Migrated to the US at 3 yrs old. Raised with wise guys but kept my Latino roots. Joined the USMC at 17 Travel the world. I love Latin music and it became part of my survival. I have been fortunate to have met and performed with legendary musician. Dealt with drug abuse and betrayal. Honored my mother and love my children but the system took my life away due to my divorce. Now I begin life again and many doors open on my way to a Grammy! I thank God Everyday and Believe!
Posts Tagged Miami
Believe………
Jan 20
A Twisted Turn
Nov 11
The day had started with lots of excitement. The year 1964 and the Cuban government had announced Camarioca. This was a chance for people to leave Cuba by boats or family abroad come to Cuba to pick them up. Part of my family was in the USA already and sure making efforts to come to Cuba with a boat to get part of the family including my brother, mom and I. Well, it so happens that this lady who lived in our same town started with a long paper getting names of people who wanted to leave in the big ship her family was bringing to Cuba to take people to the USA. My mother upon hearing about what this opportunity was went to see her. The lady showed her hundreds of names on the list and said: “Sorry, but all the space in my family’s big ship is taken, there are no more seats available nor space.” Mom started begging her and crying for my brother if he got to be 15 years of age would go on the military and there was no way we could leave. Mom explained her urgency but the old-time friend was not moved. She just repeated the same statement about mom getting to her too late.
It so happened that no ship from that lady’s family ever came to Cuba and 2 years later mom, 2 aunts, one uncle, my brother and I were on route to Miami in the Freedom Flights in 1966. But the lady came few years after us but had to leave her 15 year old son behind in the military, exactly what mom had told her it would happen to my brother if he did not leave during Camarioca.
I thought about this real story a lot. How people think they have our fate in their hands and destiny has other plans. Sure the story got twisted for us in a positive way, but for this lady, she made a fool out of herself because everyone talked about how her family had no ship, no money, and how she had played with such an important need of so many hundreds- the need to seek freedom or else.
It was a big lesson for me at an early age, I was 10 years old at the time and never forgot about this experience. Many years later my brother was visiting Hialeah Hospital and there was Ramoncito, the lady’s son. He had become a Dr. in Miami and told my brother how his mother had left him in Cuba alone in the house and how he had to spend so many years in the military and how he became a Dr. in Cuba and finally after many years now he could come to the USA.
To be humble, to count one’s blessings, this is what I learned.
Hope you find some meaning in my story.
Thanks for reading!!
Adria Martinez
Phase Two To Life!
Nov 7
New resident to Miami in 1980. Coming from the North and having to adapt to where life was much faster, you turned 18 but acted as 25. Learned make up, fashion , salsa and clubbing. Life was fun, yet to fast. Life was about what you had , not who you were. Began to study, work and party. Met my boyfriend at a club. He wined and dined me till we conceived our only child. The fairytale wedding every little girl dreams of was being hit by reality. We began to live together, struggled to make ends meet. A court wedding , upset family members because we were having a child. I felt stripped from life’s dream, Cinderella wedding, bridal shower, baby shower and what was suppose to be joyous moments. My marriage was a prison sentence. Controlled by a man who was not a bad person but only practiced what he saw as a child in his home. Controlled every aspect, my career, my decisions, my friends, my clothing, food choices, etc. Lost all rights to any choices. My situation was critical. I had my father in prison, and I was trapped with a child on the way. To only find out it was going to get worse. I lived locked up. He had me believing this was all for my safety. I gave up on life to live and be who he wanted. Food and work became my obsessions. Made a run for it when my child was born. Called police and left, and slowly during his child visitations he drew me right back. I remarried him for 18 more years. Only because I thought he is my child’s father, its the right thing to do. My child lost his childhood and his rights to any decisions at 18. Life became a business to the three of us. Finally came the day I awaited, my son said he wanted out. The only reason I had returned. So he left and I had to make my exit carefully. I woke up and asked him to remove the alarm. I told him I had a pedicure appointment. It was the only thing I was allowed to do on my own.
When I drove off I never returned. I left everything behind and only left with the clothes on my back. However, I had the most valuable things. A chance to live phase two. Many don’t get this. This is a story for all the women who may think this is normal and its not. Laycee Dugard has been asked why didnt she leave her kidnapper. I can relate. You are convinced that you are worth nothing and there is no better life. Its a comfort zone even though its wrong. Its a mental challenge to overcome but can be done. Through aot of faith and fighting what these controllers wants you to believe. Its a story about never giving up and living a hope.
