History

The committee was formed in Los Angeles in 2019 and is affiliated with the National Network on Cuba (NNOC). Our activities include public educational programs such as video showings, talks from visiting Cubans, and report backs from those who have recently traveled to Cuba. We participate in humanitarian material aid campaigns including the FriendShipment and caravans organized by Peace and IFCO. We also support and organize tours to Cuba so that people from the U.S. can see the island nation for themselves, including those affiliated with RESPECT.[1]
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The LA Hands Off Cuba committee promotes medical, educational, scientific, and cultural collaboration and exchanges between the U.S. and Cuba. We are committed to continue working to end US aggressive policies toward Cuba, as well as other Caribbean and latin American countries including U.S. regime change efforts in Venezuela and Bolivia. We support the struggles of popular movements of poor, working, and indigenous peoples of the Americas to obtain peace (economic, political and social), as well as en end to environmental destruction.

​For more information please contact us.

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Current list of LAHOC sponsors, unions & organizations participating in LAHOC events

Enrique Berumen García -director, Cuban documentary "Cubana 455."                         
Tania Torres- Producer & host, Canto Sin Fronteras, KPFK
Floyd Bryan- Past President, ILWU S.CA District Council.
Guadalupe Cardona- Chair, LA Raza Educators Association
Bita Amani-Public Health Professor and Social Epidemiologist 
Mike Vera- Inland Boatmen’s Union of the Pacific, So. CA.
Kevin Kucera- Int’l Assoc of Machinists, Bus. Rep District 190
Black Alliance for Peace- SOCAL
Global Health Partners
James Lafferty- Nat’l Lawyers Guild LA President, Emeritus                               
BAYAN SoCal
International Association of Machinists, IAM Local 1484- 
Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA)
Roofers Local 36
BAYAN- GABRIELA- Filipino group
Nodutdol- Korean group
African People’s Socialist Party (APSP)
David Trujillo - Playwright/writer;
Mark Gaynor- Westside Chair, Democratic Socialists of America                  
Julian Assange Defense   
Black is Back Coalition                    
Arturo O'Farrill- Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance, Prof. UCLA, Jazz 
George Funmaker- Native American, Ho-Chunk/Dakota nations
Juan Blanco/Angelica Cardona- San Diego ‘We Are One’                   
José Prado- Cal State Dominguez Hills, Sociology professor 
Lee Robinson- African Awareness Association                                                
Mzuri Pam Beli- S. CA All African People’s Revolutionary Party 
LA Progressive
Codepink
J. Hamil- Teamsters 396-UPS 
Emily Zamora-Bus Riders Union
Carlos Ugalde- Glendale Com. College, Professor Latín American Studies 
Nadir Romo- Venceremos Brigade-LA
LA Movement Advancing Socialism
ACLU- Pasadena/Foothill Chapter  
Midnight Books 
Anti-Racist Action-LA & ChangeLinks & Pacifica Fightback
Walter Lippmann- CubaNews, Editor-in-Chief
Tsukuru Fors- Pacific Asian Nuclear-Free Peace Alliance
Labor/Community Strategy Center
Brown Bear Party
Luis Malik- Palmdale Anti-Imperialist Study Group
Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice
Iña Martinez- Int’l Coord, Uniting Peace w/Actions, Respect, Dignity 
Peace and Freedom Party
Socialist Unity Party
Socialist Workers Party

