Urban tribal members are kept out of the group of tribal government. Been there, done that and really push for urban tribal members and in your own experience, you mentioned a member of the Navajo Nation. How did you deal with the other urban tribal members who are not numbers of the Navajo Nation . Okay, so the question is asking how the issue of urban tribal members and how you seem not play out with regard to the tribal leadership issues. Thank you for raising this question. Its an important one and we have a lot of work to bridge the relationship between government and those living in urban countries. 77 77 live in urban centers outside of tribal land and mouse as a result of relocation and other policies that try to take us off of our communal tribal lands. The question around how we enter relate with one another because we are an urban center for different tribal nations. The first question is for another donation, one thing we start to talk about is we are talking to organizations doing political activism at home with a lot of Environmental Issues to connect Voter Registration for navajo election to the Tribal Community and other communities starting to get connected in portland to try to say how can we participate in our government even though we are living in urban centers. I think we need to do more to focus on the specific issues that are happening at home. Home. Been my last question is to the state legislator. In a part of the Arizona State legislator tribal leader, unfortunately what happens is you invite tribal leaders to speak with and meet with a state legislators on both sides. I dont see other grassroots people invited to participate in that entire day, so my question to you is when we see it when grassroots people be invited to speak to the state legislators versus tribal leaders . Thank you. So the question was to katie about when tribal leaders are invited to speak with state legislators, when our grassroots people going to get the chance to do that and have that kind of access . Thank you. I appreciate the question and i havent been involved at all in helping to plan that day. I think it comes out of the president s office, but thats a good question and i will be happy to address it with him and see if they can be expanded be on just tribal leadership, because i think thats a really great idea. I think there might be another opportunity, but im not sure. So definitely something i will bring up. When i think about structural barriers to a more reflective democracy, a lot of my thinking goes immediately to gerrymandering, and it seems to me that legally the courts have allowed a high degree of gerrymandering. I know sometimes they have a doctrine of staying out of political questions, but the way that most state systems are, developed and financial system, it seems to be the two parties both gate keep their own people and make sure that they represent their interests but nobody is really representing the interest of the people as a whole. And arizona i know we have an independent Redistricting Commission that went although after the Supreme Court just this term. And i know that thats better than most states just have a legislature decide everything and take the districts and gerrymandered them the way they want. But even in arizona i was involved a little bit ended redistricting process in 2010, and even though the results were better, still about 20 out of our 30 districts, for example, were not competitive. They were maybe 547 out of 30 that were competitive. And i wonder why that is the challenge more legally, because thats a huge barrier, it seems to me. The other thing this kind of an offshoot of that, and thats the product especially at u. S. House having socalled safe districts for black or brown candidates, and the practice of hacking all other minority voters into just a few of these little safe districts so that we do have some representation. But the overall voting power of black and brown voters, and women voters to some extent, although its mostly people of color, usually diluted because they only get there one or two legislators. So anybody can do we have any but about that, i would really appreciate it, thank you. Thats a great question. The question is about gerrymandering, redistricting as a barrier. It is also one of the Biggest Barriers that we defined in a research when we were leaving up to this campaign. Money and politics and redistricting are the two Biggest Barriers, lack of opportunity to be on the ballot, and all the things you mentioned, absolutely. Its another big problem, but i would love to hear what folks have to say about that and i can maybe share a little bit more. Does anyone want to start . Katie . So the Redistricting Commission is much, much better than just having the legislature drop alliance. They have to consider several factors that probably cant name them all off the top of my head, but the voting population is one of them, committees of interest, competitiveness is one of the factors. As far as i know the way that the legislation is written, those things have to be considered equally so one cant have more weight and another. Competitiveness is up there. The 2012 redistricting was the second cycle that arizona has been on for the independent commission, so in 2002, the democrats are kind of asleep at the will in terms of getting the right people on to the commission, and so we got a lot less competitive districts out of the redistricting. We started really early to make sure that we have good people in place to get on the commission so that we had a better shot. But you will probably notice is that after 2002 redistricting, republicans did have any problem with it and they were not contesting any of the lines. Now they are because we did a little bit better job. The case those in front of the Supreme Court was just about the constitutionality of the commission being able to draw the line rather than the legislature, congressional lines. And now theres another case thats challenging some of the lines that they said they were here in the next term. So we are not done with it yet but at least the constitutionality of the commission has been upheld. I dont know if that answers the question, but i think its Getting Better and more cycles we go through, we will make more progress. What isnt competitiveness the most important factor in why should they be weighed by three times more than anything else . It seems like thats the most, the result is most important thing to me. With that require new legislation or something or a new Initiative Speak with yes. The question, why isnt competitiveness the most important factor and what isnt, heavily weighted. In arizona would require going back to the ballot with it because its but a protected so the voters pass in the first place. The legislature cant change it into the voters would have to change it. Gets it, ethos to the question as a related to people of color have traditionally been elected and where the districts are drawn, minority heavy, et cetera . In a climate with limited resources, a lot of times when