On TikTok, Cuban native Mel Violat (@melanie.violat) has achieved something rare: capturing the shared emotions of countless emigrants who left their families in search of a fresh start. In her video, Mel is shown engaging in everyday activities such as pushing a shopping cart or working out at the gym, while background audio features heartfelt messages from her family back in Cuba—messages filled with love, congratulations, and expressions of longing from her mother.
While the visuals are compelling, it's the poignant audio messages from her family that truly resonate with viewers. They evoke moments lost to distance, moments when she longs to embrace her loved ones once more.
Mel's video accompanies a text that encapsulates her journey: "Emigrating isn't just about leaving. It's about leaving little pieces of yourself in every corner where you once found happiness." She further elaborates, saying, "It's about learning to hug through video calls, to celebrate birthdays from afar, and to find comfort in voices delayed by seconds." Her candid and nostalgic words quickly went viral, sparking a wave of empathy among Cubans worldwide.
Reflecting on the emotional cost of starting anew far from home, Mel wrote, "No one prepares you for the silence after a 'take care' said from across the sea," capturing the bittersweet mix of love and loneliness that emigrants endure. She acknowledges the sacrifices involved in rebuilding life in another country: "You wash dishes with a degree in your backpack and smile nonetheless, because survival becomes a badge of pride."
The video, which has garnered thousands of views and comments, has become a gathering space for the Cuban diaspora. One user asked, "Is it okay to cry?" to which Mel replied, "Of course it is." Other comments filled with understanding read, "Your words hit hard, it's the pure truth," "We all experience this who had to leave," and "We will never be compensated for so many tears and separated families." Among the comments were expressions of political frustration and protest, such as "Down with the dictatorship" and "Homeland and Life," illustrating how emotion and collective memory intertwine in the stories of those who left.
Many users shared their personal experiences: the pain of losing a loved one without a chance to say goodbye, celebrating birthdays alone, or video calls that never quite replace an embrace. "We celebrate alone, we cry alone, but we keep fighting," wrote a Cuban woman from Miami. Others agreed that, though distance hurts, it also teaches the value of essentials: family, love, and the chance to begin again.
"Home is no longer a place, but the people you carry in your memory," Mel concludes. Her simple yet deeply human video has become an intimate portrait of Cuban nostalgia: a feeling that accompanies those who left, that both aches and gives strength. It's a story that, unintentionally, has united thousands of emigrants under a shared truth: distance doesn't erase bonds, it only makes them more visible.
Understanding the Emotional Impact of Cuban Migration
What emotions are commonly experienced by Cuban emigrants?
Cuban emigrants often experience a mix of love, loneliness, nostalgia, and pride. These emotions are tied to leaving loved ones behind and the challenges of starting anew in a foreign land.
How does Mel Violat's video resonate with the Cuban diaspora?
Mel Violat's video resonates by capturing the heartfelt emotions and struggles of emigrants through personal stories and family messages, creating a sense of shared experience among the Cuban diaspora.
Why do people say that distance doesn't erase bonds?
Distance doesn't erase bonds because the emotional connections and memories of loved ones remain strong, often becoming more apparent despite physical separation.