Cuba is not new to an economic crisis. We have been dealing with one exacerbated by political tensions with the United States for decades. But with this pandemic, things have indeed gotten worse — we don’t have the so-called blackouts, but scarcity, shortage, and non-availability have become everyday themes.

I live in the Los Sitios neighborhood of Central Havana, a safe and friendly neighborhood, but one whose residents come from modest backgrounds with limited means. People sustain mostly on small businesses and basic monthly salaries that are not nearly enough. In that backdrop, many residents have created opportunities by offering rentals to foreigners or working in small private enterprises catering to tourism, such as cleaning lodgings. COVID-19 has taken those opportunities away and forced many to re-invent their livelihood. And so people have. Just like we Cubans always do.

With days at a stretch of scarcity, there are those that stand in long queues to procure whatever is available and then resell their purchases. Those with sewing skills are also in demand as the business of masks is a necessity in these times. My series tells the story of Isabel Vega Garcia, a retired woman who continues to work as a seamstress and make a living. She works in a private workshop and also at home making masks and selling them, but offers them for free to close friends and immediate neighbors. Isabel is not only helping people through her work but also sustaining her own finances. Many Cuban women have made history over the years; Isabel is yet another female force who is skillfully blending community work with small enterprise to help people stay safe in these tough times through her small but impactful sewing business.

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