organizations are also the parties receive the district, then everyone creates an excel spreadsheet answers which what is the most competitive, and add the name in the spreadsheet of the candidate that theyre going to work with. Because there are so many districts that people call minority majority, which absolutely hate it when your majority, youre not a minority, but we call these districts and then we seek out a black or a brown face to put in the excel spreadsheet. I dont mean it to sound crass. I mean with limited resources and really short windows, this happened. But i think its type is weve elected a black president at this point twice in a country that is not majority black. What we notice when their districts that are not majority, people of color, we can still people who dont reflect the majority of the people. And i think thats going to take a long game. So i think thats part and as organizations who really care deeply about political power, then we need to look several cycles not beyond his cycle and say what do we want out impact to look like and how do we get there. That will mean chipping away at seats that dont feel sexy, adult you like a good story to tell and that are not easily winnable. I just want to say that for native people as well, for the Voting Rights act, the aclu, Justice Department has actually taken up several suits against local and state jurisdictions for systematically excluding native candidates from being able to run for county commission. So as recent as last 10 years we see used counties in montana where the court upheld the at large districting really prevented a native american from being able to hold a seat on the county commission. So they had to move to individual districts and so then for the First Time Ever in the countys history, even to there are 40 native americans, they actually saw native americans get elected to the kind of commission. Its like the legal strategy has been very successful for native peoples and this is one example of how that strategy, i think we need to continue and then have the pipeline to follow to make sure we have candidates that are rooted in our Community Values and to the issues. Great. Go ahead. My question is pointed towards jessica but if anyone else wanted to answer. You mentioned the three points that you work on your i consider myself an activist, i i made a struggle but im also an elected official and my regular job is higher and policy. How to navigate between the three and help strategize so that you dont lose power in one or the other . The question is a young man who has an elected official as well as activist and working on higher and policy, and so how do you navigate been in those three worlds as one person speak with you such an important so i feel like in the communities who is able to translate what the process of government, how laws are made to the folks that you serve. As well as reporting back on some of the ways in which activists are organizing. Like i wish i could duplicate you. Over and over again. So often you dont have people who are operating at the intersection and so is happening is we have silos. We have folks who are doing incredible research and not reporting it back out to the folks who need it. The activists who are galvanizing but not able to necessarily translate that into political power. I would say that the way that i operate is to continue to ask every person in those circles to build community with each other. There should necessarily be enacted this base that doesnt include research and data in ways to move the ball forward. In the semipublic officials should not be operating in a silo where they are not talking to the people who are putting their bodies on the line to advance the cause. And researches, like we need your work. We need you to help us pass the policy. We need you to help us with the language. So many of us are incredibly passionate and are not able to translate that into our goals. I dont have an easy answer to your question, other than to say that in each of those cases in which are operative, to find ways to create a bridge. And i think its you. Thank you. I apologize, i dont remember who said this right before the question started, but somebody said we should be approaching organizations and asking them to run for office. I have some kind of a nonprofit background and add multiple explicit conversations where people said theyre doing advocacy a nonprofit work because they want to be doing to work from the outside rather than in public offices. I wonder if thats a common problem . Do have experience him and his of how to go about whether its overcoming that are taking a different route to avoiding that, that roadblock . Okay. So the question is given that there are possibly a lot of folks work in the Nonprofit Sector do that because they want to be working in the outside of the political system and not necessarily wanting to be part of it, do you find that a county work without as we are trying to tap a different kind of candidate . That was me who said that. And i think a lot of times people need to get the very first time someone says to you, you really should run and heres why companies want, a lot of people are like its not why im into. When you start it over and over again, at least theres been women ive talked to said that. Theres nobody else was better than the seems like a lot of people think i should do this, and they said they are willing to help me, so i think doing it multiple times is important. Also sometimes you can convince somebody but point out to them who the other people are more likely to run if they dont run. So i do not have the answers i just wanted to jump in because i think that we are not going to be able to train our our way out of this problem. I think the really important components of the work that a lot of us are doing. But i found intentionally asking sticktoitiveness we get someone to say yes. I disagree with the notion that takes women sometimes to be asked, in a because i dont think theres research that is help to inform some of our work but because i think after the first ask me people and people of color are asking a question about whether either is going to look like or how thats going to work, and were not answering to all their going is i keep asking a people of color to run and they keep saying no. Really what that woman just said to you is my child has autism, i dont have a lot of time, can you help you understand what my life is going to look like if i take that on . Didnt answer that question potential it and say lets help figure this out. Ive heard it run the gamut. A lot of times for multiple this isnt because women and people of color are not ambitious. Its because they have very specific Life Experiences that informing why they dont necessarily think that politics is the best way to change their lives. I think its on all of us to create a real conversation. We are not filling football fields the people yelling at them to run. We are asking a person who does good work to run. When they say back, im really nervous, id want my private