Social and physical change in Old Havana

Here is an article by Tbo.com about the physical and social changes in the country of Cuba. This is a very recent article that talks about how simple things such as new buildings or how more citizens being hired is a big deal in to the people of Cuba.

Old Havana reflects a new era of physical and social change in Cuba

Cubans defecting to the United States

Here is an older article from 2012 by ABCnews.com on how 1000's of Cubans a year defect from Cuba to the United States. These people risk heavy fines, jail time and in some extreme cases, even death. They risk there lives to come to the United States in order to pursue better lives for them and their families. Hopefully, with the changes being put into place now and in the future, Cubans wont have to risk their lives to come to the states, and some may even consider staying in Cuba to witness these changes.
Cubans defecting to the United States

Many of these defectors are athletes searching for higher wages such as this man, Yasiel Puig

Brookings article

Here is an article by Ted Piccone all the way from 2012 detailing that as far back as 2010 , Cuba had begun to change some its ways, for the better. It tells us how Cubans are now being allowed to do the little things that Americans can sometimes take for granted, such as buying and selling their cars and houses, as well as opening credit lines, things most people consider basic. This is a huge step in the right direction or the people of Cuba.

  Cuba changing, slowly but surely

Young Cuban baseball players allowed to play in Canada

For years, young Cuban baseball players had to be smuggled into North America by human traffickers in order to pursue a real career in professor baseball. Now, because of the easing tensions between Cuba and Northern American countries, for the first time in decades, four young Cuban baseball players are being allowed by their government to leave the country in order to play overseas. Here is an article by Fox Sports detailing minor, yet historic step towards the right direction.

Cuban baseball players now legally playing in Canada

Article by The New York Times

Here is an article that has an interesting viewpoint from many young Cubans that believe that change is not occurring and that the government is still the obstacle that is objecting change rather than enforcing it. There is also statements for other young Cubans that believe that they see the changes that are occurring and encourage others that change is coming, slowly but surely.

Cuban Youth See New U.S. Embassy, but Same Old Drab Life

President Obama working towards a new relationship with Cuba

Here is a lengthy article by the New Yorker that details President Obama's efforts to work with Raul Castro. This article goes into detail on how for a period of about 18 months, Obama and Castro had been talking in secret in order to try to do away with the United States's embargo on Cuba. This article also goes into detail on how over the years, Cubans had always found a way to get into the US and that there was a feeling of culture and media change beginning to take shape in Havana

     Obama and Castro seize historic moment

The New Yorker audio piece

Here is a very short older article on the changing relationship between the Canadian  and Cuban government. This article always contains an absolutely fantastic audio piece on the changing political scene in Cuba, including a very detailed segment on how Raul Castro has made an instant and monumental impact in trying to change the political scene of Cuba to be more open to the world.

Changing political scene in the new Cuba