A young Cuban, Jennifer, known on TikTok as @cuba.en.sc, has sparked a deep debate online after sharing a video in which she used the complaints of a young Cuban worker at Walmart as a starting point to reflect on some attitudes of Cuban immigrants in the United States.
In her words, the young woman began by describing how she had seen a video of "a strong, young man" working in the Dairy section at Walmart, complaining about the harsh conditions, especially the cold that was "burning his hands." According to her, the entire video of the young man was "practically a cry," leading her to wonder: "You who came crossing rivers, crossing jungles, crossing seas, what do you expect when you arrive in a country that is not yours? Do you expect to cross the Río Bravo and be the CEO of a company?"
With this questioning, he went on to refer to what he considered an unrealistic expectation of immediate success by some Cuban immigrants.
For her, it is essential that immigrants understand that to move forward, they must prepare, study, "take courses and do things," and not dwell on complaints: "If your hands are freezing, wear gloves."
During her reflection, the creator also recalled her own experience as a newly graduated engineer in Cuba, where she had worked alongside "gentlemen engineers" with decades of experience who earned exactly the same salary as her, and who wore "worn-out boots" and clothes in poor condition after years of work, without any hope of improving their situation: "There is no job growth there," she emphasized in her video, alluding to the fact that on the island, even if one works hard, "promotions are for the military" and "the salary is that and that's it."
For this Cuban, the recurring complaints and demands of some immigrants also negatively affect the image of the Cuban community: "Because of people like that, we have a reputation, Cuban men as lazy and women as prostitutes," she laments, asserting that not all Cubans are like that.
"Respect those who were left behind on the journey, that one who couldn't make it here," he requested.
In her final reflection, Jennifer invited Cubans not to be swayed by the negativity of these videos and to remember why they had left Cuba.
"When you feel that you were better off in Cuba and that you work a lot here, remember your last day on the island how it was; remember your first day when you set foot on American soil that you could breathe for the first time; remember the first time you went to a market," he said.
"Remember, remember how poorly you lived, remember the heat, the mosquitoes, the suffocation, the noise, the stench, that today there is no water, tomorrow there is no gas, they cut off the electricity. When you feel like you are failing here, remember that the failure is in Cuba and does not depend on you, because no matter how hard you try, in Cuba there is no perspective," he concluded his words, which have generated a wave of reactions on TikTok.
While some supported his stance, other users expressed their disagreement. One follower commented: "The U.S. is the most logical country I know; if you use only 20% of your intelligence, you will notice that there are immense possibilities"; "One comes to this country to start from scratch and be smart, in order to rise to where one's own pride is"; "Well said, your education and humility are evident"; "Exactly, it had to be said and it was said," some opined.
On the other hand, there were those who defended the right to complain. "Why do you judge? What's the problem with complaining? Complaining is the first step to being dissatisfied and starting to move forward"; "You have a colonized view of what life is. Not everything boils down to working like a slave to have a house. Life is not just about succeeding. Life is something more that needs to be defined"; "Who are you to judge? Calm down, we need to complain and realize how bad things are for us to progress," added others.
What do you think?
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