCH AS I COULD ON WEEKENDS.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A RACE AGAINST TIME ENSURING THAT THAT STORY WAS FINALIZED.

HOWEVER, WHEN SHE DIED AND AGAIN I HAD NEVER READ ANY OF THE MATERIAL THAT SHE HAD WRITTEN.

I READ THE STORY THAT I HAD WRITTEN THROUGH THOSE 10 YEARS AND I SAID, NOPE, THIS IS NOT THE WAY THAT I WOULD WANT MY MOTHER PORTRAYED.

I WROTE HER IN THE THIRD PERSON AND I FELT THAT I NEEDED TO WRITE IT IN THE FIRST PERSON.

I NEEDED HER TO TELL HER OWN STORY.

SO, I WENT AHEAD AND STARTED REWRITING ALL OVER AGAIN.

AND I HAD TO UNDERSTAND WHY A MOTHER WITH THREE CHILDREN WOULD EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

FOR ME, IT WAS INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

AND I HAD TO PIECE HER LIFE TOGETHER, SPEAKING TO FAMILY, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME, I LEARNED ABOUT DEPRESSION AND ALL OF THESE THINGS REALLY HELPED.

AND I UNDERSTOOD WHAT MENTAL ILLNESS, WHAT A STRESSFUL SITUATION CAN DO TO A HUMAN BEING.

AND ONLY THEN I WAS ABLE TO MAKE JUSTICE TO HER STORY.

I PUBLISHED HER STORY IN 2015, AND I WAS NEVER PREPARED FOR HOW PEOPLE WOULD RECEIVE IT.

AND THE IMPACT WAS IMMEDIATE.

THE PEOPLE WOULD REACH OUT TO ME AND THEY WOULD TELL ME, I'VE TOLD SO AND SO ABOUT THE STORY AND ONE PERSON WOULD TELL ANOTHER PERSON AND THEY ASKED ME TO KEEP WRITING.

SO, I ENDED UP WRITING THE SECOND PART OF THE STORY, THE DANCE OF THE ROSE, WHICH WAS AFTER THE FAMILY GOT REUNITED AND THE REST HAS BEEN HISTORY.

I HAVE ALL LOT OF FOLLOWERS ALL OVER THE WORLD AND PEOPLE KEEP TELLING ME, ONCE YOU WRITE THE NEXT STORY, I'M GOING TO READ IT.

AND PEOPLE HAVE COME TO ME WITH THEIR OWN STORIES AND TOLD ME, CAN YOU WRITE MY STORY?

AND THEN I TRY TO CAPTURE DIFFERENT PERIODS IN HISTORY, LIKE THE PEDRO PAN EXPERIENCE.

FOR EXAMPLE, I'VE INTERVIEWED SO MANY FAMILY WHO LIVED THROUGH PEDRO PAN.

I IDENTIFY SO MUCH WITH THEM BECAUSE LIKE ME, THEY LOST THEIR CHILDHOOD.

SO, IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY, SUCH AN AMAZING JOURNEY AND I'VE MET SO MANY PEOPLE WHO SHARED MY PAIN, WHO SHARE OUR EXPERIENCES.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, I'M BRINGING THOSE STORIES TO THE WORLD.

>>BETTY, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE CONTENT WHICH IS SO POWERFUL AND IMPACTFUL.

SO, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT AND SHARING IT WITH THE WORLD.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT TO BE ABLE TO GET YOUR WORK PUBLISHED, IT'S DEFINITELY A PROCESS.

AND SO WHAT DID YOU GO THROUGH TO GET THOSE IDEAS TO SOMEONE ELSE, TO THEN GET THE IDEAS OUT TO THE WORLD?

HOW DOES THAT WORK FOR SOMEONE LIKE YOU WHO HAS WRITTEN FOR YOURSELF AND LOVES IT, BUT THEN HOW DO YOU GET THAT TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

>>I AM ALWAYS AND I GUESS SINCE I WAS A CHILD, HAVING TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE EVERYTHING ON MY OWN.

I DID NOT WANT ANYBODY TO TELL ME HOW MY STORY SHOULD LOOK LIKE.