life to be exposed because i really care about my private life. And we said lets help navigate the. Lots of Committee Resources that can help us do that. Thank you so much for organizing this panel and for the research and incredible work you are doing. I would love to talk a little bit about government. I work with a National Network that runs between program editing over 1000 liters, and one of the things weve done is that the relationship among Community Leaders, appointed leaders, elected leaders is really critical to driving a progressive agenda. I would love to hear some of your strategies around when you get into office how to deal with the isolation but you often feel if you are one of the few progressives on a commission or a city council, how do you sort of breakdown that isolation and help support people to be successful . Thank you. Such a great question. I was just thinking we have not talked about that yet so thank you. The question is about governance and how do you, when they get in office, work without so you can work with Community Groups on the ground where the relationship with those in office is so important to moving the issues forward. Does anyone want to jump in based on your experience . So i think we have a lot of programs that do a good job of training people to run for office and governance isnt utah part of the training. The experience of being a candidate and experience of being an Office Holder is really, really, really different a lot of times when youre running, you are like in this conflict all the time of why selling voters on why you better than the other person why they should vote for you. In the process sometimes we can do though thought out opponents. Then when youre in that office and get to work with those people, you cant be in that vilifying mode. So i think everything about think effective, particularly be in the minority, is about relationships. Its not Just Relationships with allies. Its making allies on the other side. We have to do a better job of teaching people how to do that, once they get in office. So setting up like mentor programs. So newly elected officials have a more seasoned mentor in whatever body, is a way to do that. And then also working with our ally decrypts so that theyre not going to always tend to crucify us when were working with the other side because were kind of get something accomplished by doing there. I think thats important. So im going to ask if do you have anything to share . We have a number of questions but we only have three minutes. So he could just a question as quickly as you can what you want to share and they will try to address in the wrapup spent mine is more of a comment. We sit here presupposing that democracy is strong, everything that one of the symptoms, one of the barriers is this emerging erosion of democracy. Maybe thats one of we dont have people of color. Democracy really isnt working for us. And i worry for democracy as a military retiree. Thank you. Thanks for sharing their perspective on the erosion of democracy and hustler that is a big barrier as well. Go ahead. Im just wondering as a student going into International Politics if theres been any research put into the diverse aspects of inclusiveness of things like ambassadors, people working in International Field on the side of americans. Are they also primarily white men, or is there more diversity or a less . Okay, thank you. Go ahead. Thank you for this panel. I have a question. Im from michigan and a lot of the Progressive Movement depends on people of color and women, especially in the detroit area, Metro Detroit area. But what weve seen is when it comes to statewide offices and the state legislature, you are not giving a lot of input from the church community. My question is how do you, or any advice on putting pressure on organizations, the party and those gatekeepers to say, hey, you depend on detroit and the voters o there but youre not really engaging people, not putting people that look like them on the platform. Right. Thank you. So a couple of questions about, one question about this they need data on a national i can say for us we havent done the research of others they have some, so cliche 50. Then the question about detroit and how maybe urban centers like detroit that are more dominated folks of color that dont necessarily have that, again, that connection to the broader state leadership when it comes time to really push policy. I want to thank everybody for all the Great Questions and being here, and as we wrap up just give them a chance to Say Something quickly to address those last questions. Thank you. I responded to the detroit question. I think thats a really tough situation because it detroit was taken over by the state, correct . Might extremes, local oakland unite School District was also taken over by the state and it takes a long time to get your civic institutions stronger again. And so i know its not very good news. It can be done. Thats happening right now in oakland but its slow because your country change a culture of people being disempowered and try to get them to reclaim their power and believe their civic institutions again, and taken of efficacy and advocacy and organizing. I just want to jump in on the democracy comment. I think thats something im scared all the time. And i think that if we depend on the institutions to get us where we need to go, they are the ones benefiting by the status quo. So it is really incumbent upon all of us in the Progressive Movement on the outside to ensure with stronger democracy and not depend on our elected officials to bring that day. Not anyone who is benefiting from this so i appreciate that youre i think its really important. Jessica . I just want to ask, do you work for progress now . [inaudible] okay, cool. Its an Incredible Organization and i was working with a candidate in michigan, and Michigan Democratic party just like most democratic parties are very small capacity for doing recruitment was really fast. They just like many, many others have the excel spreadsheet are they have 20 districts they consider competitive and are just adding names. I would be interested if there was a way for you as well as other Community Leaders to put together a coalition that helps recommendations of people that they could add to this the growing excel spreadsheet. You know the people, they want to know them. 10 times out of 10 there is not a connection thats happening. That maybe the timing is right you would be able to influence it by bringing together a group of people who can recommend means to them. And the one other thing i want to say, i think that what getting these types of power often means this so as to give some up. I think thats really hard thing to be honest about, other a lot of people who have power that in order for new type of people to have it come other people have to relinquish some. Thats going to take all of us to really come to terms with what that means, and so i hope that we are all up to the challenge. I think its going to take some courage. Just to the comment on the erosion