Maria A. D’Ulisse-Cupo
Vicenta was born in Cuba, 1954. At the age of two she and her mother immigrated to the United States via Florida. Vicenta has since married an Italian and has two beautiful children. She has moved from West Haven and is living in Bethany.
Interviewer: Can you brief me on your family’s first few years in the United States?
Vicenta: My father had preceded us in 1955. He came to New Haven because his brother Jorge had written him many times telling him of the opportunities available here and how much better life would be for his family. At that time Cuba was under Battista’s rule, but many Cubans felt that life would not be so easy if the young militant Fidel Castro took over. And that’s exactly what happened. My father came alone to establish a household and secure a job. He was working in a factory and brought home a sufficient amount every week to feed and clothe his wife and daughter.
Interviewer: At what age can you remember your neighborhood and any features that are still quite visible in your mind?
Vicenta: At the age of four I began picking up English words I had learned from playing with my newly acquired friends. I remember feeling comfortable with these friends. My neighborhood consisted of diverse ethnic families, including Italians, Irish, Polish, Puerto Ricans and other Cuban families. One day I came home and asked my mother for milk and cookies. My mother gave me a strange look because she did not understand what I was saying. My mother had not learned English because she wasn’t exposed to the English language. She had only gone up to the sixth grade in Cuba, but from that point on she became determined to learn. Soon afterwards I had a new brother, which thrilled me so much, because now I was becoming like the other kids in the neighborhood.
Interviewer: What can you recall about your grammar school experience?
Vicenta: I attended a Catholic elementary school, because my parents’ felt that a Catholic education is more valuable than that of public school. I remember my grammar school days as a new learning experience. I did enjoy going to school very much.
Interviewer: Did your peers treat you differently?
Vicenta: As I grew older I recall some of my classmates calling me names. When they learned that I wasn’t of Italian origin and that I was Cuban, they called me a “Communist”, “Cube” and a Puerto Rican. I found these downgrading and at times harmful. I would run to my mother and ask her to explain the difference between myself and the other neighborhood children. The nuns I had in school would always protect me and later would ask me curious and strange questions. What type of foods do you eat? What is your family really like? Why are you so different than the other Hispanics?
Interviewer: As a teenager did you find yourself being defensive in peer or social situations?
Vicenta: Yes, at this point my defenses arose. I tried to understand why people were so mean. My mother helped me understand as much as possible. I felt like a minority in comparison to the dominating Puerto Ricans and Italians. As years went by I developed a proud attitude of being Cuban.
Interviewer: What problems did your family face while you were growing up?
Vicenta: In high school (still Catholic) I began helping my parents out. Although my mother had been working full-time, I did not regret coming home to an empty house. I understood that it was necessary for my mother to work outside the home also so she could help my father make a better life for us. We then moved from New Haven to then a suburb—West Haven—. The neighborhood was ethnically integrated, but it wasn’t as noticeable as the one in New Haven. My father was attending night school to learn English and he eventually owned a small business of selling clothing, household goods and hardware door to door. I became his private secretary. I would do all the accounts payable and receivable. I would call the distributors in New York. I also helped my mother around the house and helped raise my little brother.
Interviewer: What values developed from your family situation?
Vicenta: My family (parents) were instilling their Cuban values and family traditions. I had learned to become responsible and aggressive. I was taught that the family is very important, UNITY. The family always comes first no matter what.
Interviewer: You also mentioned that to this day, although it may sound funny, but part of the Cuban tradition that is still hard to understand is superstition. What type of things would you be superstitious about?
Vicenta: Well, like I said it sounds funny, but whenever I see a black cat, or walk under a ladder, I get nervous! My mother would tell me stories about witches or
curanderas,
who is a healer. How herbs cure certain aliments. How certain types of animals aren’t good luck. Just a few things like that; makes my life interesting I suppose.
Interviewer: How do you feel towards other ethnic groups now?
Vicenta: I naturally feel very open towards other ethnic groups. I have a definition which I would like to share about being a Cuban. ” Cubans are the Jews of the Caribbean, they are ambitious, persistent, hard-working and very responsible to their ethnic group.”
Interviewer: Would you explain the last line of your definition?
Vicenta: Other Cubans and I feel proud to be what and who we are. We take pride in our jobs, upkeep of our homes, raising our children properly and mannerly and instill responsibility in them at an early age. We have priorities and every Cuban will put forth their best.
Interviewer: How would you prepare your children in accepting their own ethnic groups?
Vicenta: Although they are still young, my husband and I show them where Italy and Cuba are located. I cook many ethnic meals and explain to them any traditions or customs that are linked with them. At Christmas we show them our different customs. We are slowly trying to teach them Spanish. My husband does not know the Italian language well, because he has since forgotten it. But, generally speaking, we prepare them on a daily basis to accept others and not to hold any prejudices.