Tabitha Arnold on Art & Labor at the Cuban Embassy
Chris Garlock | Published on 12/2/2025
“I attended the May Day parade in Havana,” writes artist Tabitha Arnold in her recent
My Speech on Art & Labor at the Cuban Embassy post. “It was a profound moment, but unlike the brief collective actions I’ve been part of at home in the US, the parade was not a temporary experience that faded away the moment the streets cleared. May Day was an affirmation of every single day in Cuba, where the revolution is made new every morning. This tapestry is a collection of images from the parade, including many different kinds of workers who marched together on that day, young and old, Black, white and indigenous, able-bodied and sick… As a cultural worker, I want to make art that inspires people toward action, but I believe it’s ultimately the labor movement that gives us the power to change our political system.”
photo: Tabitha with Primero de Mayo on the Cuban embassy steps. Photo by Rebecca Raia.