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Lizbet Martínez

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Lizbet Martínez
Born
Lizbet Martínez

1981 or 1982 (age 41–42)
Cuba
Alma materFlorida International University
OccupationElementary English educator
Known forplaying "The Star-Spangled Banner" after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard

Lizbet Martínez[1] is a Cuban violinist and English teacher at M.A. Milam K-8 Center.[2]

During the ""balsero crisis" of 1994, over 30,000 Cubans immigrated to the United States from Cuba on rafts.[3] Seen as a symbol of the balsero exodus, Martínez first became known on August 21, 1994, as a 12-year-old rafter from Cuba.[4][5] This was when the U.S. Coast Guard picked her and her family out of her raft.[6] The Coast Guard wanted to take her violin because they thought the case might contain a weapon. She then opened the case and started to play "The Star-Spangled Banner" on her violin.[7] She spent five months at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base before being relocated to Miami.[8][9]

Martínez attended Florida International University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in music education.[10] At her graduation at Florida International University she played the anthem in front of her fellow graduates to kick off the university's commencement ceremony.[11] Martínez later played on her violin in front of United States Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.[8][12][13] Martínez also performed alongside Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada.[14]

She later became a teacher at Emerson Elementary, before teaching at M.A. Milam K-8 Center.[2][15] She taught music, until budget cuts took away Milam's music program, leading her to teach English. Martínez has two children.[3] Martínez was also featured in the film Voices from Cuba.[16] After 20 years passed since Martínez emigrated from Cuba, a follow-up article was published about the situation.[3]

References

[edit]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ Horowitz & Suchlicki 2003, p. 321.
  2. ^ a b Tester 2010.
  3. ^ a b c Torres 2014.
  4. ^ Santiago 2014.
  5. ^ "In their own words" 2004.
  6. ^ "Violin remains key" 2003.
  7. ^ Marquez 1994.
  8. ^ a b Zucco 2003.
  9. ^ Davison 1995.
  10. ^ De Valle 2003.
  11. ^ Diaz 2003.
  12. ^ Richter 1995.
  13. ^ Kelly 1995.
  14. ^ Marquez 2001.
  15. ^ Lamas 2003.
  16. ^ "The Voices" n.d.

Sources

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  • Davison, Phil (February 8, 1995). "Cuban 'angel' tries to save refugees". The Independent. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  • De Valle, Elaine (December 17, 2003). "Cuban violinist proof that dreams can come true". Miami Herald. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  • Diaz, Madeline BarM-s (December 17, 2003). "A Star-spangled Performance". The Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • Horowitz, Irving Louis; Suchlicki, Jaime (2003). Cuban Communism (11th ed.). Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7658-0520-1. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  • "In their own words ..." The Free Library. January 1, 2004. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  • Kelly, Tom (April 14, 1995). "With Violin Music In The Background, Florida's Immigration Debate Begins". The Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2012.
  • Lamas, Daniela (September 15, 2003). "From Cuba, with her treasured strings attached". Cuba News. Yahoo! Groups. Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  • Marquez, Myriam (November 7, 1994). "Cuban Refugees At Guantanamo Caught In Web Of Hopelessness". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • Marquez, Myriam (May 23, 2001). "Between Reagan Redux And A Post-elian Reality". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • Richter, Paul (March 31, 1995). "For Growing States, GOP Block Grants 'May Be a Trap,' Clinton Says". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • Santiago, Fabiola (August 18, 2014). "20 years ago, 35,000 'balseros' fled Castro's Cuba on anything that would float". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  • Tester, Hank (September 23, 2010). "All Grown Up: The Face of the Cuban Rafter Crisis". NBC Miami. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • "The Voices". Voices from Cuba. Archived from the original on October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  • Torres, Nora Gámez (August 31, 2014). "Young Cuban rafter who played Star-Spangled Banner on boat is now a mom and teacher in Hialeah". Miami Herald. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  • "Violin remains key part of refugee's life". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. December 17, 2003. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  • Zucco, Tom (December 16, 2003). "Humble violin gave voice to her future". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
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