of democracy. I just wanted to share that, in tribal elections we see really Strong Political participation in some communities upwards of 80 come out to vote for tribal elections rather than for president ial elections which is like somewhere in the mid 40s. To me that says when we see that we people that represent us undertaken issues that are relevant to our daily lives, then we come out. I think there is a lot that we can do. I think this is a critical moment for native people and communities. Im really excited about this moment in time that we have. So please join and giving a round of applause to our amazing panel. [applause] thank you all so much, lets keep the conversation going. Thanks. [inaudible conversations] next up on cspan2 we go live to the u. S. Embassy in havana, cuba, for the raising of the u. S. Flag for the first time in 54 years. Secretary of state john kerry is in havana for the ceremony. He is the first secretary of state to visit cuba in 70 years. President eisenhower cut diplomatic relations with cuba in january of 1961 and midrising cold war tensions in december last year president obama and cuban president raul castro announced an agreement to normalize relations. Cuba opened, we open its embassy in washington last month and they raised the flag there. We are live from havana here on cspan2 waiting for the event to get under way. We are live at the u. S. Embassy in havana, cuba, on cspan2. Secretary of state john kerry is here, the first secretary of state in 70 years after the u. S. Raises its flag at the embassy for the first time in 54 years. That three marines who lowered the u. S. Flag at the embassy on january 4, 1961, will raise it in todays ceremony. They are now retired and in the late 70s. The raising of the flag will be followed by the starspangled banner performed by the u. S. Army brass quintet, also later he secretary of state will be meeting with cuban dissidents. We expect to hear from secretary of state carry as well during the ceremony this morning. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] here on cspan2 we are covering the reopening of the u. S. Embassy in havana, cuba, first time in 54 years the u. S. Flag will be raised this way. Secretary of state john kerry will be here. The associate press writing about some of the company cuba, Cuban Television also covering the event at this point they say that cuban tv is switched from cartoons to this live coverage of the u. S. Embassy flag raising. Broadcasting your secretary of state john kerrys arrival followed by a detailed biography of john kerrys career. This is the ap reporting on Cuban Television coverage this morning. It notes his service in vietnam, his president ial run and his work as secretary of state. The state Television Network writes the ap, informs viewers john kerry this quote a roman catholic, likes bicycle, surfing and windsurfing and as a fan of the beatles and rolling stones, just some color information, some background on the days activities from the Cuban Television network. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] we are live from the u. S. Embassy in havana, cuba, with the u. S. Flag will be raised for the first time in 54 years. Secretary of state of john kerry will be a big meme of republican president ial candidate marco rubio was the son of anticastro cuban immigrants is blasting the Obama Administration decision to reopen the embassy in havana. The ap reports that in prepared remarks from new york he says that the opening has ensured the socialist cuban regime quote will receive International Legitimacy and a substantial economic boost to benefit its repression, end quote. Is speaking today at the Foreign Policy initiative in new york city. Were covering that event and show that to you later in our program schedule. And on the issue of politics, republican president ial candidates, jeb bush will be speaking this one at the iowa state fair at the des moines registers soapbox at 10 30 a. M. Eastern and i will be live over on our companion network cspan. And [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] as the u. S. Embassy in havana, cuba, where the American Flag will be raised for the first time in 54 years. We understand secretary of state john kerry has arrived at the embassy. We will be hearing from them shortly as well. News reports earlier today he will be meeting with cuban dissidents. The ap reports among those gathering in front of the u. S. Embassy are the drivers of three, 1950 arab chevrolets parked outside the building. Perhaps you can see them be on different things. The custom cab company that operates them, the state department had invited him to send them without saying why. He says hes hoping secretary kerry will take a ride in one of the classic u. S. Cars that have become emblematic of cuba for tourist. And begin should get underway shortly. Live coverage here on cspan2. A [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] we apologize about that. We lost our signal from havana. We hope that well be able to get of actually. Live coverage this money, secretary of state is at the u. S. Embassy where the American Flag will be raised for the first time in 54 years. The first time a secretary of state has visited the island nation in 70 years to u. S. Cutting off diplomatic relations with cuba in 1961 and midrising tensions over the cold war. Want to let you know, Senate Opponent of normalizing relations with cuba marco rubio speaking today in new york city at the Foreign Policy initiative. Is expected to address the issue of cuba. Theres the secretary of state. We believe this is video that was shot earlier today because, we understand he is now at the embassy, but lets watch. [background sounds] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] well, we played that was a video that was shot just a short while ago. Secretary of state john kerry is in havana. We understand he is at the embassy. The ceremony to raise the American Flag and officially reopened the u. S. Embassy there should get underway shortly. Just covering some of the scene in havana on the opening of the embassy. The ap said as of about an hour and haland a half ago some 200 s had already gathered outside the embassy along havanas seafront boulevard ahead of the official ceremony your identity 28 yearold Marcus Rodriguez is a deacon because quote i wouldnt want to miss it. He wishes the hope someone out and expressing hope for social and economic benefits for all cubans. The reporting of the ap, basic giant cuban flags hang from the balconies of nearby apartment buildings and people are gathering at the windows with a view of the embassy. Secretary of state john kerry is expected later today to meet with cuban dissidents in havana. Is opening at the embassy, the u. S. Embassy in havana follows the reopening of the cuban embassy. It had been the cuban interest section in washington now officially verified raised last month in the nations capital. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] ladies and gentlemen, our program will begin shortly. At this time we ask that you please lower your umbrellas and keep them lowered for the remainder of the ceremony. Also, the silence all mobile devices please silence all mobile devices. Once again, we ask that you please lower your umbrellas. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations]. [background noise] [background noise] [background noise] [background noise] [background noise] [background noise] [background noise] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [applause] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the cuban delegation, led by her excellency, host of dean at the doll, director general of u. S. Affairs of the ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic of cuba. [applause] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] ladies and gentlemen, the secretary of state, accompanied by the stars they affairs of the United States Embassy Havana and the assistant secretary of state. [applause] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] [background sounds] please be seated. Good morning. It is my great honor to welcome everyone to the embassy of the United States and havana. [cheers and applause] thank you, secretary cary, coast guard commandant admiral sue coe, assistant secretary jacobsen and all other Branch Officials as well as members of congress for being here today. I wish to welcome direct or general Josephina Vidal and foreign minister book holder of switzerland to this hysteric ceremony. I wish to give special recognition to the Marine Security guard attachment Embassy Havana 1961. [applause] [applause] and Marine Security guard attachment 2015. [applause] many of you worked very hard to make this day have been and i think all of you here from near and far and how far we have come in a few short months since our president announcement in december, the United States and cuba have established diplomatic relations and an Important Foundation for the future. And of course the added addition of the new sign on this building. I begin my own Foreign Service career in 1991 in this building when it was called something else. At that time i never imagined i would see our flag raised here 54 years after it was slow work. Foreign nations today represents the beginning of a new dirt and a key step on the path towards normalization of relations. [applause] its a long, complex road to travel, but it is the right road. In many ways, no one has travel greater distances to be here today and poet richard blog go. Made in america, assembled in spain and imported to the United States, richard has written an original poem to mark the special occasion. Hes the fifth president ial inaugural poet in u. S. History. President obama has said tran 11 contributions to poetry and the arts of art he paved the path for word for future generations of writers, close quote. Today is about the future. Please join me in welcoming richard tran 11. [applause] for the people of both of our countries who believe that not even miss the can keep us from one another. Matters of the seed. D. C. Doesnt matter. What matters is this. We all belong to the sea between mass. All of us once and still the same child marvels, listens to hollow barrels, sculpturing into an impossible castle. Weve all been lovers, holding hands, shoring down our shores. Our footprint like a maras of shells, vanished in ways that dont know or care on which country they break. They break, they bless us and return to the sea, home to all of our silent wishes. No one is the other to the other, to the sea weather on hand island or vast continent, remember our grandfathers, their hands dug deep into red or brown earth, maple or mango trees that outlive them. Our grandmothers county near us while dusting photos of their wedding day. Those brittle family faces still on our dressers now. Our mothers teaching us how to read spanish or english, how to tie your shoes, how to gather colors are light into a glob appeared our fathers born by factories or sugarcane to earn a new life for us. My cousins and i now scouting the same stars above skyscrapers or palms, waiting for time to stop and begin again when rainfall washes its way through river worst trains back to the sea. No matter what he and the moistening, we have all watch among the soaring type of siegels cries. Our lips anointed by the same spray of salt laden wind with memories and regret on stones in our hands that we just cant toss. And yet, and yet we have all cupped seashells up to our ears, listened again to the echo. Today the sea still telling us the end to all of our doubts and fears is to into the elusive blues of our shared horizon, to breathe together, to heal together. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the national and of the republic of cuba. [cheers and applause] thank you, Richard Blanco for such inspirational remarks. It is now my great honor to introduce the secretary of state of the United States, john kerry. [applause] please be seated, everybody. Thank you area, very much. [speaking in spanish] i am so sorry we are a little bit late today, but with a beautiful ride and ended his wonderful to be here. Thank you for leaving my future transportation out here. I love it. [laughter] distinguished members of the cuban delegation, josephina, thank you for your leadership in all the work of your delegation. Excellencies from the diplomatic corps, my colleagues from washington, past and present. Ambassador delaurentis and all of the Embassy Staff and friends watching around the world, thank you for joining us at this truly historic moment as we prepare to raise United States flag here in our embassy in havana, symbolizing the reestablishment of distillation after 54 years. This is also the first time that United States secretary of state has been to cuba since 1945. [applause] this morning this morning i feel very much at home and im grateful for those who come to share in the ceremony were standing around outside of our facilities. I feel at home here because this is truly a memorable occasion. A day for pushing aside old barriers and exploring new possibilities. And it is in that spirit that i say on behalf of all of my country [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] my friends, we are gathered here today because our leaders, president obama and president castro made a courageous decision to stop in the prisoners of history and to focus on the opportunities today in tomorrow. This doesnt mean that we should or will forget the past. How could we after all . At least for my generation, the images are indelible. In 1959, fidel castro came to the United States and was greeted by an uzi after crowds. Returning the next year he was embraced by then soviet premier khrushchev. In 1961, the bay of pigs tragedy unfolded. President kennedy accepting responsibility. In october 1962, the missile crisis arose third teen days that pushed us to the very threshold of nuclear war. I was a student then and i could still remember the top faces of our leaders, the grid map showing the movement of opposing ships, the approaching deadline and the peculiar