I ENDED UP CREATING MY OWN PUBLISHING COMPANY.

I SPOKE TO MY PROFESSORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA, MY CREATIVE WRITING PROFESSORS.

I ASKED THEM FOR RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHO WOULD BE A GOOD EDITOR.

I HIRED MY OWN COVER DESIGNERS.

I HAVE MY BETTER READERS.

SO, I DEVELOP BASICALLY MY OWN INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE ABLE TO PUBLISH THESE BOOKS.

I FUND ALL OF THESE BOOKS MYSELF, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IS PUBLISHED IS A QUALITY PRODUCT, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE PUBLISHED TO ZAPOTE STREET BOOKS, WHICH IS THE COMPANY THAT I CREATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF BRINGING OUR STORIES TO THE WORLD.

>>I JUST WANT TO ADD SOMETHING.

I KNOW DAVID THAT YOUR QUESTION IS NEXT, BUT I HAVE TO.

SO, BETTY YOU ARE REALLY PUTTING A STAMP ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOUR FAMILY LEFT FROM CUBA AS WELL.

YOU'RE LIKE, WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYONE TELL ME HOW MY STORY SOUNDS OR READS BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS.

AND SO YOU JUST SAID, I'M OPENING MY OWN COMPANY AND DOING THIS.

SO, I JUST WANT TO SAY, THAT'S ADMIRABLE AND ALSO DEFINITELY AN EXAMPLE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS WOMEN RIGHT, TO GIVE THEM EMPOWERMENT AS WELL.

>>THANK YOU.

YEAH.

I DO BELIEVE THAT.

AND I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKEN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TELL THEIR STORIES AND THERE'S A FEW AUTHORS OUT THERE THAT SAID, I'VE TALKED TO BETTY AND I GOT THIS DONE.

SO, I TALKED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE ABOUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF BOOKS, NOT JUST STORIES ABOUT CUBA.

I HAD SOMEBODY WHO WAS WRITING A BOOK ABOUT DOGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO, I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP OTHERS IN THEIR JOURNEYS.

>>SO, I WANT TO ASK YOU A LITTLE ABOUT CUBA BECAUSE IT PLAYED... OBVIOUSLY THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE FROM, THIS IS THE STORY THAT IS YOUR PERSONAL NARRATIVE AND YOU ALSO HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT PEDRO PAN THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS ON CUBA.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE YOU HAD SOME ENORMOUS PERSONAL FAMILY TRAGEDY AND TROUBLE, BUT IT'S ALSO VERY MUCH A PART OF YOU.

SO, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE ABOUT CUBA AND YOUR LIFE AND WHAT IT MEANS TODAY.

>>CLEARLY, CUBA IS THE PLACE WHERE I WAS BORN.

THE UNITED STATES IS THE PLACE WHERE MY DREAMS CAME TRUE.

SO, AND THAT'S A CLEAR DISTINCTION THAT I MAKE, AT THE SAME TIME I FEEL FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THOSE WHO STAY BEHIND IN CUBA.

AND IT IS NOT UNFORTUNATELY SOMETHING THAT I CANNOT BEING JUST ONE PERSON FIXED.

I KNOW THAT THERE'S SO MANY STORIES, SO MUCH CONFLICT BUT I THINK RIGHT NOW CUBA'S IN THE WORST POSSIBLE SITUATION THEY HAVE EVER BEEN BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY... AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION, PEOPLE WERE GETTING EXECUTED AND THOSE WERE SOME VERY DARK YEARS.

THAT STOPPED AND THEN NOW PEOPLE ARE TAKEN OUT OF THEIR HOUSES, THEY'RE BEATEN, THEY'RE PUT IN JAIL.

THERE'S NO FREEDOM.

THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PROTEST IN CUBA COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 15TH.

AND THEY'RE ALREADY GOING TO PEOPLE'S HOUSES TO FIND THE ORGANIZERS AND JAIL THEM.

