Vanessa Garcia, Award-Winning Author, Urges Love and Understanding in Divided Times: Learn the Past, Empower the Future

Vanessa Garcia warns that cultural self-hate is rising, but believes pride and understanding can heal the divide.

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, July 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Vanessa Garcia, acclaimed author and cultural advocate, is speaking out against a troubling trend spreading across social media and within communities: the rise of self-directed criticism and internal attacks targeting one's own cultural or ethnic identity. “Know Your History, Own Your Future,” says Garcia.

"Across public platforms, I’m witnessing a growing trend of intense criticism aimed at community leaders,” Garcia exclaims. “People are being publicly questioned and even attacked for the way they choose to engage with critical issues. This is particularly evident within the Cuban-American community, but it echoes across many cultures. We must remember that just because someone's activism doesn't look like ours, it doesn't mean they aren't deeply committed to a change for the overall good. Everyone fights their battles in their own way, and we need to lead with understanding rather than judgment."

In a heartfelt message, Garcia addresses what she describes as an emerging wave of “self-hate” where members of her own culture criticize and divide each other over political choices, perspectives on immigration, and interpretations of history. She emphasizes that while disagreement exists, it is crucial to respond with understanding rather than division.

“I see Cuban-Americans standing up for immigrants and refugees every day,” Garcia says. “I was there alongside them in protests. We have immigration attorneys and activists in our community fighting for the rights of those seeking refuge. Yes, some Cuban-Americans voted for the current administration, just as many other Americans did. Instead of attacking, we must ask why, seek understanding, and look deeply at our shared history.”

Today, a wide range of issues are creating deep divisions within the Cuban-American community, none more pressing than immigration enforcement. According to VisaVerge, immigrant arrests have surged in U.S. courts as ICE aggressively pursues a goal of 1 million deportations. Under a 2025 courthouse arrest policy, immigrants are increasingly targeted after mass case dismissals, resulting in over 271,000 deportations.

“My family fled tyranny. My grandfather escaped three dictatorships, Franco, Hitler, and Fidel Castro, and shared the lessons of those dark times. The cultural wounds are often passed down silently, leaving younger generations without the full context to understand their heritage and the complexity of their community’s past struggles. This gap fuels the current tensions and internal conflict,” explains Garcia.

These stories, of exile, resistance, and cultural survival, are the foundation of Garcia’s work, including her award-winning children’s book What the Bread Says, which explores her grandfather Papan’s escape from three tyrannies: Franco’s Spain, Nazis in France, and Castro’s Cuba. Garcia also created the podcast, Never the Empty Nest, focusing on family, heritage, and the bonds that can never be broken. Click here to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/never-the-empty-nest/id1580751049

“These stories are the foundation of my work; they’re about reminding us who we are and where we come from, especially when the world tempts us to forget. We must stop joining the bandwagons of hate. True healing and progress come from love, which means deep understanding. Love is harder than hate, and it’s not always ‘cool’ but it’s what our future depends on,” Garcia concludes.

About the Author:

Vanessa Garcia is a Cuban-American author, playwright, and journalist. Her writing has appeared in The LA Times, The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, and beyond. Her children’s book, What the Bread Says, tells the story of her grandfather’s flight from oppression and the legacy of freedom he passed down to her. Through books, plays, and media, Garcia is dedicated to amplifying voices that have been erased or distorted, starting with her own.

Website: https://www.vanessagarcia.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanessagarciawriter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessa-garcia-9204b918/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vanessagarciawriter/

Never the Empty Nest: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/never-the-empty-nest/id1580751049

Email: vanessa.thekrane@gmail.com

Amanda Kent
Boundless Media USA
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