Understanding the historic strides that Cuban and Cuban-American politicians have made in South Florida, particularly in Miami, Havana-born Fortune 500 executive and nonprofit CEO Carlos F. Orta recognizes their important and dynamic contributions in his new book "From Havana to DC: The Rise of Cuban Americans in Florida Politics."
CHEVY CHASE, Md., July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Understanding the historic strides that Cuban and Cuban-American politicians have made in South Florida, particularly in Miami, Havana-born Fortune 500 executive and nonprofit CEO Carlos F. Orta recognizes their important and dynamic contributions in his new book "From Havana to DC: The Rise of Cuban Americans in Florida Politics."
"I wrote this book to express my gratitude to the first group of individuals such as Roberto Casas, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Xavier Suarez, and many others who I had the honor of working with as they made history," said Orta. "Working with them was a privilege that has led to lifelong friendships, some lasting over 35 years. Also, I wanted to share the untold story of modern Cuban political history because understanding our past is crucial to our future."
Many who didn't see a future in the Communist island nation know of the sacrifice and struggles to find a better life elsewhere. Orta's family emigrated from Cuba to Spain for political asylum. In August 1971, they made Miami their new home. In 1988, an internship opened the door for Orta to enter the world of Cuban American politics.
From 1988 to 2000, Orta's reputation grew as he worked on successful political campaigns and served as a legislative aide. After that, he became a lobbyist for several Fortune 500 companies. In 2006, he moved to Washington, D.C., for an eight-year term as president and chief executive officer of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR), a nonprofit with a mission to advance Hispanic inclusion in corporate America.
Throughout the book, Orta gives a primer for readers into Cuba's history and important events that shaped the island country's relations with Spain, the United States, and Russia, such as the independence from Spanish rule, the turbulent and iron-fisted dictatorships of Fulgenico Batista and the Fidel and Raul Castro regimes, The Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, and the Mariel Boatlift in 1980.
Orta also describes how Cubans and Cuban-Americans gained political power in Tallahassee and how many aligned with the Republican Party. A noticeable change happened as Cubans became eligible to vote in their new country. He wrote how during the 1960s and 1970s Cubans favored the Democratic party, yet in the late 1970s, many turned Republican because of President Ronald Reagan's staunch anti-Communist and anti-Castro stance.
Readers also will learn about the next generation of Cuban Americans that won elective office, leaders like current United States Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida), current Florida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, and Daniel Perez, who in November becomes the third Cuban-American to serve as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
Orta also includes Cuban Americans outside of South Florida who have made names for themselves including current United States Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, Robert and Rob Menendez of New Jersey, current members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, and Carlos Mayans, who served in the Kansas Legislature from 1993 to 2003.
Mayans came to America through the Operación Pedro Pan/Operation Peter Pan program, which ran from 1960 to 1962. The program, developed by Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh, director of the Catholic Welfare Bureau, saw more than 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban youngsters arriving through special flights to the United States to escape Communist indoctrination.
"Regardless of my role as a public servant, political aide, corporate executive, nonprofit CEO, and/or Chief Diversity Officer, I have always prided myself in being bipartisan," he wrote. "It is so important to me. I see so much value in understanding how the other side thinks and why they think that way and, more importantly, how we can work together."
Orta hopes his book will resonate with readers about the importance of America's freedoms, the strength of its democratic society, and the sacrifices of those starting new lives in this country.
"America is the greatest country on earth, and our democracy is the envy of the world," he said. " "We're about to celebrate America's 250th birthday in 2026. While not perfect, the American 'experiment' has not only worked, it has thrived! "
The book is available at Amazon.
About Carlos Orta:
Carlos, the only child of Carlos and Maria L. Orta, was born in June 1966, in Havana, Cuba. He and his family emigrated from Cuba to Spain, where they sought political asylum. In August of 1971, they made it to America and settled in Miami, Florida, where Carlos grew up. Not speaking a word of English and his parents working 3-4 jobs, the first few years were a struggle.
His foray into politics at the age of 21 began unexpectedly with an internship offer from a high school friend, leading to an impactful career. Carlos quickly rose through the ranks, excelling in political campaigns and serving as a legislative aide before transitioning to the corporate world as a lobbyist for several Fortune 500 companies. Transitioning to the nonprofit world, Orta's leadership continued as he led the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility in Washington, D.C., for eight years, advocating for Latino representation in corporate America.
Carlos is based in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Mary Ann Gomez. He is currently working on a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Georgetown University. As he is out promoting the book, he cherishes the opportunity to connect with readers and peers, anticipating new learnings and friendships. For more information, visit https://www.havanatodc.com. ###
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SOURCE Carlos F. Orta
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