A Cuban residing in Miami is sparking an extensive debate on social media after posting a video on TikTok where she bluntly states what she believes to be the worst mistake a woman can make: being financially dependent on a man.
@azulina1oficial, a Cuban influencer with approximately 1.2 million followers on that platform, opens the clip with a personal confession that serves as a hook for her message: "The worst mistake I've ever made in my life was allowing a man to support me while I was a 24-7 slave in a house."
From that personal experience, she issues a direct call to women: "Work, fight, earn your own money; his money is his, yours is yours, don’t depend on anyone, depend on yourself."
The content creator does not rule out the possibility that her partner contributes financially to the household, but she draws a clear line: "He should help you, yes, but what is yours is yours; the day that man gives you a kick, you can leave with your head held high."
The central argument of her message is that economic dependency is not just a financial issue, but a question of power: "If you don't work and you're lazy, and you're there as a slave, that man has power over you, don't allow that."
The video concludes with a reflection that encapsulates his philosophy of life: "There is no worse poverty than depending on someone; even at a minimum, you have to rely on someone, and that is being miserable."
Her personal motto, which she concludes the clip with, has become the most repeated phrase among those sharing the video: "A woman who stands on her own doesn't kneel before anyone."
Azulina's message doesn't arise in a vacuum. She emigrated from Cuba in 2023 through humanitarian parole and, as she recounted in a live broadcast in March of this year, she went from working as a waitress to generating an income of $5,000 a month through online sales. Her profile has accumulated over 45 million likes and more than 1,500 videos published, most of which focus on female entrepreneurship, dropshipping, and digital marketing.
Her story fits into a broader trend. Other Cuban women have celebrated similar achievements in the diaspora, such as the one who bought her house in the United States without male support, or the one who arrived alone in Spain and built her life from scratch.
Within the island, the landscape pushes in the same direction. A Cuban couple needs more than 40,000 pesos per month just to feed themselves, equivalent to six average salaries, according to the Food Monitor Program. This reality has led thousands of women to start businesses out of necessity, like this young Cuban who generates income living in Cuba or who started with less than 100 dollars and today celebrates the success of her business.
The debate on how Cuban couples manage their finances has also gained traction on social media. A Cuban influencer recently explained how she divides her finances with her boyfriend, sparking a similar discussion about economic independence and dependence within the couple.
According to data from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 58% of Cubans who emigrated to that country in 2023 and 2024 were women, a figure that reflects the importance of the quest for autonomy in the decision to leave the island.
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