I READ IN THE INTERNET THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ALSO GOING TO SPAIN THAT THEY'RE SENDING SPIES EVEN TO PLACES LIKE SPAIN TO FIND WHOEVER IS HELPING THE PEOPLE IN CUBA GET ORGANIZED.

SO, WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY IS I THINK IT'S TAKEN NOW THE NEXT LEVEL IN TERMS OF THE LACK OF FREEDOM.

I HAVE MANY PEOPLE REACHING OUT TO ME, ASKING ME TO TELL THEIR STORIES.

THERE'S A POET THAT HAS SENT ME SEVERAL POEMS ABOUT THE LACK OF FREEDOM IN CUBA.

I ACTUALLY INCORPORATING THAT INTO MY NEXT BOOK.

I AM TRYING TO BE AN OUTLET FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT A VOICE.

>>BETTY, WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE TRYING TO BE AN OUTLET, IF I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU CAN SHARE, BUT ARE YOU ALSO TRYING TO BE AN OUTLET FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CUBA?

>>YES.

ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT WROTE TO ME SHE A POET WITHIN CUBA.

SHE DID NOT WANT HER REAL NAME USED BECAUSE SHE WAS ALREADY TOLD THAT SHE WOULD BE PUT IN JAIL, THAT HER FAMILY WOULD BE AT RISK BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN SO OPEN ABOUT THE SITUATION IN CUBA.

AND I TOLD HER, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE YOUR POEMS I THINK ONE OR TWO IN MY NEXT BOOK, BUT SHE GAVE ME A PEN NAME AS OPPOSED TO HER REAL NAME.

>>WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE FROM HERE?

I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ONE PERSON CAN'T FIX, BUT YOU'RE ADDING SOMETHING TO THE MIX OF EMPOWERMENT AND HELPING IN YOUR OWN WAY, BY BEING A BRIDGE AND ACCEPTING THESE POEMS LIKE YOU SAID.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE?

BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, SO IT'S NOTHING NEW AND AS YOU SAID THINGS ARE PRETTY BAD THERE RIGHT NOW.

SO, WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE?

WELL, I HAVE BEEN CONNECTED AND I AM SO THANKFUL THAT I'VE HAD SO MANY... WHAT I CALL ANGELS ALONG THE WAY THAT HAVE OPENED DOORS.

THERE'S THE GENTLEMAN WHO CREATED ALL THINGS CUBAN, THAT'S THE SITE THAT HAS I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 90,000 MEMBERS RIGHT NOW.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM CUBA WHO CONNECT TO THAT SITE.

AND I HAVE FOR THE LAST ALMOST TWO YEARS, I HAVE BEEN WRITING POSTS EVERY WEEK, SHARING PARTS OF MY STORIES FOR THOSE PEOPLE IN CUBA WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO READ THEIR OWN STORIES.

AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY PEOPLE TELLING ME, KEEP WRITING, WE WANT TO KEEP READING BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE WOULD NOT KNOW.

OUR STORIES HAVE BEEN DENIED TO US, SO I GET CHILLS EVERY TIME I HEAR THAT.

I'VE COMMUNICATED WITH MANY FAMILIES, I STILL DO AND THEY'RE SO DESPERATE.

THE DESPERATION IS PALPABLE BUT I'M HOPING THAT THROUGH READING MY STORIES, THEY'RE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN STOLEN FROM THEM.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

IT'S EXPENSIVE.

THEY DON'T HAVE INTERNET.

SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO WAIT TO GET THEIR CARDS REFILLED.

SO, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO DO BUT THEY'RE MANAGING IT.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, SOME PEOPLE...

THERE'S ONE LADY THAT I ACTUALLY SENT THE ENTIRE BOOK TO HER PICTURE BY PICTURE BECAUSE SHE REALLY WANTED TO READ WAITING ON ZAPOTE STREET, OF COURSE THE SPANISH VERSION.

AND FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, I KEPT TAKING PICTURES OF EACH PAGE AND SENDING THEM TO THEM.

