Cuban Author Legrá Launches First Novel, Dedicating It to Exiles: "Writing is a call for justice"
Title: A Fresh Perspective on a Hidden Past: Kevin Legra's "The Price of an Ideal"
Today's Tidbits (June 3rd) 🗞️
On Málaga's sun-kissed shores, the award-winning novel, "The Price of an Ideal," by Cuban author Kevin Legra, was unveiled. This stirring tale, the winner of the city's 18th Málaga Novel Prize, is a testament to the power of literature as a beacon of justice and resistance.
Writer Kevin Legra chose to pen this work to expose the little-known saga of the Military Units for Aid to Production (UMAP), forced labor camps that operated in Cuba between 1965 and 1968. These camps were home to dissident artists, intellectuals, homosexuals, and practitioners of certain faiths—an era of repression that remains shrouded in secrecy.
"I didn't bloody know what I was getting myself into," admitted Legra during the book's presentation at Galaxia Gutenberg. Inspiration struck when he received the testament of his childhood friend Orestes Rivero, one of those who faced the UMAP's iron grip. Despite having academic duties that kept him busy for five years, Legra took to investigating and researching, a journey that lasted 1.5 years.
In a heartfelt conversation, Legra shared, "I didn't just possess a novel, but a debt to the silenced for decades and their fight for survival under a regime that deemed them as outcasts." Connecting Rivero's story and his own, the work discusses the high price of individuality, identity, and what it means to be Cuban—both within and beyond the homeland's borders.
"The Price of an Ideal" isn't merely a historical denunciation and a chronicle of the past, but a mirror to contemporary struggles unveiling the endless fight to preserve one's identity when everything around seeks to erase it. Unfortunately, due to the book's content, it's highly unlikely to find it stocked on Cuban shelves, but Legra remains hopeful that it will find its way into the hearts and minds of readers, regardless.
Living in Arucas, Las Palmas, Legra notes that emigrating or going into exile is like a plant in a glass of water—having all it needs but not grounded, an emotion he experienced living in Spain. As he presented the book in typical Cuban attire (a guayabera and a pin with the Cuban flag), he candidly addressed the challenging circumstances driving Cubans to leave their beloved homeland economically.
"While I could present an endless tale of UMAP's horrors, I'll leave that to your imagination, dear reader," whispered Legra, hinting at the trials and tribulations that echoed through the labor camps.
Background Matters
The Dark, Hidden History of UMAP Forced Labor Camps 🔍
From 1965–1968, Cuba's government, under Fidel Castro's regime, constructed the Military Units to Aid Production (UMAP). Primarily designed to detain and "reeducate" undesirables—such as homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses, and those outside the regime's socialist values—the camps were notorious for their systematic abuse and oppression. UMAP was a chilling symbol of the state's intolerance and suppression of marginalized groups during the revolution.
A Thought to Ponder
For those brave enough to delve deep into Cuba’s political and social past, it's recommended to explore historical texts, primary sources, and scholarly analyses on the subject to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the UMAP camps and their impact on Cuba’s citizens.
- The author, Kevin Legra, admitted during the book presentation that he took on a debt by writing "The Price of an Ideal," as he felt it was a responsibility to tell the story of those silenced for decades.
- Despite the controversial content, Legra remains hopeful that his novel, "The Price of an Ideal," will find its way into the hearts and minds of readers, regardless of whether it can be found on Cuban shelves.
- The novel, "The Price of an Ideal," is not only a historical denunciation and a chronicle of the past but also a mirror to contemporary struggles, revealing the endless fight to preserve one's identity when everything around seeks to erase it.
- Living in Arucas, Las Palmas, Legra pointed out that emigrating or going into exile is like a plant in a glass of water—having all it needs but not grounded, an emotion he experienced living in Spain.
