I arrived in the USA from Cuba when I was a young boy speaking little English and never looked back. I truly love America the Beautiful.
Little English is an understatement. For survival, I learned to say “I know nothing about politics’ and “Apple pie and coffee.” Ironically, the political line was interesting, as I later learned. I am not alone, and other immigrants who have had it worse also fight “for a better life” and overcome “hardships” seeking opportunities and working to build a better future and seeking the American Dream. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CACWj18ruk
My mom, dad, and my older brothers were the first members of our larger family to arrive in the promised land from Cuba. We barely spoke English and had to overcome difficulties.
Both my parents were hard workers and carried warm smiles. I could not have had better role models than Mi mama Margarita and Papa Antonio.
This is my story and I am proud of our journey and what we have been able to accomplish in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
My initial grammar school years were trying times because I did not understand what was going on inside the classroom. Outside, the kids made fun of the fact that I could not speak English. I met a girl named Roberta and I tried to befriend her but she either could not or would not try to communicate. However, my teacher realized there was nothing wrong with me because my math skills were more than acceptable, but my language abilities had to quickly improve, so I knew that had to change and fast.
I got my hands on a newspaper and began reading it out loud. That's how it all began to shape my interest in journalism. Later on, I met a Tocayo student named Bob, and he was involved in the school paper, so naturally he was a perfect colleague.
Once I was able to communicate, it was an easier journey in high school. By my teenage years, I settled on journalism as my career. I wrote community news and opinion pieces while in high school. U was attracted to the deadline-every-minute pace of reporting and rose to be fairly active.
I also became interested in technology and organized the first computer dance in school which eventually allowed me to serve and be selected as class president.
When I graduated and went to college, it was the radio station and TV studios that I was attracted to and I liked them and was fairly good at them.
In Miami at the university, I got an internship at WPLG-TV 10 a Post-Newsweek Station and was later hired making 21 dollars an hour. My boss then, Dr. Ken is still a good friend. There I earned my first BFA advanced degree.
At WINZ Newsradio - ZETA-4, I went on to work as a journalist and a news and public affairs producer and anchorman. Then on to WNWS for more money, but after working in local radio for a few years, it was time for NYC and NBC News, when my salary doubled where I received my second degree and where I stayed until a fateful five-letter word HUELGA changed my entire career path.
SIN, which means without in Spanish and you know what it signifies in English made me an offer I could not refuse, They too doubled my salary, making me an offer that I could not refuse.
As its youngest-ever executive, I helped rebrand the network to UNIVISION and directed the younger award-winning anchor team of Maria Elena Salina and Jorge Ramos into Spanish-language broadcasting history.
I was then hired by HBC, which evolved into Telemundo. First at KVEA 52 then at WNJU 47 and that's when POTUS George HW Bush recruited me to launch TV Marti News at USIA in Washington DC.
When Clinton was elected I was replaced as almost always happens in politics, so I returned to Telemudo as News Director of the Station Group, working with their owned and operated broadcasters
Then, I got divorced. I accepted a job in NYC to build and launch News 12, and later another offer. This one is to launch and lead APTN as NY Burau Chief and North America Director of Operations. After a few years, the AP President who hired me retired and there were many changes, including yours truly, who took early retirement with a buyout and a pension. I suspect the reason was I earned too much money, although the news agency certainly got its money's worth.
I then began working for IMAGINUS and teaching communications, where I still serve as SVP and Professor.