AND SHE WOULD TELL ME, I LOOK FORWARD TO EVERY WEEKEND THAT I'M ABLE TO READ YOUR STORIES BECAUSE IT'S LIKE BREATHING TO BE ABLE TO READ ALL OF THIS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE ME, EVEN BEFORE SHE WAS BORN, SHE FELT LIKE IT WAS LIKE BREATHING.

SO, TO ME THERE'S NOTHING COMPARED TO THE FEELING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE FREEDOM, THE FEELING OF FREEDOM.

>>I WAS GOING TO ASK A LITTLE ABOUT THE POWER OF THE ARTS, BECAUSE YOU'RE TALKING THE REACTION YOU'VE RECEIVED FROM PEOPLE LIVING IN CUBA AS WELL AS ELSEWHERE IN THE GLOBE TO YOUR STORY.

WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES THEM SO ATTACHED TO A PERSONAL NARRATIVE LIKE THIS?

AND WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HOW THE ARTS CAN ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER EVEN WHEN WE HAVE SITUATIONS THAT ARE LONG STANDING POLITICAL STANDOFFS LIKE U.S.- CUBA?

>>I HAD NEVER BELIEVE THAT THE ARTS COULD HELP AS MUCH AS THEY ARE, AS I SEE THAT THEY'RE HELPING.

AND TO ME HAS BEEN AN EYEOPENING EXPERIENCE TO SEE HOW IT'S NOT ONLY CONNECTING ME TO THE PEOPLE IN CUBA, BUT IT'S CONNECTING ME TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

AND IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

AND I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH POWER IN THAT CONNECTION AND THAT IT'S NOT VERY MUCH EXPLORED.

IN FACT, PEOPLE CONNECT TO ME ALL THE TIME AND THEY TELL ME, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY GRANDPARENTS.

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MY PARENTS.

DO YOU HAVE STORIES THAT CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE I WAS BORN?

AND YOU SEE NOW GRANDPARENTS BUYING THESE BOOKS.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE MY ENTIRE COLLECTION.

SO, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT AS AN AUTHOR, I THINK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CAPTURE NOT STORIES THAT WERE HAPPENING IN HAVANA, BUT I ALSO TRIED TO GET INTO THE PROVINCES.

LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, I WROTE THE GIRL FROM WHITE CREEK.

IS MY FATHER-IN-LAW, MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S STORY.

MY HUSBAND ASKED ME TO WRITE THEIR STORY BECAUSE THEY HAD SUCH AN AMAZING STORY OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY.

THINGS THAT YOU DON'T HEAR BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HAVANA, BUT NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PLACES LIKE [INAUDIBLE] AND THE SMALL TOWNS AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING WHEN THE REVOLUTIONARIES WERE COMING INTO THESE TOWNS AND THEY WERE HARASSING FAMILIES.

AND ONE STORY THAT I SHARED IN MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S BOOK IS WHEN THEY CAME TO HER HOUSE AND SHE WAS STILL A CHILD, THEY CAME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND THEY WERE OUTSIDE WITH GASOLINE TANKS AND THEY WERE HITTING THE GASOLINE TANKS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

AND THEY WERE YELLING EITHER YOU GET OUT OF YOUR HOUSE AND GIVE US YOUR JEEP, OR WE'RE GOING TO BURN DOWN THE HOUSE WITH THE ENTIRE FAMILY INSIDE.

>>THIS HAPPENED TO MY MOTHER IN-LAW, WHEN SHE TOLD ME THAT STORY, I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, THAT HAS TO MAKE IT TO A BOOK BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS THESE FANTASIES ABOUT WHAT THE REVOLUTION WAS, WHAT THE REVOLUTIONARIES WERE AND THIS IS A NORMAL FAMILY.

THEY WERE NOT RICH.

MY FATHER-IN-LAW WORKED FOR SUGAR COMPANY.

MY MOTHER-IN-LAW'S FATHER WORKED FOR SUGAR COMPANY, HER MOTHER WAS A HOUSEWIFE.

SO, THEY WERE NOT RICH.

THEY LIVED WELL.

THEY LIVED A COMFORTABLE LIFE.

MY FATHER-IN-LAW WAS A COWBOY.

