I Am Just a Man
By Dr. Mahdee Muhammad
People often ask me why I love Cuba so much, and
today’s experience is the number one reason:
In Cuba, I am not a Black man — I am just a
man.
Today, I went to the bank here in the U.S., and
once again, I was given the “banking while
Black” experience.
The customer service rep asked me too many unnecessary questions, gave me
excuses, and put a hold on my deposit — a check that could’ve cleared in hours.
It wasn’t about policy. It was about perception.
This is what it's like every day in the U.S.
I wake up and live as a Black man.
I drive, and I’m watched as a Black man.
I shop, and I’m followed as a Black man.
I look for jobs, and I'm often locked out
because I’m a straight Black man who doesn’t accept disrespect or
mistreatment.
Everywhere I go, I carry a label that limits me.
But in Cuba,
it’s different.
In Cuba, I am just a man — not a
Black man, not a threat, not a problem. Just a human being, respected and
treated like everyone else.
That peace, that dignity — that's why I love
Cuba.
