Cuba Speaks

A quick note from our Community Listener Jenica:

I was in Cuba this past August, and I decided to ask a few people what they’re hoping for. It was really interesting to me to hear the variety of responses I got. I wonder how many people told me their real hopes, and how many were scared because they thought I might use their answers against them?

Anyway, here’s what I got (translated, obviously):

1. I hope to live until I’m 120 years old. – Luis Felipe

2. I hope to live in peace. – Yamy

3. I hope to live until I’m 140 years old. – A Waiter (didn’t even want to give his name)

4. I hope we continue to have health and peace. – Lucy

5. I hope that everything stays as it is and that there is prosperity. – Maxiel

6. I hope things change for us. I want more possibility and I want to go far away. Maybe to the US. – Malus

7. I want to go to the United States. – Lester

8. I want things to stay as they are. And I want health for my family. – Eugenio

9. I wish I could travel. To any place. What I would like most is to leave here just once. – Maria Victoria

10. I hope the world changes for the better–less war, better protection of the planet. – Barbara

Hopes from Eva

We’ve got blogs tomorrow, and more journal entries today! Here’s some a Hope Journal from our Community Listener Eva, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. She filled her journal with hopes from family, friends, teachers, and strangers in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Eva’s personal hope:

Eva, 18 (Click to Enlarge)

“I hope to graduate in December and go on to college. I hope to work in the music industry as a singer/songwriter. Also, I hope that one day I have enough money to buy my own music studio and record my music. I hope for no discrimination in its every form, and for me and my partner to get married some day and be accepted by all of society.”

—Eva, 18
Los Angeles, California

Flip through the rest of Eva’s journal…

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Hopes from Miriam

Even more! Hope Journal entries from our Community Listener Miriam, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. She filled her journal with hopes from family, friends, teachers, and strangers in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Miriam’s personal hope:

“I hope for peace, love, and union in the world. I hope to realize my dreams in life, get into college, and graduate.” —Miriam A. 18 from Los Angeles

Flip through the rest of Miriam’s journal…

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Hopes from Flora

Even more Hope Journal entries from our newest Community Listener Flora, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. She filled her journal with hopes from family, friends, teachers, and strangers in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s a highlight from Flora’s journal:

Karla, 18 (Click to Enlarge)

“I hope for a better:

- life for others and my siblings

- world

- home

- educated humanity

- opportunity for college

- protection of OUR world

And most of all I HOPE everyone has an opportunity to live.

PS – I hope to go to college so I can find out who I am and where I am.”

— Karla, 18 from Los Angeles, CA
Flip through Flora’s entire journal…

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Hopes from Yesenia

More Hope Journal entries from our Community Listener Yesenia, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. She filled her journal with hopes from family, friends, teachers, and strangers in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Yesenia’s personal hope:

“I hope for a world filled with people with open eyes.” —Yesenia from South Los Angeles

Now, flip through Yesenia’s Journal…

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Hopes from Justine

Here we go! Hope Journal entries from our Community Listener Justine, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. She filled her journal with hopes from family, friends, teachers, and strangers in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Justine’s personal hope:

“I hope for success and world peace.

I hope to be a great daughter, sister, and friend. Hopefully someday all my wildest dreams may come true.

I hope for the best in others, and for all those who have suffered may once again find happiness.

I hope for a long life, hopefully it doesn’t end in the year 2012.

I hope to graduate and become very successful.

I hope that I make my parents proud.

I hope my siblings will look up to me as their role model.”