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LAHOC Highlighted Activities (June-December 2023)
1. Organized six-delegation reportback of May Day trips @ KIWA (Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance) offices
2. Supported, publicized LA Tenants Union (LATU) reportback meeting with LA MAS (Movement to Advance Socialism)
3. Hosted and supported two SOH (Sanctuary of Hope) Cuba trip reportback meetings
4. Organized Medical Aid fundraising concert with Dayramir Gonzalez (raising $2,000 for Global Health Partners)
5. Participated in abortion rights protests with Cuban women’s rights & Family Code flyers
6. Joined strikes & multiple pickets of SEIU (Kaiser Hospital, Hotel, LA SEIU Harbor pilots) and United Auto Workers
Union (UAW) with (workers’ rights Cuba vs. US). Joined in Teamsters for a Democratic Union pre-strike action.
7. Internal discussion/debate and vote to reorganize LA Hands-Off Cuba Ctte to operate by Roberts Rules of Order and
democratic voting procedure. Developed simplified mission statement of 3 priority demands.
8. Participated in meeting honoring Cuba supporter Rev. James Lawson, Holman Methodist Church
9. Joined and supported BAYAN (coalition of Filipino groups) sponsored activities, International Human Rights Day, two
Filipino trade union leaders’ meetings @ IAM hall, LB Filipino migrant workers center educational
10. Joined in Nodutdol (Korean activists’ group) meeting
11. Participated in 7+ Palestine protests with Cuban Int’l Cttee for Friendship w/the People (ICAP) statement on Palestine
12. Table sponsored by International Assoc. of Machinists Union (IAM) at LA Labor Day event in Wilmington
13. Organized Belly of the Beast Liz Oliva tour of 500 in LA, 6 campuses, 1 High School, 1 union meeting (IAM)
14. Participated in NNOC (National Network on Cuba) national conference
15. Collaborated with Inland Boatman’s Union (IBU- Marine division of International Longshoreman’s and
Warehouseman’s Union (ILWU) to pass resolution to remove Cuba from SSOT.
16. Collaborated with AFL-CIO “On the Move” newsletter to publicize area Cuba for multiple events
17. Collaborated with 2 IAM locals for LA Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO) to pass a resolution to remove Cuba from SSOT.
18. Organized Brenda Lopez testimony, European International Tribunal Against US Blockade of Cuba in Brussels
19. Attended and helped formation of Cleveland US Hands Off Cuba committee
20. Joined San Diego Cuba Ctte, We Are One, in outreach events (including a Cuban music concert)
21. Organized extensive media coverage of LAHOC activities with multiple KPFK programs, alternative newspapers.
22. Advanced growth of LAHOC by bringing in new groups: DSA-LB, Jewish Voices for Peace, Sanctuary of Hope…
23. Participated in multiple activities & protests for UHURU 3 defense, APSP Chairman LA tour, defense rally for
Guadalupe Cardona, LAHOC leader and La Raza Educators president
24. LAHOC members back from Havana Cubambiente (International Environmental conference) spoke at Miami forum
25. Sponsored multiple showings of Cubana455 with director/producer Enrique Beruman.
26. Joined with Cuba healthcare flyer: Medicare for All rally (CA Nurses Assoc. (CNA) & Nat’l Nurses Union (NNU) sponsored)
27. Collaborating with US-Cuba Labor Exchange & Building Relations with Cuban Labor for May Day tours
28. Joined with US-Cuba Labor Exchange in tabling at Labor Notes Chicago Conference of 4,000.
29. Participated in Labor Notes Troublemakers LA conference of 300 with IBU
30. Purchased professional mobile translation equipment for LAHOC use in Cuba then to be donated to CTC and ICAP.
31. Sold $600 of Cuban educational books, 400 Cuba Si, Bloqueo No! buttons, Expanded our mailing list to 1700
32. Organizing “Labor and Youth Activists” delegation to CTC (Central de Trabajadores Cubanos) Pasantia and May Day
33. Collaborate /multiple interviews/articles in Cuban media: Granma, Cuban TV, Radio Habana, La Prensa, Trabajadores
34. Ongoing collaboration with Cuban Acuario Nacional, El Bohio (Fisheries magazine), U. of Habana
35. Sponsored and participated in ICUJ protest demanding “US Out of Guantanamo.”
36. Participated in KPFK fundraiser 1.20
37. LAHOC delegation attended the UN vote on the resolution to end the US blockade of Cuba
38. Collaboration and participation with Starbucks Workers Union, Amazon Labor Union organizing efforts, Inland Empire
39. Collaboration on-going with Not Just Tourists to arrange LA area delegations to bring medical Aid to Cuba.
40. Joined in zoom and signal planning meetings for BAYAN, DSA, Jewish Voices for Peace.
And more…
THE LAHOC NOW INCLUDES PARTICIPATION, SUPPORT AND/OR SPONSORSHIP OF MORE THAN 50
ORGANIZATIONS, UNIONS AND PROMINENT INDIVIDUALS.