HE HAD SEVERAL BROTHERS, OVER 10 BROTHERS AND THEY LIVED IN A FARM.

AND YET HIS FARM WAS REPOSSESSED.

AND THIS FAMILY THAT BY ALL, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT THE STANDARDS TODAY, THEY WOULD BE A POOR FAMILY, BUT A HARDWORKING FAMILY.

SO, WHAT THE REVOLUTION DID TO CUBA, THEY DESTROYED THE COUNTRY.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THIS POINT KNOWN.

>>BETTY, ARE YOU WORKING ON HAVING ANY OF YOUR BOOKS APPEAR ON TELEVISION OR ANY VIDEO PLATFORMS?

>>YES.

I HAVE CONNECTED WITH MANNY SOTO AND HE'S AN AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER AND HE WILL BE WRITING THE SCRIPT FOR WAITING ON ZAPOTE STREET.

AND THE GOAL IS TO SEE THIS ON TELEVISION WHEN THEY... WE'RE WORKING ON A SECOND PROJECT AS WELL ON A DOCUMENTARY.

SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO CONTINUE TO BRING THOSE STORIES TO THE WORLD BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT.

AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE THROUGH ALL THIS, MANY OF THEM ARE DYING.

AND IF THESE STORIES ARE NOT CAPTURED, THE WORLD IS GOING TO LOSE THEM.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

>>YOU KNOW BETTY, YOU JUST MENTIONED ABOUT LANDING AT KEY WEST AND WHAT A PROFOUND EXPERIENCE THAT WAS IN TRANSFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE IN YOUR LIFE, AND WHAT COMING TO THE UNITED STATES MEANT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AT THAT TIME.

A LOT OF TALK THESE DAYS ARE ABOUT DIVISION AND SOCIETY IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO, AS AN IMMIGRANT WHO WENT THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, HOW DO YOU REACT TO THAT?

AND IS THE UNITED STATES STILL THIS LAND OF OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO SO MANY CUBAN AMERICANS AND OTHER IMMIGRANTS?

>>BASED ON WHAT I'M SEEING AND I JUST HELPED MY COUSIN IN CUBA APPLY FOR THE DIVERSITY VISA AND THERE ARE LEGAL MEANS TO COME TO AMERICA AND THOSE CLEARLY THEY DO EXIST.

I UNDERSTAND THE NEED OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROTECT THESE BORDERS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE COMPASSIONATE AND THEY CARE.

UNFORTUNATELY, HAVING OPEN BORDERS IS NOT THE ANSWER BECAUSE WE CANNOT RECEIVE EVERY SINGLE PERSON OF THE WORLD, BUT MY HEART BREAKS EVERY TIME I SEE THOSE CHILDREN AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.

I MEAN, YOU CANNOT NOT BE IMPACTED BY WATCHING SOME OF THE VIDEOS OF THE CHILDREN ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH THIS.

>>AND I CRY, TO ME IT'S HARD TO EVEN...

I TOLD MY HUSBAND, I CAN SEE IT.

I CAN SEE IT BECAUSE I CAN SEE MY MOTHER REFLECTED IN THE EYES OF THESE WOMEN.

I CAN SEE US REFLECTING IN THE EYES OF THESE CHILDREN.

SO, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION AND I JUST HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THESE COUNTRIES THAT CAUSE SITUATIONS THAT MAKE THEIR PEOPLE IN SUCH A DESPERATE SITUATION, THAT THEY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE TO WALK SO LONG TO TRY TO GET TO THE LAND OF THE FREE, THAT THEY TAKE ANOTHER LOOK TO THEIR COUNTRIES AND THEY SEE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

TO ME, THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY AND EVERYTHING STARTS WITH THE GOVERNMENTS OF THOSE COUNTRIES.

>>BETTY, A LOT OF YOUR WORK IS BASED ON FREEDOM, THE LACK OF AND I WONDER WHICH ONE OF THOSE BOOKS WAS THE MOST CHALLENGING FOR YOU TO WRITE?

>>CLEARLY, THE MOST CHALLENGING FOR ME WOULD BE WRITING MY MOTHER'S STORY AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IN ORDER TO MAKE A JUSTICE, I HAD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED.

