It’s hard to sum up what these pictures mean to me in such a brief post. The feature story I spent most of my time reporting on in Cuba is about pigeon breeders and the annual competitions that surround their hobby. But, it is also about much more than that. It is about Mandi Soca (Pic 3), a man who has dedicated himself to revitalizing a sport that is at risk of falling victim to the hands of petty crime. It is about Carlos Fernandez (Pic 2), a rookie in the sport whose passion for it is unmatched. It is about a hidden world inside Cuba, where swaths of men have created an entire culture that thrives right under everyone’s noses, or rather, above their heads on nearly every rooftop in Havana. This was the first time where I was given the opportunity to embed myself somewhere for a story, and I truly hope it isn’t the last. This story was much more than a piece of journalism to me. It gave me a better understanding of what drives human passion, and more importantly, it gave me new friends. I am so excited for the story to be live, and for a beautiful accompanying video produced by Zach Ben-Amots as well. A special thanks to Emily Moran for helping us so much in our journey.
