About the Project / Acerca de este proyecto
Sharing traumatic memories from the journey from Mariel to Fort McCoy, as well of the difficult resettlement years that followed that summer of 1980, has been a strenuous and emotionally-taxing task for these Mariel refugees. Through this project, they have reconnected with former camp interpreters, army and camp personnel and old sponsors. They are rewriting, now in their own words, a unique and neglected segment of the history of the Mariel Exodus and the state of Wisconsin. More importantly, collaborating in this public scholarship project has empowered these Mariel refugees with their own political voice. They have gained significant awareness of the social, legal and migratory policies that have discriminated them for decades and they have united as a community to advocate for more visibility and racial justice for themselves. Much of our work is done with the defined objective of gaining the support of Wisconsin state legislators and elected government representatives towards obtaining federal legal pardons for many members of this community who remain ineligible to become U.S citizenship status.
Compartir los recuerdos traumáticos del viaje de Mariel a Fort McCoy, así como los difíciles años de reasentamiento que siguieron a ese verano de 1980, ha sido una tarea extenuante y emocionalmente agotadora para estos refugiados de Mariel. A través de este proyecto, se han reconectado con antiguos intérpretes del campamento, personal del ejército y del campamento y antiguos patrocinadores. Están reescribiendo, ahora en sus propias palabras, un segmento único y descuidado de la historia del Éxodo de Mariel y del estado de Wisconsin. Más importante aún, colaborar en este proyecto de becas públicas ha empoderado a estos refugiados de Mariel con su propia voz política. Han adquirido una conciencia significativa de las políticas sociales, legales y migratorias que los han discriminado durante décadas y se han unido como comunidad para abogar por una mayor visibilidad y justicia racial para ellos mismos. Gran parte de nuestro trabajo se realiza con el objetivo definido de obtener el apoyo de los legisladores del estado de Wisconsin y los representantes del gobierno electo para obtener indultos legales federales para muchos miembros de esta comunidad que siguen sin ser elegibles para convertirse en ciudadanos estadounidenses.
In Memoriam
Marcos Calderón Hernández (June 3, 1957 - March 2, 2024)
This project is dedicated to Marcos.
Project Staff
Dr. Omar Granados
Associate Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Granados curated this exhibit, selecting and translating documents and texts for the website and directing all aspects relating to the historical and academic organization of the site. Dr. Granados also coordinated the participation of Cuban refugees in the curating of the exhibit and public events planned for the project.
Jenny DeRocher
Librarian, La Crosse Public Library Archives & Local History Department
DeRocher is the project's digitization lead, working in coordination with other project staff on digitizing over 300 objects and creating metadata for each. DeRocher also played a key role in designing this website.
Dane DeVetter
Director, Language Resource Center, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
DeVetter worked closely with Dr. Granados and DeRocher in the digitization of historical artifacts and the development of the website and digital exhibit. He served as the final editor of texts in the bilingual exhibit.
Anita Taylor Doering
Senior Archivist & Archives Manager, La Crosse Public Library Archives & Local History Department
Doering instructed and oversaw metadata creation and assured that the original master scans met best practices in terms of scanning quality and long-term preservation as described by the Society of American Archivists, as well as meeting metadata standards of Dublin Core. Doering mentored DeRocher throughout the process.
Livi Hackbarth
Assistant Librarian, Access & Engagement Department, La Crosse Public Library
Hackbarth worked closely with DeRocher creating the metadata for the digital objects in this exhibit.
Ernesto Rodríguez
Rodríguez is a retired La Crosse resident who emigrated from Cuba in the Mariel exodus in 1980 and spent several months detained at Fort McCoy. Rodríguez assisted in the curation of our digital exhibit and is featured in video and audio interviews on this website. Rodríguez also serves as a panel participant and Mariel expert at public events associated with this project.
Rodosvaldo Pozo
Pozo is a retired La Crosse resident who emigrated from Cuba in the Mariel exodus in 1980 and spent several months detained at Fort McCoy. Pozo serves as a panel participant and Mariel expert at public events associated with this project.
Marcos Calderón Hernández
Hernández was a La Crosse resident who emigrated from Cuba in the Mariel exodus in 1980 and spent several months detained at Fort McCoy. Hernández was meant to to serve as a panel participant and Mariel expert at public events associated with this project, but he tragically passed away in the summer of 2024.