Dear Cuba Policy Advocates:

Season's greetings! We are writing to you today to alert you to an upcoming event in Washington DC on March 15, 2005—and to strongly encourage you to write it on your calendar in ink and plan to be there.  It is going to be big!

Many of the groups that work against the travel ban have decided to convene a large gathering of all the people who oppose travel restrictions (and the full embargo) to speak out against the current policies and to educate our members of Congress. We envision people representing many sectors (academics, travel professionals, Cuban Americans, the faith community, activists, businesspeople, public officials, cultural groups and others) coming together to demonstrate the breadth and depth of our coalition” and the strength of our resolve to change this policy.

We consider you to be some of the most effective advocates for change in policy and would like to invite you to Washington for this event. We need large numbers of people; we want ALL of you to come” and to bring friends.  Plan to come to DC the day before and depart the day after so you can be part of all the events.  And please spread the word to all your networks, and help us make this day a roaring success!

The tentative agenda for the day is as follows:  

The other side (supporters of the embargo) is doing increased organizing to try to tighten the restrictions and defeat attempts to institute a more humane and just policy. We feel that this event would help to show Congress, the administration and the rest of the nation that OUR side is in the majority and that we won't be silenced by a small group of vocal hardliners. We feel that this year is crucial in pushing back against the hijacking of Cuba policy by hardliners over the past couple years.

We will be sending more information as the event takes shape; but we wanted you, as our core supporters and most faithful activists, to block out the date, begin to recruit friends, and make plans to come to DC.

We hope that you find the idea of this event as exciting as we do. We think that this day will be the kickoff to a year of successes.

Warmest holiday regards,

Philip Schmidt

Mavis Anderson

Latin America Working Group

www.lawg.org