Dr. Melissa Barber, a graduate of the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM in Spanish) who serves as the Medical Scholarship Program Coordinator for IFCO/Pastors for Peace, describes her visit to all seven (soon to be eight) reservations located within Montana to encourage Native American students to consider traveling to Cuba for a free medical education. Karen Cantrell, American Indian Health Director for the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, discusses the Department’s role in the tour. Bozeman residents Tom Waldorf and Paden Wallace talk about what Montana residents can learn from Cuba in the areas of health care, tourism, agriculture and sustainability. Cuban-American Montana resident Jorge Quintana explains from personal experience how people living in Cuba and in the US have been affected by the two countries’ complicated history and how people in both countries can benefit from closer relations in terms of health care, health education, and more.

Dr. Melissa Barber with photo of Florence Doyle (Baachiime iiwachelesh). Image from “Montana Trip Summary by Dr. Melissa Barber, Medical Scholarship Program Coordinator, Latin American School of Medicine, IFCO/Pastors for Peace, New York City, NY.”