word quarantine we were unsettled and uncertain about the future. Because we didnt know when closing our eyes at night what we would find when we woke up. In that frozen environment, diplomatic ties between washington and this capital city were strained, then stretched thin, then centered. In late 1960, the u. S. Ambassador left havana. Early the following january, cuba demanded a big cut in the size of a Diplomatic Mission and president eisenhower were then decided he had no choice but to shut the embassy down. Most of the u. S. Staff departed quickly, but a few stayed behind to hand the keys over to our swiss colleagues who would serve diligently and honorably as our protecting power for more than 50 years. I just met with foreign minister and we are grateful to switzerland always for service in their house. [applause] among those remaining at the embassy were three marine guards, larry morris, mike east and james tracy. As they stepped outside, they were confronted by a large crowd standing between them and the flat full. Tensions were high. No one felt safe, but the marines had a mission to accomplish is slowly the crowd just parted in front of them if they made their way to the flood toll, lowered old glory, folded it and return to the building. Larry, mike and jim had done their jobs, but they also made a bold promise that one day they would return to havana and raise the flag again. [applause] at the time, no one could have imagined how distant that they would be. For more than half a century, u. S. Cuban relations have been suspended in the amber of cold war politics. In the interim whole generation of american and cubans have grown up and grown old. The United States has had 10 new president and united germany at the berlin wall is a fading memory freed from soviet shackles. Central europe is home to thriving democracies and last week i was in hanoi to mark the 20th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the United States and vietnam. Think about that. A long and terrible war that inflicted indelible scars on body and mind followed by two decades of mutual healing, followed by another two decades of diplomatic and commercial engagement. In this period, vietnam evolved from a country torn apart by violence into a Dynamic Society with one of the worlds fastestgrowing economies. In all that time for reconciliation, through normalization, cubanamerican relations remain locked in the past. Meanwhile, new technologies enable people ever to benefit from shared projects across vast stretches of open land. My friends, it doesnt take a gps to realize the road of mutual isolate station and estrangement that the United States and cuba were traveling was not the right one and the time has come for us to move in a more promising direction. In the United States, that means recognizing u. S. The is not the end goal on which cubas future will be foraged. Decades of good intentions aside, the policies of the past have not led to a democratic transition in cuba. It would be equally unrealistic to expect normalizing place in to have been a shortterm a transformational impact. After all, cubas future is for cubans to shape. Responsibility for the nature and quality of government and accountability rests as they should not with any outside entity, but solely within the citizens of this country. But the leaders in havana and the cuban people should also know that the United States always remain a champion of democratic principles and reforms. Like many other government and outside the hemisphere, we will continue to urge the cuban government to fulfill obligations under the u. N. And under human rights governments, obligation shared by the United States and every other country in the americas. In deed we remain convinced the people of cuba would be best served by genuine democracy where people are free to choose leaders to express their ideas, practice faith with a commitment to economic and social justice realized more fully for an additions are answerable to those they serve in double societies independent and allowed to flourish. Let me be clear, the establishment of normal diplomatic relations is not something that one government does as a favor to another. It is something the two countries due to gather when the citizens of both will benefit. In this case, the reopening of embassies is important on two levels. People to people and government to government. We believe it is helpful for the people of our nation to learn more about each other and that is why we are encouraged to travel to cuba has hardly increased by 35 in january and is continuing to go out. We are encouraged more companies are exploring commercial ventures that would create opportunities for cubas own rising number of entrepreneurs and we are encouraged that u. S. Firms are interested in helping cuba expand its telecommunications and Internet Things and the government here recently pledged to create dozens of new and affordable wifi hot. We also want to acknowledge the special role the cubanamerican communitys plane in establishing a new relationship between our countries and in fact we have with us this morning representatives from the community, some of whom were born here and others who were born in the united state. With their strong ties of culture and family, they can contribute much to the spirit of bilateral cooperation and progress we are seeking to create just as they have contributed much to their communities and adopted land. The restoration of diplomatic ties will also make it easier for governments to engage. After all, we are neighbors and neighbors will always have much to discuss in such areas of civil aviation, migration pilot it, disaster preparedness, protecting marine environment, Global Climate change and other tougher and more complex issues. Having normal relations makes it easier for us to talk and talk can deepen understanding even when we know full well we will not see eye to eye on everything. We are all aware notwithstanding president obamas new policy, the overall u. S. Embargo on trade with cuba remains in place and can only be lifted by congressional action, and a step that we strongly favor. [applause] for now for now the president has taken steps to ease restrictions on exports and imports to help cuban private entrepreneurs on telecommunications, on family travel, but we want to go further. The goal of all of these changes is to help cubans connect to the world and improve their lives. We urge the cuban government to make it less difficult for their citizens to start businesses to engage in trade, access information online. The embargo has always been something of a twoway street. Both sides need to use restriction that have been holding cubans back. Before closing, i want to sincerely thank leaders throughout the americas who have long urged the United States and cuba to restore normal ties. I think the holy father, pope francis and the vatican for supporting the start of a new chapter in relations between our countries and it is not accidental the holy father will come here and then to washington United