A Cuban resident in Miami donated half of his first earnings on TikTok to a young woman who cannot walk in Guantánamo, in a gesture of solidarity that went viral on the platform on Monday and moved thousands of followers.
Ernesto Pérez (@ernestoperez_80) posted the video early this morning and within a few hours, it garnered over 23,200 views, 2,382 likes, and 122 comments. In it, he shows how he hands over bill by bill 15,000 Cuban pesos —equivalent to 30 dollars— to the mother of Janet, a young woman from the Primero de Mayo community in the city of Guantánamo, who cannot support herself in walking.
"My first salary from TikTok, after just two battles, was sixty dollars. Here are fifteen thousand pesos, which is equivalent to thirty dollars, and we're going to donate it today to a family in need," explained Ernesto at the beginning of the video.
The creator has only been active on the platform for three days and has already generated 60 dollars through TikTok LIVE battles, live competitions where viewers donate virtual gifts that convert into real money. Staying true to his promise, he allocated 50% of that income to Janet's family.
"This donation comes from my own money, from my sacrifices, but it wouldn't be possible without the support of all of you," said Ernesto, who also made a public appeal to obtain a wheelchair for the young woman: "She wants to have a social life sometimes and go out and sit in front, but she can't."
Janet's mother received the money, visibly moved: "I give thanks and I thank you all because God touched his heart. You have a God, and so do I, because I am tired. Amen."
This type of gesture has become a trend among Cubans in the diaspora who use TikTok as an alternative channel of solidarity towards the island, in a context where the average salaries in Cuba amount to between three and five dollars per month, and the accumulated inflation has surpassed 200% since 2021.
The Cuban influencer Dairon Cano starred in a similar gesture in Miami last year, when he assisted a compatriot experiencing homelessness with 60 dollars and food. Another creator known as "El Creador Cubano" pleaded for help for Cuba in tears in a video that also went viral this month. And a Cuban in Miami distributed food to those in need on the streets in an act that also generated significant resonance.
The Primero de Mayo community, where Janet lives, is a neighborhood of informal settlements in Guantánamo, one of the easternmost provinces severely impacted by the economic crisis in Cuba.
Ernesto closed the video with a goal that summarizes his purpose: "We’ve been on TikTok for three days and have generated sixty dollars. If you support me, we could generate, I don’t know, a thousand, two thousand dollars and help hundreds of people here in Guantánamo. Thank you for helping me help."
Filed under: