Family celebrates 'country of blessing' this Fourth of July

PINEVILLE — A Central Louisiana family with a unique story is celebrating this Fourth of July for the first time as American citizens.

Barbarito Labrada, wife Anilex and their four children came to the United States on March 16, 2010, legally as refugees from Cuba, where Labrada had spent three months in prison for refusing to join the communist cause.

They celebrate that day each year as an end of slavery "like the Israelites coming out of Egypt," Labrada said in Spanish during an interview with The Town Talk.

"Our entrance to freedom," his oldest son, Andy, added in English.

The conversation flipped back to Spanish as his dad chimed back in, "We found in this country what God promised his people — a promised land."

Such is the way of their bilingual household. When they arrived in Central Louisiana six years ago Andy, now 21 and in college, was the only one in the family who knew any English, and it wasn't much. He learned quickly by having to translate for his family at the bank or store and then through the Rapides Parish School Board's English as a second language (ESL) program.

All four kids went through the ESL program. The youngest, Deny, picked up the language the quickest because he hadn't learned to read and write in Spanish yet. He's 11 now and heading to Tioga Junior High in August. His older brother Dany will be at Tioga High.

Their parents picked it up more quickly on the job. Labrada drives for AEX Express LLC, a medical transportation company. Anilex cleans houses and churches.

From Cuba to Louisiana

Their journey to Cenla wasn't exactly direct. Although they definitely wanted out of Cuba, they didn't intend to come to Pineville. But they consider it God's plan. They flew from Cuba to Mexico to Miami. Their final destination was to be Albany, New York.

But when they got in line at the airport for a New York flight, their names weren't on the list, Anilex said. They were booked for a flight to Dallas and then to Alexandria.

They didn't know what to make of that, and they had no way to call family and tell them their plans had changed. Anilex said she asked for five minutes to pray about it. The Labradas decided "God knew why" and they boarded for Dallas.

"Now we give many thanks to God," she said.

They love it here. They've become proud Louisianans and are happy to claim the bayou state as home.

"Somos de aqui" — "We are from here," Anilex said.

As refugees with visas, they began their life in Alexandria with an apartment that was all their own, something they didn't have in Cuba. They had lived with other family members, but in America they had their own place. Labrada worked and they walked everywhere. Andy helped translate while everyone learned the language.

After a year, they had saved enough to buy a car. After two years, they bought a house in Pineville.

Then after five years in the country on visas, they decided to make the change permanent and apply for citizenship. It was a process of paperwork, but they had help from an immigration attorney.

It became official for the family at three separate ceremonies in New Orleans and Monroe. Andy kicked off the family's naturalization with a swearing-in ceremony in September.

"It was pretty awesome," Andy said. "I never had to do anything in my country. I had no privileges. Here they welcome you. ... It was pretty emotional."

His father and siblings had theirs in December, and Anilex was the last one in January.

"It was very emotional," Anilex said in Spanish.

Labrada explained that each person at his ceremony had time at the microphone to give testimony, in English, about how this country has changed his or her life. It has certainly changed his family's.

In Cuba their future was uncertain, the Labradas explained. They were "tagged" because they chose not to be political. They weren't communists, but they weren't revolutionists. They were considered "black sheep" in school, in their neighborhood, everywhere.

"We get here and they are studying," Labrada said. "They have a future. What bigger satisfaction for a parent than to see your child have a future?"

"I would not be able to go to a university (in Cuba) without being communist," his daughter, Jany, 20, said. "... Here I have the opportunity to be someone better."

She is a sophomore at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, studying to be a nurse practitioner. She lives with older brother Andy, who is a junior biology major at LSU. He intends to continue to medical school after undergrad. They both work at the National Center for Disaster Fraud in Baton Rouge.

That's important to their dad and the rest of their family. Labrada emphasizes responsibility and hard work.

"This is a country of blessing, but you have to work," Labrada says in Spanish. "... You have to dream but with your feet on the ground."

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'A country of blessing'

That's what America is to him. Being an American means blessings and opportunities, safety and acceptance, and the chance to work hard and achieve their dreams.

The Labradas love the American government and its processes, which they see as blessings. They applied and were approved to come into the country as refugees through a government program. They purchased their house through another government program, the Rural Development loan program.

"I'm proud to be an American," Jany said. "I'm proud to be here in this country."

They enjoy the freedom America offers, a stark contrast from oppressive Cuba, as well as the opportunities — from the house loan to the opportunity to receive hospital care when Labrada became very ill and needed surgery.

They have celebrated Independence Day for the last five years, but this Fourth of July is extra special.

"This will be the first one we celebrate as actual American citizens," Andy said. "(But) since the moment we got here we're American. We celebrate it every year. We're pretty proud. I've registered to vote — things I was not able to do (in Cuba)."

Anilex emphasized her son's comment, talking about the "beautiful history" of the country, which she learned in the process to become a citizen, and how many people have fought to make America what it is.

She said she is "super, super proud" — "super, super orgullosa" — to be an American.

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