States at this moment. I applaud president obama and president castro both for having the courage to bring us together in the face of considerable opposition. I am grateful to assistant secretary of state Roberta Jacobson and her team, to her counterparts in the Cuban Foreign ministry, to ambassador Jeff Delaurentis and his extraordinary staff all the hard work that has led up to this day. And i just say to our wonderful Embassy Staff, if you think youve been busy these past months, hold onto your seat up. [laughter] above all, i want to pay tribute to the people of cuba into the cubanamerican community and the United States. Jose marquis once said that every thing that divides men is a sin against humanity. Clearly the events of the past, the harsh words, the provocative retaliatory actions, the human tragedies all have been a source of deep division that has diminished our common humanity. There have been too many days of sacrifice and sorrow, too many decades of suspicion and fear. That is why i am heartened by many on both sides of the strait who whether because of family ties or a simple desire to replace anger was something more productive to have endorsed the search for a better path. We have begun to move down the path without illusions of how difficult it may be, but when you reach confident in our intentions and the contacts we have made and pleased for the friendships we have begun to orange and we are certain that the time is now to reach out to one another as two people who are no longer enemies are rivals that neighbors. Time to unfurl our flags, raise them up and let the world know we wish each other well. [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] [speaking in spanish] it is with that Healing Mission in mind that i turn now to larry morris, jim tracey and mike ease. 54 years ago you gentlemen promised to return to the van and hoist the flag over the embassy to be lowered over that day long ago. Today i invite you on behalf of president obama and the American People to fulfill that pledge by presenting the stars and stripes to be raised by members of our current military detachment. Larry, jen and mike, this is your cue to deliver on words that would make any diplomat proud, just as they wouldve been a member of the United States marine corps. Promise made, promise kept. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please rise for the raising of the flag and the National Anthem of the United States. [drum roll] [drum roll] [drum roll] [drum roll] [cheers and applause] [cheers and applause] [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please remain in place while the official delegation depart. [background sounds] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] russia will host the 2010 world cup in moscow in the central and global interest in institute for eurasian studies at George Washington University Held a discussion on the political and economic social implications of brescia host and an International Soccer tournament. Start off by thanking George Washington university for hosting the event this morning and on behalf of the center for global interest, my name is mike purcell, director of operations. We are excited about todays event. We will go to a turnout to be a fantastic set of speakers. The intent is to kick off a project that we sort of thought up in anticipation of the 2010 world cup in russia. We are starting with the premise that everything is connected, the sport is not disconnected from history, politics and Everything Else. If you dont agree with that comment on up for debate, youre not going to live with it. He attended todays event in the Program Going forward will include Additional Panel discussions, publications and collaboration is the opportunity to view the social Political Economic issues through the filter a sport that is good for two reasons. One, with all but invited effectively as we were talking before we kicked off a second ago of rough times for u. S. Russia relations in a rough time for the people increasingly isolated in many respects and this is an opportunity for something good to happen. The debate of whether russia should host the cup has gone on. It is effectively over. Those of you who are soccer fans a reason why the world cup qualifying draw took place in st. Petersburg and if youre a soccer fan you know you cant redo that. The sport has overtaken the political. We can talk about that is and of how the cup was awarded and the tory behind that, but nonetheless i think that train has left the station so to speak. We look forward to diving into this and i will now introduce the speakers briefly. Weve had the opportunity to pass up programs allow the quick. Everybody we sort of wanted to come to this agree to it. I think youll be happy with it. Immediately to my left, professor Marlene Leroux at the super russian and eurasian studies, her Research Focused on nationalism and that works well with what we did today. Next to marlene is lori lindsey who was described in an article in her background as the title was totally awesome. I dont know what else you can do with the bio than that. Shes a fantastic player, twotime acc player of the year, which i think is an honor she shares only with me. Also a fan favorite and those of you who know her know why her style of play. Shes our telekinetic and an energetic advocate and she works at the athlete ally which is a very Excellent Organization in that respect. We are happy to have her purse acted as an athlete importantly. I will go down to the end of the table to professor lisa delfin or roddy. Shes a professor at georgetown for almost a quarter of a century, right . Im sorry, im a George Washingtons did myself so im ashamed. She has been to 17 olympics and four world cups and is an expert in make us poor Theater Research falls along the lines of sport tourism and management come as is physically that caters in how they interact with the event and that is very interesting subject for the world cup which unlike the olympics will be held in more than 180. I think we are at 12 now. And then finally we have many well bath with a phd candidate with Kings College in london. He sort of interesting to me because hes doing a dissertation on foot while in the former soviet space and he did a fantastic putting together a website for Additional Research and wasnt able to duck into his dissertation. I found a i found a website and let me call call him and see if we can do it together. He has flown down here from victoria, canada and will Work Together next three years and we hope to be spec taters together somewhere over there. With that, manual will moderate today. Bill has a moderate discussion and save time for questions and answers towards the end of the session. Well, thanks, mike. I want to thank the center on global interest of washington university, see if i got that right for having us today. I think that this is a really fantastic event to sort it just highlights to the issues that will be with us the next three years as russia gears up not only with the world cup but also a pivotal year in