Just one day after the Chicago City Council unanimously voted for normalized relations with Cuba, the Milwaukee Board of School Directors also unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday night, calling “on the Biden administration and all other appropriate political, health and educational authorities to promptly invite negotiations with their Cuban counterparts to explore mutually beneficial cooperation, as a step towards normalization of relations between our countries.” The Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba strongly supported this resolution and their expression of support can be read here.

The resolution noted that Cuba’s free educational system has been recognized internationally and by US scholars “for its consistently high academic performance, its focus on cultural inclusiveness, equity and student engagement — all things that US educators could benefit from through cultural exchanges.”

The resolution also noted that Cuba’s medicine has assisted a West Bend, Wisconsin man with advanced lung cancer, and it is providing free medical school education to a 2010 MPS graduate who hopes to work as a doctor in an underserved area in the US, debt-free.

MPS board member Tony Baez, an expert and consultant on bilingual education throughout the western hemisphere, co-sponsored the measure and hailed its adoption, saying “we have much to learn from and share with our Cuban brothers and sisters.”  Board members Bob Peterson and Annie Woodward were also co-sponsors.

Dr. Raul Galvan, a prominent member of Milwaukee‘s Cuban American community who was born in Havana, also welcomed such initiatives, “Hopefully Biden and Congress can move promptly to normalize travel to and trade with Cuba and establish an ongoing dialogue with the Cuban government.”  

The resolution will be sent to the president and members of Congress from Wisconsin. It joins not only Chicago but also Detroit, Cleveland, Madison, WI, and many other cities in adopting similar resolutions. The full MPS resolution can be read here, and the Chicago City Council resolution can be read here. For more information, contact the Wisconsin Coalition to Normalize Relations with Cuba, wicuba.org.