[FA Worldmusic] Cuba Exchange Policy

[David Gaar - Ritmo Artists]

Hello,

Perhaps many of you have already recieved this e-mail below directly from Bill
Martinez regarding the ongoing efforts to work towards changing our
governments policy with respect to cultural exchange between the US and Cuba.

For those not familiar with Bill or his company, he is an immigration attorney
who has been actively working towards normalizing cultural exchange between
the US and Cuba for well over the past two decades.    He was quite actively
responsible for helping open things back during the Clinton adminstration when
- for the first time since the embargo -  the State Department finally
reversed their long-standing policy and granted Irekere a US visa for their
'96 tour.     His organization was then instrumental in securing US work
permits / touring visas for almost every Cuban performer that toured the US in
subsequent years.  Our agency has worked with Bill previously in securing the
work permit approvals for artists such as Bamboleo, Adalberto Alvarrez y su
Son, La Familia Varela Miranda and Sierra Maestra.

Unfortunately, we all know that this spirit of cultural exchange that was
brewing in the late 90's came to a screeching halt with the current
administrations new policy of denying the homeland security clearances
necessary to enter the US for any performers (not to mention academics, poets,
etc...) that have attempted to tour the US since 2003.

That said, I highly recommend that we all check out the following web-link
at:

www.cubaresearch.info/cubaletter

to gain more insight on the current changes that the administration is working
to push through the Treasury Department which, if adopted, would further
squelch any opportunities to normalize the cultural exchange between our two
countries.

Hopefully you will be so inclined to include your own names and organizations
in this growing list of persons who feel strongly about this issue.

Any questions should be directed to Bill at:  bill at billmartinez.com



Best regards,


David Gaar / Ritmo Artists



----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Martinez
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2007 11:55 PM
Subject: Support for Cultural Exchanges with Cuba
Hello to All Supporters of US-Cuba Cultural Exchanges


This is an urgent call to all supporters of cultural exchanges with Cuba. In
the next few days, the Treasury Department may be eliminating the "public
performance" category for authorized travel to Cuba. That means no U.S.
artists will be allowed to perform in Cuba. This is a part of a continuing
anti-engagement policy of the current Administration which also continues to
deny visas to Cuban artists who wish to perform in the U.S.


We have prepared a letter directed to the Bush Administration requesting a
re-opening of cultural relations with Cuba, which have been shut off by our
government since 2003, and for steps towards the normalization of relations
between our two countries. The letter and impressive list of initial
signatures is located at www.cubaresearch.info/cubaletter, including a form
that you can use to sign the letter easily. The letter has been developed by
members of the US-Cuba Cultural Exchange network.


The letter is in part a response to a call from Alicia Alonso, Director of the
National Ballet of Cuba, to US artists and intellectuals. Alonso's letter is
also visible at the site, but I'm attaching to this message as well.


We're going public with this on Tuesday, the day we're delivering the letter
to George Bush. We hope you'll join us and also spread the word.


If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me.


Thank you for your support.


Bill Martinez



Martinez & Associates

2 Bayside Village Place, Suite 414

San Francisco, CA 94107

phone- (415) 974-6485

fax- (415) 358-4703

bill at billmartinez.com

www.billmartinez.com