—Justine, 16 from Los Angeles

Flip through Justine’s Hope Journal after the jump…

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Hopes from Heather

More more more! Hope Journal entries from our friend Heather, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These hopes were heard and collected from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Heather’s personal hope:

“I hope for peace in the world. For there to be no wars or destruction in the world. Non-violence. People to live as one.” — Heather, 18

Flip through Heather’s Hope Journal after the jump…

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Hopes from Deborah

Here we go… Even more Hope Journal entries come, this time from Deborah, another student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These hopes were heard and collected from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Deborah’s personal hope:

“I hope for God to make my family stronger. He can do it, and I know he will. Our family needs to come together.” — Deborah, 17 – Los Angeles, CA

Read the rest of Deborah’s journal here…

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Hopes from Susana

More Hope Journal entires! These come from Susana, one of our incredible student Community Listeners from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These hopes were heard and collected from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Susana’s personal hope:

“I hope for peace, respect…” — Susana, Los Angeles

Read her Hope Journal after the jump

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Hopes from Clarisa

These Hope Journal entries come from Clarisa, one of our amazing Community Listeners from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These hopes were heard and collected from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of South LA.

Here’s Clarisa’s personal hope:

“I hope for peace in the world and a world without drugs and alcohol.” — Clarisa, 16 from Los Angeles, CA

Read more after the jump…

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Hopes from Kimberley

These Hope Journal entries come from Kimberley, one of our Community Listeners from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These were gathered from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of LA.

Here’s Kimberley’s personal hope:

“I hope to grow up and be proud of whatever it is I become.” — Kimberley, 18 from Los Angeles, California

More of her Hope Journal entires after the jump…

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Hopes from Carolina

These Hope Journal entries are from Carolina, one of our Community Listeners from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These were gathered from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of LA.

Flip through more hopes below (Click any image to enlarge):

Hopes from Diana

Take a look at these Hope Journal entries from Diana, one of our Community Listeners from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These were gathered from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood of LA.

Flip through more hopes below (Click any image to enlarge):

Hopes from America

Take a look at these journal entries from America, another star student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. These were gathered from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood.

“I hope for joy and peace. I want the world to be a better place for everyone. I hope for a world free of criticism where everyone can get along with no conflict or shyness. I hope the world to be a place called “home” for every person living on it.” —America

Flip through more hopes below (Click any image to enlarge):

Hopes from Jesús

Take a look at these Jesús, a 17-year-old creative writing student from Ánimo Pat Brown Charter High School in South Los Angeles. This first set of hopes from Jesús were gathered from family, friends, and faculty in the Florence-Firestone neighborhood.

“I hope to help my community. To help the people that are struggling. Those with no home, money, or family. I hope to rid my community of needs. I hope that this will help others do the same and create love.” — Jesus, 17 – Los Angeles, California

Flip through more hopes below (click any image to enlarge):

An Orange Blast

From our Community Listener Sam Lundquist:

For the first time since this project began, I lost a Hope Journal.

A week ago, I flew from LA to Nashville. As I’ve done for months now, I readied my journal. Prepped and primed with stickers, business cards, and my seat number, I passed it to the person next to me, and it made its grand voyage toward the back of the plane. I know it made it back there because I had coworkers planted throughout to make sure it would get passed along.

The flight ended… And no journal. I dug through seat back pockets, crawled on dirty airplane carpet, and searched in the sticky, peanut-crumb crevices between seats. Nothing. The journal was nowhere to be found.

So, for my flight back home to Los Angeles, I had nothing. No magic book to pass to my fellow passengers. No easy conversation starters.

Thankfully, I met Dan.

Dan had taken Seat 14E, a middle seat on the right half of the plane. I had the window seat because, for whatever reason, I have to lean to the right. I slept for the first hour and a half of the four hour flight, and awoke only after the Southwest flight attendants had come through the aisle with their grab bag of snack food. Shucks, I just missed it!

I pulled out my iPhone ready to kick back and listen to some music when Dan spotted it.

“Is that the iPhone 4?” he said.

It was. Thank you, Apple, for making products that are cool enough to bring people together. What would we do without you?

I handed it to him, and he pulled out his old iPhone with its industrial strength rubber case. That thing could have taken heavy fire and still survived. I learned later that it probably had.

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Recover

Collected on a Virgin America flight from Boston, Massachusetts to Los Angeles, California. (Click to enlarge)