Surviving the Impossible
By Sandra Hernández
There’s just one place to live—the impossible.
~ Reinaldo Arenas
Surviving the Impossible is a deeply personal project that began with a single trip to Cuba and a simple question: how do people keep going when everything is falling apart?
What I found was a country on the edge of collapse—its people navigating a brutal daily reality shaped by scarcity, censorship, and uncertainty. Over 90% of Cubans live in extreme poverty, and by late 2024, most faced daily blackouts, chronic shortages of food and medicine, and a near-total lack of government support. More than a million people fled the island between 2022 and 2023, leaving behind fractured families and unfulfilled dreams.
But what I also found—and what moved me most—was the strength of those who stayed. Ordinary people, refusing to give up. Women, children, elders, neighbors, all finding ways to survive through mutual aid, resilience, and stubborn hope. This project is about them. It’s about reclaiming Cuba from the romanticized myths and showing it as it truly is: complex, painful, beautiful, impossible.
This journey started during a workshop with The Raw Society in Havana. That moment lit the first spark, and it hasn’t stopped burning since. The project was later featured in The Raw Society Magazine, Issue Two. After that, I had the chance to continue developing the work more personally with Raw Society Studio Manager Mei Seva — whose guidance and care have been incredibly meaningful to me.
I owe a great deal to The Raw Society. Their support, visibility, and belief in this work have been essential to its growth. This project wouldn’t be where it is without them. That’s the true power of collective work and community. I’m deeply grateful to belong here, and I dedicate this article to Christelle, Jorge, and Mei—thank you for walking beside me on this path.
Photos and writing by Sandra Hernández
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love to the art . my the light be with it
Sandra, I love following this project. Full of color and heart.