russia in 2018 as food and whiskey to be reelected for another term. We have two major events taking place in russia in 2018. Now about myself, i did my dissertation on the transition of communism to capitalism and ive looked at the period between 1987 to 2014. I wouldve liked to go further but i couldnt because it is a history paper and you have just not that point. But what made me realize the many issues going on right now that are very fascinating and do not fit into a phd dissertation. Some of the issues for those of you who are familiar and well is seen as issues. Since 2013, we have been having data conflict in ukraine, which was kicked off by the events and from there on we spiraled into a whole bunch of u. N. Could have some commentators say we are now won a state of the cold war, which is a comparison i dont like very much. What i think is we can learn a lot from what is going on and thought all and what is going on in russia right now. When you look at the way it is structured that reflects things going on elsewhere in society. When youre a maiden kicked off, we had protests in the stadiums in ukraine in russia server five in the in general and stadiums. An economic base, we have the sanctions on russia that affected the ruble last chris dyson and fully and that ruble crisis had a deep impact on the way football is being played right now in the country because as the ruble crashed, players and coaches and specialists in plain russia all paid in euros and dollars, which meant all of the sudden salary and greece dramatically. So we have seen collapsed in the russian volume in combating this issue and sort of gives us a prism on how the rest of society and the rest of the economy sort of deals with the issue. Another thing that has come up recently is the fact the Russian Union has fired as of yesterday a russian coach. The way it came about shows us a lot about how russia deals with the kind of problems that come in the state apparatus as a way to reform the football system and sort of things that im the coach who is highly overpaid and did not get the results. What i really want to say is football gives us a really unique opportunity to understand some of these issues and gives us a wide audience because when you know how many football fans around the world, it a lot more than people that follow daily politics. But football is for me is a prism, a way of understanding of how the entire region operates and to understand that is widely misunderstood. Thank you. With that, i give it over to you. Well, thank you. Not sure if any of this or not. It is a pleasure to be here and i want to say im a mega event specialist and not an expert on russia felt like my esteemed colleagues here. But i did have an opportunity, five opportunities to visit russia in 1988, so i spent quite a bit change over those years. The last experience wasnt so p. P. Sochi during the Winter Olympics games. It was extremely wellorganized, a beautiful city that people were great, volunteers were super and despite whatever everyone that in the american press, the games went off fine. Im not talking about the politics or the monies enter anything else. Just the games itself. I think they are going to do a great job as well with the world cup as they know how to organize and maybe not leading up to the crisis situation but youre in the games, it will be fine. Ive heard the same thing about the 1980 games that they are one of the best. I just wanted to put that all into perspective. In terms of the financials, that is another situation. We have heard the root word and some of my contacts who work for the organizing committee did confirm that of the 50 billion figure that was thrown out for the winter Olympic Games, half of that was probably not really spent on the news. Do you have to also put that into you at the 25 billion that was officially spent. That was to build a city. That wasnt for the Olympic Games. About 5 billion 25 billion of the same as the real figure was on the organizing the games. The rest was to build the train system, though the hotels, rose, Everything Else good ideas in the winter Olympic Games to give a active because then we go to the world cup and the figures right now are about 12 billion. They cut a half billion dollars up recently because of the financial situation. You know, you cant blame all of that money on the world cup. A lot of it has to do with the National Government that decided to build 12 stadiums versus a minimum of eight stagehands. Fifa has a minimum of faith idioms that most countries as they get the world cup cant figure out how to leave out. They want to please the whole country. Instead of saying we are going to go with the ones we already have and build three extras, theyve decided we cant leave that one out because its politically important and we need for this reason. They chose to spend on this additional money on stadiums and thus after you build stadiums to have a have all the infrastructure as well because the sponsors and officials and nice hotels to stay in in the areas where the stadiums soccer and the spectators. In some of these instances ive never been to many of the cities the stadiums are going to be built, but i can imagine they dont have all the tourist infrastructure as we do have in moscow and st. Petersburg. That is where the extra money goes to. Putting on the tournament itself is between 600 million a billion dollars. Just the local organizing committee. That money is actually paid by fifa money. It is the other 11 billion that goes into the infrastructure and half of that is being paid by the federal government of russia. Russia is a little bit different because you said the other half comes from sponsors and other private citizen, but from what i have learned in sochi, many of the private companies that sponsor or actually government act. So there you get a little bit. I would like in the United States or germany or others where you have true commercial entities many other private companies have some Government Support in the back. And also what happened but i learned and correct me if im wrong here as many of the hotels were built in sochi and maybe thisll happen at the world cup. Many hotels are built based on loans, guaranteed by the federal government. So if they default on those gloves because those who are held are being felt up and make in revenue, who is really paying that . It is the federal government. The privately funded hotel ultimately may end up as the federal federal event hotel or venue. Just trying to understand. I can give you the figures i have gathered, but how much is really private versus federally supported and federally backed is a different situation. They trained him and brought him in and altering is a new kind of activity that hasnt been introduced into society before, that i think was a great opportunity. Its hard to put a price tag on it, sort of like mastercard, you know, its priceless. I want everybody to consider those other intangibles, also the education that they receive. To service
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