After several meaningful, emotional, aid-driven trips to Cuba, one of Art Johnston's most memorable was in 2013—for what he missed in Illinois.
Johnston and his longtime partner, Pepe Pena, plus a small group of other aid-workers from Illinois were in Cuba that November while the same-sex marriage bill passed in Springfield, leading to the legalization of gay marriage in Illinois—which Johnston had, of course, campaigned vigorously for.
They celebrated on a rooftop in Havana.
"That was very interesting," Johnston said, laughing.
Johnston, the co-owner of Boystown nightspot Sidetrack, has been going on relief- and support-driven missions to Cuba for five years. He was, in fact, in Cuba this March and will be back in the island country in the Caribbean in November, too, with about 15 others from Chicago and the Midwest, delivering much-needed medical supplies and more to the country, particularly, to the hospitals.
"It's very emotional going to Cuba, always, even more so for those who are Cuban.
Life is just very different for the everyday Cuban [living in Cuba]," Johnston said. His partner, Pena, returned home to his native Cuba back in February 2011 for the first time in nearly 50 years. Pena was born in Cuba in 1943, left for the United States in 1962—and he had not been back since.
Johnston and Pena have been humanitarian mission workers, endorsed by the U.S. and Cuban governments. They bring medicines not available in Cuba, particularly to help treat kids with cancer, and meals, mostly for senior citizens.
Pena and Johnston traveled south on behalf of First Hand Aid, a group of volunteers delivering much-needed medical supplies and more to Cuba.
"There is a lot of interest in Cuba these days, with a lot of that credited to President Obama and his recent moves," Johnston said of the new policy of normalizing relations with the communist country. Obama in early April shared a historic handshake with Raul Castro at the Summit of the Americas, and days later told Congress that he intended to take Cuba off the state sponsors of terrorism list, moves that many believed would have been unthinkable just years ago.
Thanks to the change in the culture toward Cuba, including travel restrictions to that country, Johnston is fully expecting that his annual fundraiser for First Hand AID—called Havana In Chicago, and running from 4-8 p.m., at Sidetrack on Saturday, April 25—will benefit the charity's needed medical and day-to-day supplies for Cubans.
"First Hand Aid does remarkable work for the people in Cuba who greatly need it and otherwise wouldn't receive it," said Brad Balof, Sidetrack general manager, who has attended both of the past two Cuba fundraisers.
Johnston is hoping to raise $25,000.
The first two Cuban fundraisers have generated a combined $45,000.
Advance ticket sales for the event are way ahead of the past two years, Johnston said.
"It is an ambitious goal, but I am confident that we can hit [that total]," he said. "I truly feel this will be the best $50 fundraiser you'll ever go to. We'll celebrate all things Cuban."
Havana in Chicago will feature a Cuban buffet from Siboney Cuban Restaurant and Cuban music from Angel D'Cuba, and more. There will be a Cuban-inspired silent auction with artwork, artifacts, gift certificates, and more—with all proceeds going directly to First Hand Aid.
Also on display at the fundraiser with be samples of the bags of medicine that Johnston and his crew of aid workers bring to Cuba, which include antibiotic creams, Tylenol and other over-the-counter medicines are the not available in Cuba.
The top prize in the Havana In Chicago silent auction will be a catered dinner for eight from gay-owned J&L Catering, valued at $1,700. There also will be a future party at Sidetrack available for auction, for up to 50 people with all drinks included—an $1,800 value.
The auction also will have a strong local baseball flavor, fittingly, as baseball "is almost a religion in Cuba … no question about it, baseball is the national sport of Cuba, perhaps even more so than here [in the U.S.]," Johnston said.
The Chicago Cubs donated an autographed jersey of Jorge Soler, who was born in Havana.
The Chicago White Sox also donated to the fundraiser, Johnston said.
Funds from the event will be used for meals to aid home-bound seniors, and more.
Johnston's annual November trips to Cuba include many from the LGBT community, as well as Cubans who never been back to their native country in years, decades or ever.
"To be [at Sidetrack] with hundreds of others from our community, listening to Cuban music, enjoying Cuban food … it is just a real joy," Johnston said. "I really believe this year's event will be bigger and better than any of the past."
Tickets to the fundraiser are available online ( firsthandaid.org/purchase-tickets ) and at the door.
