San Francisco, May 25 — San Francisco hosted this year's Latin American Studies Association (LASA) conference, with over 3,000 delegates worldwide attending. Most exciting was the presence of 70 Cuban scholars at the LASA 4-day event. Without justification, 11 prominent Cubans in various academic fields were denied visas by the U.S. government. A strong resolution condemning Washington's denials was passed by LASA.

Bay Area activists hosted several events with the Cuban delegates. In San Francisco, an inspiring "Cuba in Focus" forum was held Wed., May 23 featuring Cuban scholars including Miguel Barnet, as well as Canadian authors Isaac Saney and Keith Bolender. Pictures and video of the speeches at that event can be seen here.

Mariela Castro, Danny Glover, Alice Walker, Miguel Barnet and Saul Landau were among the special guests who spoke to a large audience on Fri. May 25, at Intersection for the Arts gallery in downtown San Francisco, at a special reception for the Cuban delegates to the LASA Conference. Cristina Díaz, vice-rector of the University of Havana, and Gloria La Riva, coordinator of the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, co-emceed.

A special highlight of the evening were phone calls with Gerardo Hernández and René González. In a moving conversation between Mariela Castro and Gerardo—who spoke from inside Victorville prison where he is serving two life sentences unjustly imposed on him by the U.S. government—Gerardo said, "Please give a message to your father, that we are as determined as we were on day one, and we will remain determined for as long as it takes."

Mariela Castro, Danny Glover, and Alice Walker

Complete video of the event:

Separate video of phone call with Gerardo Hernández (includes ads, please excuse):

Sequence of photos of Mariela Castro talking with Gerardo:

More photos from the event