PROUD TO BE PART OF NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PLACES
TEAM PRESERVING AND ENHANCING LITTLE HAVANA
(CNN)Little
Havana: It's the Miami neighborhood whose name conjures up so much.
When waves
of Cubans fled their homeland after the 1959 revolution and in the decades that
followed, many headed to the neighborhood that is still the emotional center of
Miami's Cuban community. It's also home to a growing number of immigrants from
other parts of the Americas.
Even though
many Cubans and their descendants spread out across South Florida and beyond,
Little Havana has remained the heart of Cuba in exile, where café con leche and
cigars still abound.
Now, it's
officially a national treasure.
"Little
Havana is a symbol of the immigrant experience in America and a thriving,
entirely unique place that thousands of people currently call home," said
Stephanie Meeks, the nonprofit's president and CEO.
"The
National Trust welcomes the urban resurgence that is breathing new life into
cities across the country, but we also believe that growth should not come at
the expense of the vibrant historic neighborhoods like Little Havana that make
cities unique and desirable places.
"As we
work to preserve and celebrate Little Havana, we want to make sure it remains a
healthy, vital and affordable urban neighborhood."
With the
declaration, the National Trust is launching a long-term planning process that
seeks to work with local residents and partners to protect the community of
Little Havana while planning for its future.
"This
historic designation enshrines the diverse culture and history of Little
Havana," said Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado. "Little Havana has been the
destination for hundreds of thousands of Latin American immigrants since the
1960s seeking the promise of a new life in America.
"This
national recognition confirms the neighborhood's cultural significance in the
immigrant experience."
