10/30/2008

South Florida Flava

A brief photoessay on what's happening in Miami-Dade. I'm here for the weekend promoting my book.

Huge crowds lined up to hear me read from Walking to Guantánamo. Well, not actually. Florida has early voting, and these folks are waiting to exercise their democratic rights. The Lemon City Branch Library polling place is in the Haitian 'hood, in the sixties blocks, just west of Biscayne Boulevard. More kreyol is spoken on the streets here than English or Spanish, and after all the shenanigans eight years ago these voices will not be suppressed this time. Waits have reportedly been 2, 3 and 4 hours, but nobody gives up and goes home, and the name of their candidate is Barack Obama.

Many, many tropically landscaped homes are for sale, and many have already been lost by their once-proud owners and put on the block by the banks. Some have the windows boarded, and the gates padlocked, with Sheriff's warning signs. "Avoid Foreclosure" offers are posted everywhere, but for thousands it is too late.





Don't forget to vote, whatever state you live in.

In other South Florida news, John Hood's piece about my walk across Cuba came out today.

In national news I was on Public Radio International and BBC's "The World" discussing the book, also today. I'll post a link to the audio stream soon, but for now, check out the Walking to Guantánamo photo gallery on the front page at theworld.org

UPDATE: Check the radio interview HERE.

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