From Cuban Poverty to American Success: A Book Presentation in Tampa

The incredible journey of a Cuban girl who rose from the dire poverty of 1930s Havana to become a successful entrepreneur in the United States is the focal point of a book recently highlighted by the Tampa Bay History Center. This book was showcased at the end of September as part of the opening of the center's 2026-27 reading club season.

Titled "It's Hard to Kill a Bougainvillea: From Slavery to the American Dream," the book was penned by Tampa-based author Sylvia A. Alvarez. It chronicles the life of her mother, known as "Chelo," as a testament to the resilience and hope of immigrant communities.

"I realized her story was significant and needed to be shared. It had to inspire people," Alvarez expressed.

Chelo's life began with a series of heartbreaking events: at just four years old, she witnessed her mother's death, and her father abandoned her and her sister, leaving them to sleep under a staircase and suffer from hunger. Upon his return, her father sold Chelo as a servant to a wealthy sugar plantation owner, where she worked as a nanny and domestic helper for years.

Her chance for a new life arrived when the family traveled to New York. As they entered the harbor and she caught sight of the Statue of Liberty, Chelo understood the monument's symbolism. One night, she filled a pillowcase with fruit and fled into the city streets, without English skills or money.

Over time, the woman who had escaped with nothing but her determination became the owner of a sportswear manufacturing company, a real estate promoter, and a successful businesswoman. She even marched alongside Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in support of civil rights.

Alvarez chose the title as a nod to the bougainvillea, a plant renowned for thriving in harsh conditions, reflecting her mother's indomitable spirit.

Alvarez's family history is deeply intertwined with Tampa's legacy. Her father was born in the city into a family connected to the cigar industry, moving between Key West, Havana, and Tampa. "The family traveled from Key West to Havana and Tampa, always following the cigar trade," the author recalled.

Rodney Kite-Powell, a historian at the center, framed the book within a broader narrative: Cuban, Spanish, and Sicilian immigrants who arrived in the late 19th century fueled the growth of Ybor City in the 1880s and West Tampa in the 1890s, reshaping the cultural identity of the city. During its peak, the area boasted over 200 cigar factories and about 10,000 workers.

"Those immigrants who came here starting in the 1880s in search of a new life truly helped create an entirely new culture," noted Kite-Powell.

For Alvarez, preserving her mother's memory also serves as a way to keep alive the experiences of generations impacted by migration and family separation, a reality that endures for families with loved ones in Cuba, where the economic crisis—marked by power outages, food shortages, and lack of medications—persists under the regime.

Her dedication to helping families achieve homeownership stems from watching her parents build their first home in America when she was nine, acting as their translator. Today, she leads the Housing and Education Alliance, a HUD-certified agency that has served over 57,735 Tampa Bay residents and facilitated over $163 million in home buying loans and assistance since 2002.

"America is a tapestry of souls," Alvarez concluded. "And I am very proud of her, very proud of my Cuban heritage, very proud to be American."