A Cuban resident in Seattle, Washington, who shares her life on the TikTok account @laoshuncit4 under the name "Cuban in Seattle," has joined one of the most popular trends among the diaspora on social media: documenting the progress of the renovation of her house in Cuba.
The creator published her videos in mid-August, and although her content blends moments of faith and everyday life, the hook that resonates most with her followers is that invisible thread between Seattle and the island: a house that is being transformed brick by brick with money earned in the United States.
It is not the only one. Since 2025, and with much more strength this year, TikTok has become the favorite platform for thousands of emigrated Cubans to showcase the "before and after" of homes in Havana, Holguín, Pinar del Río, Caibarién, and other provinces.
What ties all these stories together is a blend of pride, nostalgia, and a silent—or very direct—response to those who criticize them for "showing off."
What distinguishes the "Cuban in Seattle" is precisely her city. Seattle is not Miami or Tampa; the Cuban community there is small, which makes her story somewhat more unique within a trend that already has its own stars.
And the truth is that remodeling a house in Cuba from abroad is not a cheap whim. According to documented cases, the cost can exceed several thousand dollars. All this in a country where construction materials are scarce and where the State has been unable to address the housing deficit for decades.
Other Cuban women have followed this same path with great impact. Yoa Cancino showcased the before and after of her home in Holguín and garnered over 133,800 views. Iris Deysi presented a three-story house in Pinar del Río that she started in August 2025, which was already in the final stage in May of this year. Additionally, a 20-year-old named Ana Leyla posted a video of her modest home in Cuba at the end of August that surpassed 67,700 views.
The motivation, in almost all cases, is the same: to have a place to return to, to support the family that stayed behind, or simply to not depend on anyone. As one of these creators summarized when explaining why she shares her achievements: "It's not vanity, but pride in having started from scratch."
The "Cubana en Seattle" is doing it her way, from a rainy city in the northwest of the United States, with her sights set on a home that is gradually becoming more hers.
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