Academic Council and Forums
Raíces has sponsored three conferences at Harvard (2003), Georgetown (2005) and Princeton (2006) focused on role of youth in promoting a free Cuba. These conferences were designed to promote analysis, debate and activism. Our sponsored forums have featured presentations by distinguished academics, scholars, activists, artists and even former heads of government. At each conference, panelists make presentations and participants are able to ask questions or present remarks.  Many of our past panelists and scholars belong to the Raíces de Esperanza Academic Council. Raíces and student groups continue to sponsor conferences and forums across the university network. To learn more about resources and opportunities for sponsoring a conference or forum, contact us at academic@raicesdeesperanza.org.

	2003: Georgetown Harvard Cuba Conference at Harvard University, End of the Year Report
	2005: Georgetown Harvard Cuba Conference at Georgetown University, End of the Year Report
	2006: Princeton Harvard Cuba Conference at Princeton University, Proposal

Island-Direct Conference Calls
Finding it difficult to see the impact of your actions on Cuba’s youth? The chance to speak directly with your counterparts on the Island, pro-democracy activists and everyday young people, is readily available through Island Direct Conference Calls. To schedule a conference call for your group, contact our Island Direct Coordinators at SN@raicesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: Island-Direct.

Student President’s Committee
In order to connect campus groups across the country, Raíces has enacted a formal Student’s President’s Committee composed of representatives from each university and high school in the Student Network. Representatives will participate in a monthly conference call. The calls will serve to establish communication and collaboration between all student groups, while effectively delivering breaking news from the Island, project updates, and event notices to every member of the Student Network straight from Raíces’ project coordinators. To register your group and have a representative participate in monthly conference call, contact us at PC@raicesdeesperanza.org.

Young Professional Networking
Raíces’ Young Professionals (YP) Network was created by conference alumni to give graduating students and other young professionals a forum to continue supporting our mission. Raíces sponsors opportunities to network and engage student conference alumni and other YP’s in Miami, DC and New York that want to take a proactive role in supporting our island counterparts. To learn more about the YP network or establish a group in your city, contact us at YP@raicesdeesperanza.org.

 

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“Amor, Amistad y Eperanza” Solidarity Bracelet
As a symbol of the fraternal bond shared with our counterparts on the Island, Raíces de Esperanza hascreated a bracelet to represent the principles of “amor, amistad y esperanza” (love, hope, and friendship). The bracelet consists of one blue and one white piece of yarn braided together, to signify that the world youth community and those who remain on the Island are bound together through their love, friendship and hope. We encourage all groups and individuals who share in these uniting ideals to participate in spreading this symbol. To have bracelets sent to your organization or for more information on how to make your own, contact us at SN@raicesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: Solidarity Bracelet.

 

Book Drive
Raíces de Esperanza is working to collect Spanish language literature to send to youth and families of political prisoners and independent libraries in Cuba. Freedom of thought is a pillar, not only of democracy, but also of any legitimate state. We hope that this project may help lay the foundation for this pillar with our counterparts who have been born into a system lacking this fundamental freedom. We encourage student groups to sponsor book drives for this cause. To learn about independent libraries in Cuba check out www.bibliocuba.org and www.friendsofcubanlibraries.org. For more information on this project, contact us at SN@raícesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: Book Drive.

Editorial Board
Ever wanted to have your writing published? Join the Raíces E-Board! Our E-Board will be monitoring Cuba related news and working to publish your perspective on the issues and events that arise. We will help you publish your writing in your campus or local newspaper. Later, these articles, class papers, or artwork will also be submitted for publishing in Raíces de Esperanza’s newly expanded monthly newsletter. Please contact the E-Board Directors at SN@raicesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: E-Board to join the E-Board immediately!

High School Outreach
Raíces de Esperanza is working to encourage youth to become active in their own communities…and now students don’t have to wait until they enter a university setting to get started! Raíces members hold information sessions in high schools to encourage students to start their own organizations and raise awareness about organizations that may already exist in the universities they are planning to attend. In this way we hope to cultivate a united and active youth community, working together to promote the ideals of democracy and freedom in Cuba. For more information or to hold an information session at your high school, contact SN@raícesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: High School Outreach.

Letter Writing Campaign
While pro-democracy and human rights groups exist on the island of Cuba and have flourished in recent years, the current regime has been working to keep them underground and isolated. As a fundamental goal of our group, Raíces de Esperanza actively supports Cuba’s young leader of its emerging civil society. One way of directly showing our support is through a letter writing campaign that aims to develop direct, individual connections between youth within and outside the Island. We encourage student groups to sponsor letter writing campaigns for this cause. For more information on this project, contact SN@raícesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: Letter Writing.

March 18th Commemorations
On March 18, 2003, the Cuban regime conducted a massive crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy and human rights activists, imprisoning doctors, journalists and librarians. To bring attention to the plight of these 75 prisoners of conscience and their families, several Raíces affiliated groups have held yearly events on March 18 ranging from silent marches to information booths to petition drives. Student groups interested in holding an event to raise awareness on this issue should contact us at SN@raícesdeesperanza.org with Subject Line: March 18th Commemorations.