AND I HAD TO PUT MYSELF IN THE CHARACTER'S PLACE, IN HER PLACE.

IT'S NOT DIFFICULT TO PUT YOURSELF IN A CHARACTER'S PLACE WHEN IT IS SOMEONE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW THAT INTIMATELY, BUT WHEN IT IS YOUR MOTHER AND YOU KNOW THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED AND TO BE ABLE TO PUSH YOURSELF, AND I BELIEVE THAT SUICIDE IS THE LAST THING THAT ANYBODY SHOULD EVER DO.

I THINK THERE'S SO MANY SOLUTIONS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO PUT MYSELF, SOMEONE WHO THINKS THE WAY I DO IN HER SHOES ON THE DAY THAT IT HAPPENED TO BE ABLE TO WRITE HER STORY, THAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING THAT I HAD EVER DONE.

>>AND IT IMPACTED ME GREATLY.

I REMEMBER WHEN I ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, IT WAS TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND I'M... TEARS JUST COMING AND COMING.

I CAN'T STOP AND I FIGURE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEEDED TO EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT'S PART OF MY HEALING PROCESS.

SO, DEFINITELY IT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING.

AND EVEN READING HER NOTES AFTER SHE'S GONE AND I'M LOOKING AT HER WRITING, AND I FELT LIKE MANY TIMES THAT SHE WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME WRITING THAT STORY.

IT IS SUCH AN AMAZING AND INCREDIBLE FEELING THAT ABSOLUTELY THE MOST DIFFICULT THING THAT I'VE EVER DONE.

>>BETTY, WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE SHORT OF TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO ASK YOU WHILE WE STILL HAVE YOU ON, WHAT'S NEXT?

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE STORIES THAT CAME TO YOU LARGELY FROM YOUR LIFE AND YOU'VE HEARD FROM SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR STORIES, WHAT'S NEXT?

>>I AM CURRENTLY WRITING A BOOK, LETTERS FROM CUBA.

I HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM MANY PEOPLE THAT I'M INCORPORATING, BUT I'M ALSO WRITING A NOVEL AS PART OF THIS BOOK.

SO, I'M SUPER EXCITED.

IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE TODAY DURING THE PANDEMIC, A GRANDDAUGHTER AND HER GRANDFATHER AND SHE DISCOVERS SOME LETTERS FROM HER GRANDFATHER AND THOSE LETTERS HELP HER CONNECT THE DOTS IN HER LIFE.

SO, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

SO, THAT'S MY NEXT PROJECT.

>>THERE'S NO STOP FOR YOU.

IT'S ONWARD AND MORE PROJECTS ARE COMING YOU, PROBABLY THAN YOU HAVE TIME FOR THEM.

>>YES.

I'M ACTUALLY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AT LIONS EYE INSTITUTE.

I AM A CONSULTANT ALSO FOR A HOTEL, I DO MY WRITING.

I THINK PART OF MY PROCESS IS THAT I HAVE TO WORK 16 HOURS A DAY TO FEEL THAT I'M WHOLE.

EVERYBODY TELLS ME, BETTY, HOW CAN YOU DO IT?

I SAID, THAT'S THE WAY THAT I COPE WITH EVERYTHING.

AND I ENJOY EVERYTHING THAT I DO.

I REALLY DO.

>>BETTY, WE ONLY HAVE LIKE 20 SECONDS, BUT I WANT TO KNOW, DO YOU VISUALIZE YOURSELF DOING THIS WORK IN CUBA ONE DAY?

>>NO.

I DON'T HAVE PLANS TO EVER GO BACK.

I JUST DON'T.

I FEEL THAT THE UNITED STATES RIGHT NOW HAS BECOME MY HOME.

MY SON WAS BORN HERE, MY NEPHEWS WERE BORN HERE.

I DON'T SEE MYSELF GOING BACK.

>>BETTY VIAMONTES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR INCREDIBLE EXPLANATION OF YOUR WRITING, VERY MOVING.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

>>AND THANK YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE.