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In 1961, over 250,000 Cubans joined their country’s National
Literacy Campaign and taught more than 707,000 other Cubans to read and write.
Almost half of these volunteer teachers were under 18. More than half were
women.
Narrated by Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, MAESTRA (Spanish for
teacher) explores the experiences of nine of the women who, as young girls,
helped eradicate Cuban illiteracy within one year. Interweaving recent
interviews, archival footage, and campaign photos, this lively documentary
includes one of the first Cubans of her generation to call herself a feminist
and one of the first openly proud members of Cuba’s LGBTQI community. With wit
and spirit, all recall negotiating for autonomy and independence in a culture
still bound by patriarchal structures.
Eight years in the making, MAESTRA highlights the will and courage that made
the monumental endeavor possible and the pivotal role of women’s and youth
empowerment in building a new society.