Invite: I'm hosting the virtual premier of a new Cuba documentary Monday

And I afterwards will be moderating a panel with Reps. Barbara Lee, Ilhan Omar, Jim McGovern, and the Cuban journalist starring in the film

On Monday evening, I’ll be moderating a virtual panel with Reps. Barbara Lee, Ilhan Omar, Jim McGovern, and Cuban journalist Liz Olivia Fernández on U.S. policy toward Cuba, following the premier of the new documentary “Uphill on the Hill.” (Watch a trailer here.)

The virtual event starts at 7 p.m. ET, and you’ll be able to watch the documentary, produced by Belly Of The Beast, for free there. It runs a little less than an hour, and the discussion will follow it. Here’s an eventbrite to sign up to get the link. 

The documentary follows Fernández on her first ever visit to the United States, as she tries to answer the question: Why?

Why is the United States still intent on impoverishing her country?

There was a glimmer of hope of normalization under the Obama administration, but it was reversed by Trump, who wanted to reverse everything Obama did just for the sport of it, but in this context, he also wanted to please hardliners in Miami. We understand that. But why did Biden continue his policy? Why not revert to the policy of the Obama administration, where he served as vice president? Those are also the questions I’ll be asking during the Q&A after the movie.

If you’ve been following our reporting on the American medical missions trapped in Gaza by Israel’s siege, Jeremy Scahill and I have a follow up with some new details, as some medical volunteers have gotten out, while others are refusing to leave while replacements are being blocked from entering. That article is here.

And I wanted to pass on this petition that’s been going around, which opposes the crackdown on student protests, demanding their right to free speech and assembly. You can sign that here.